(2 Chron. 30:24, 25; 34:1, 3-7) After the northern kingdom’s fall the name of Israel was, in effect, kept alive by Judah, the only kingdom remaining of Israel’s (Jacob’s) descendants. Therefore, it is primarily with reference to the land of the Judean kingdom and its capital Jerusalem that the expression “soil of Israel” is used by the prophet Ezekiel. (Ezek. 12:19, 22; 18:2; 21:2, 3) This was the geographical area that was completely desolated for seventy years from and after 607 B.C.E. (25:3) but to which a faithful remnant would be regathered.—11:17; 20:42; 37:12.

For a description of Israel’s geographical and climatic characteristics, as well as its size, location, natural resources and related features, see the article PALESTINE.

ISRAELITE

(Isʹra·el·ite).

A descendant of Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel. (2 Sam. 17:25; John 1:47; Rom. 11:1; see ISRAEL No. 1.) As determined by the context, in the plural the term refers to the following: (1) Members of all the twelve tribes before the split in the kingdom (1 Sam. 2:14; 13:20; 29:1); (2) those of the ten-tribe northern kingdom (1 Ki. 12:19; 2 Ki. 3:24); (3) non-Levitical Jews returning from Babylonian exile (1 Chron. 9:1, 2); (4) Jews of the first century C.E.—Acts 13:16; Rom. 9:3, 4; 2 Cor. 11:22.

ISRAEL OF GOD

This expression, found only once in Scripture, refers to spiritual Israel rather than to racial descendants of Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel. (Gen. 32:22-28) The Bible speaks of “Israel in a fleshly way” (1 Cor. 10:18), as well as spiritual Israel made up of those for whom descent from Abraham is not a requirement. (Matt. 3:9) The apostle Paul, when using the expression “the Israel of God,” shows that it has nothing to do with whether one is a circumcised descendant of Abraham or not.—Gal. 6:15, 16.

The prophet Hosea foretold that God, in rejecting the nation of natural] Israel in favor of this spiritual nation, which includes Gentiles, would say “to those not my people: ‘You are my people.’” (Hos. 2:23; Rom. 9:22-25) In due time the kingdom of God was taken away from the nation of natural Jews and given to a spiritual nation bringing forth Kingdom fruitage. (Matt. 21:43) To be sure, natural Jews were included in spiritual Israel. The apostles and others who received holy spirit at Pentecost in 33 C.E. (about 120), those added on that day (about 3,000), and those that later increased the number to about 5,000, were all Jews and proselytes. (Acts 1:13-15; 2:41; 4:4) But even at that they were, as Isaiah described them, “a mere remnant” saved out of that cast-off nation.—Isa. 10:21, 22; Rom. 9:27.

Other scriptures elaborate on this matter. With the breaking off of some “natural branches” of the figurative olive tree, there was a grafting in of “wild” non-Israelite ones, so that there was no racial or class distinction among those that “are really Abraham’s seed, heirs with reference to a promise.” (Rom. 11:17-24; Gal. 3:28, 29) “Not all who spring from Israel are really ‘Israel.’” “For he is not a Jew who is one on the outside, nor is circumcision that which is on the outside upon the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one on the inside, and his circumcision is that of the heart by spirit.” (Rom. 9:6; 2:28, 29) Natural Israel failed to produce the required number, so God “turned his attention to the nations to take out of them a people for his name” (Acts 15:14), concerning whom it was said, “You were once not a people, but are now God’s people.” (1 Pet. 2:10) The apostle Peter quoted what had been said to natural Israel and applied it to this spiritual Israel of God, saying it is in reality “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for special possession.”—Ex. 19:5, 6; 1 Pet. 2:9.

The twelve tribes mentioned in Revelation chapter 7 must refer to this spiritual Israel, and for several valid reasons. The listing does not match that of natural Israel at Numbers chapter 1. Also Jerusalem’s temple and priesthood and all the tribal records of natural Israel were permanently destroyed, lost forever, long before John had his vision in 96 C.E. But more importantly, John received his vision upon a background of the aforementioned developments from and after Pentecost 33 C.E. In the light of such events, John’s vision of those standing on the heavenly Mount Zion with the Lamb (whom natural Israel had rejected) revealed the number of this spiritual Israel of God to be 144,000 “bought from among mankind.”—Rev. 7:4; 14:1, 4.

ISSACHAR

(Isʹsa·char) [he is wages or he brings wages].

1. The ninth son of Jacob and the fifth of Leah’s seven children born in Paddan-aram. Leah viewed this son as Jehovah’s reward or wages paid for her having allowed a maidservant to bear sons by her husband during a period when she was barren.—Gen. 29:32–30:21; 35:23, 26; 1 Chron. 2:1.

