Original Word: יְהיּד
Part of Speech: Proper Name
Transliteration: Yhuwd
Pronunciation: yeh-HOOD
Phonetic Spelling: (yeh-hood')
KJV: Jewry, Judah, Judea
NASB: Judah
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) contracted from a form corresponding to H3063 (יְהוּדָה - Judah)]

1. (properly) Judah
2. (hence) Judaea

Jewry, Judah, Judea

(Aramaic) contracted from a form corresponding to Yhuwdah; properly, Judah, hence, Judaea -- Jewry, Judah, Judea.

see HEBREW Yhuwdah

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to Yehudah
Definition
the S. kingdom, named for one of the twelve tribes
NASB Translation
Judah (7).

יְהוּד proper name, of a territory Judah (secondary formative from following according to M^{§ 68. b} Buhl; compare Biblical Hebrew יְהוּדָה); — Daniel 5:13b; Ezra 5:1,8; Ezra 7:14; ׳בְּנֵי גָּלוּתָא דַּי י Daniel 2:25; Daniel 5:13a; Daniel 6:14.

Meaning and Scope

יְהוּד (Yehud) designates the land and people of Judah in the Aramaic sections of the Old Testament. While linguistically distinct from the Hebrew יְהוּדָה (Yehudah), the term conveys the same covenantal identity: the tribe, territory, and remnant through whom the promises to David and the line of Messiah are preserved.

Occurrences in Scripture

1. Ezra 5:1
2. Ezra 5:8
3. Ezra 7:14
4. Daniel 2:25
5. Daniel 5:13 (twice in the verse)
6. Daniel 6:13

All seven uses appear in exilic or post-exilic Aramaic narratives, underscoring Judah’s continued existence and divine purpose even under foreign rule.

Post-Exilic Context in Ezra

The word surfaces during the temple-rebuilding years. Foreign officials report to King Darius: “We went to the province of Judah, to the temple of the great God” (Ezra 5:8). Though reduced to a “province,” Judah remains “the land of promise,” and the prophets Haggai and Zechariah rally the people there (Ezra 5:1). By Ezra 7:14 the Persian court commissions Ezra “to inquire about Judah and Jerusalem with regard to the Law of your God,” highlighting Judah as the geographic center of covenant restoration.

Exilic Identity in Daniel

Daniel’s Babylonian and Persian captors repeatedly identify him by the name of his homeland:
• “I have found a man among the exiles from Judah” (Daniel 2