Issachar was perhaps eight years old when his family moved to Canaan in 1761 B.C.E. After that nothing is known of his life aside from the recorded events in which, as one of “the sons of Jacob,” he mutually participated. (Gen. 34:5-7, 13, 27; 37:3-27; 42:1-3; 45:15) In 1728 B.C.E., when Issachar was about forty-one years old, he moved to Egypt together with his sons Tola, Puvah (Puah), Iob (Jashub) and Shimron as part of the “seventy souls” of Jacob’s household.—Gen. 46:13, 27; Ex. 1:1-3; 1 Chron. 7:1.

When Jacob was on his deathbed, Issachar was the fifth of the twelve sons to receive his father’s blessing: “Issachar is a strong-boned ass, lying down between the two saddlebags. And he will see that the resting place is good and that the land is pleasant; and he will bend down his shoulder to bear burdens and he will become subject to slavish forced labor.” (Gen. 49:14, 15) In pronouncing this blessing, Jacob was not only pointing out certain individual characteristics and events in the personal life of Issachar; but, as with the blessings bestowed on his brothers, Jacob was foretelling tribal traits and conduct that would be displayed in the future by Issachar’s descendants “in the final part of the days.”—Gen. 49:1.

2. One of the twelve tribes of Israel; descendants of Jacob through his son Issachar. When the first census was taken after leaving Egypt, the number of able-bodied men twenty years old and upward fit for warfare among this tribe was 54,400. (Num. 1:17-19, 28, 29) A similar census about thirty-nine years later showed the tribe had increased their registered ones to 64,300, and in David’s time the fighting force numbered 87,000. (Num. 26:23-25; 1 Chron. 7:5) There were 200 head ones of the tribe that went to Hebron in 1070 B.C.E. when David was made “king over all Israel.”—1 Chron. 12:23, 32, 38.

In the layout of the great wilderness camp, the families of Issachar, together with those of their full-blood brother-tribe of Zebulun, were situated on Judah’s flanks on the E side of the tabernacle (Num. 2:3-8); when on the march this three-tribe division was assigned to take the lead. (Num. 10:14-16) Moses’ parting blessings on the tribes grouped Issachar and Zebulun together (Deut. 33:18), but a few years later they were separated when the tribes were divided into two groups to hear the reading of blessings and cursings of the Law between the mountains of Gerizim and Ebal.—Deut. 27:11-13; Josh. 8:33-35; see EBAL, MOUNT.

In dividing up the Promised Land, Issachar was the fourth tribe chosen by lot to receive its inheritance, which proved to be mainly in the fertile valley of Jezreel. Bounding Issachar were the tribal territories of Zebulun and Naphtali on the N, the Jordan River on the E, Manasseh’s territory on the S, and a portion of Asher’s allotment on the W. Mount Tabor lay along its northern boundary with Zebulun, while the city of Megiddo was near its SW border and Beth-shean was toward its SE boundary. Within this territory there were a number of Canaanite cities and their dependent settlements. (Josh. 17:10; 19:17-23) It was here in this choice valley that the tribe of Issachar, according to Moses’ blessing, ‘rejoiced . . . in their tents.’—Deut. 33:18.

The likening of Jacob’s son Issachar to “a strong-boned ass” evidently pointed to a quality reflected as well in the tribe descended from him. (Gen. 49:14, 15) The land assigned them was indeed “pleasant,” a fertile part of Palestine, good for agriculture. Issachar seems to have accepted well the hard labor involved in such work. Willingness is indicated by his ‘bending down his shoulder to bear burdens.’ So, while the tribe was not particularly outstanding, it apparently could be commended for taking on the load of responsibility that was its share.

Certain cities within Issachar’s possession were designated as enclave cities belonging to the neighbor tribe of Manasseh, including the prominent cities of Megiddo and Beth-shean. (Josh. 17:11) A number of towns in its territory, together with their surrounding pasture grounds, were also set aside for the tribe of Levi. (Josh. 21:6, 28, 29; 1 Chron. 6:62, 71-73) Later, Issachar supplied its share (one-twelfth of the annual needs) for the support of Solomon’s court.—1 Ki. 4:1, 7, 17.

Among the prominent individuals of Issachar was Igal, the tribe’s selected spy who joined others in advising Israel not to enter the Promised Land. (Num. 13:1-3, 7, 31-33) As chieftains of the tribe Nethanel served after the Exodus (Num. 1:4, 8; 7:18; 10:15), Paltiel when Israel entered the Promised Land (Num. 34:17, 18, 26), and Omri during the reign of David.—1 Chron. 27:18, 22.

For twenty-three years Tola of the tribe of Issachar was one of the judges of Israel. (Judg. 10:1, 2) Prior to that Issachar was listed among those who had supported Judge Barak in the overthrow of Jabin’s forces under Sisera. (Judg. 4:2; 5:15) After the split-up of the united kingdom, Baasha of Issachar was the third ruler of the northern kingdom. A wicked man, Baasha murdered his predecessor to gain the throne and held it for twenty-four years. (1 Ki. 15:27, 28, 33, 34) Some two hundred years later Hezekiah, king of Judah, invited those of the northern kingdom to join in keeping the Passover, and many from Issachar, in response, traveled up to Jerusalem for the celebration.—2 Chron. 30:1, 13, 18-20.

In the books of Ezekiel and Revelation, Issachar is enumerated with the other tribes and, in view of the prophetic nature of those visions, obviously has symbolic meaning.—Ezek. 48:25, 26, 33; Rev. 7:7.

3. A Levite gatekeeper; seventh son of Korahite Obed-edom. Issachar, together with his relatives, was assigned to guard duty on the S side of the sanctuary in Jerusalem.—1 Chron. 26:1-5, 13, 15.

ISSHIAH

(Is·shiʹah) [Jah forgets].

1. One of the headmen of the tribe of Issachar whose descendants helped make that tribe very numerous.—1 Chron. 7:1, 3, 4.

2. A warrior who joined David’s forces at Ziklag; possibly a Korahite.—1 Chron. 12:1, 6.

3. A descendant of Kohath whose Levite sons were organized under David’s reign.—1 Chron. 23:12, 20; 24:24, 25.

4. Another Levite of David’s day, a descendant of Moses.—1 Chron. 23:14-17; 24:21.

ISSHIJAH

(Is·shiʹjah) [Jah forgets].

One of the Levites who responded to Ezra’s urging to send away their foreign wives and sons.—Ezra 10:31, 44.

ITALIAN BAND

A unit of the Roman army in which Cornelius of Caesarea served as a centurion. In the Bible’s only reference to it, Cornelius is said to have been “an army officer of the Italian band, as it was called.” (Acts 10:1) This was probably a cohort, so named to distinguish it from the regular Roman legions. A cohort in full strength consisted of about 1,000 men, that is, about one-sixth the size of a legion. As its name implies, this cohort was probably made up of volunteers mustered in Italy, having Roman citizenship either as freeborn men or as freedmen.

The scripture does not say this Italian band was stationed at Caesarea. It only says that Cornelius, one of its army officers had his home in Caesarea.—Acts 10:1, 2, 22, 24.

ITALY

That boot-shaped peninsula extending out in a southeasterly direction from continental Europe into the Mediterranean Sea. From the Alps on the N to the “big toe” at the Straits of Messina in the S it is about 700 miles (1,126 kilometers) long. It varies in width from 100 to 150 miles (161-241 kilometers), and is bounded by the Adriatic Sea on the E and the Tyrrhenian Sea on the W. As a backbone down the middle of this peninsula is the Apennines mountain range, with its fertile valleys running toward the coastal plains. The principal rivers are the Tiber and the Po. Italy is about the size of the Philippines, or the states of Florida and Georgia combined.

Originally, according to Antiochus of Syracuse (of the fifth century B.C.E.), the name applied only to the province of Calabria in the S where the Itali lived. This name was a Grecized form of Vitelia, from the stem vitlo- (meaning calf or young bull), and was probably applied to these people, either because of their grazing lands and cattle or because they supposed themselves to be descendants of their bull-god. By the first century C.E. the name Italy had been extended to cover much the same territory it does today.

Peoples of different racial origins migrated to this very fertile land over the centuries. The first sizable colony of Greeks is said to have settled at Cumae about ten miles (c. 16 kilometers) W of Naples around the year 770 B.C.E. Italy’s early history includes wars between those already there and waves of newcomers that periodically invaded the land. The peninsula thus served as a melting pot of languages, blood and customs as these different national groups settled down and intermarried.

Christianity was brought to Italy at an early date, for, on the day of Pentecost, 33 C.E., Italian proselytes as well as Jews from Rome witnessed the outpouring of holy spirit, listened to Peter’s explanation, and no doubt some of them were among the “about three thousand” baptized on that occasion. (Acts 2:1, 10, 41) Returning to Italy, they could have formed the nucleus of the Christian congregation in Rome to whom Paul some years later addressed one of his letters. (Rom. 1:1-7) Aquila and Priscilla may have been of that congregation in Italy when ordered by Emperor Claudius on January 25, 50 C.E., to leave the country. They arrived in Corinth shortly before Paul got there on his first visit to that city on his second missionary tour.—Acts 18:1, 2.

Cornelius, undoubtedly an Italian and an army officer of the “Italian band,” had a home in Caesarea. (Acts 10:1) It was in Caesarea that Paul, at his trial before Festus, appealed his case to Caesar. He was then taken by boat to Myra, where, together with other prisoners, he was transferred to a grain boat from Alexandria that was headed for Italy. (Acts 25:6, 11, 12; 27:1, 5, 6) Shipwrecked on the voyage, they had to winter on the island of Malta. Then in the spring of 59 C.E. Paul first touched Italian soil, at Rhegium on the “toe” of Italy, and shortly thereafter he disembarked at Puteoli on the Gulf of Naples. Here, more than a hundred miles (161 kilometers) S of Rome, Paul stayed for a week with the local congregation before going on up to Rome via the Appian Way, along which, at “the Market Place of Appius and Three Taverns,” he was met by the brothers from Rome. (Acts 28:11-16) Likely, toward the end of Paul’s first Roman imprisonment, or shortly after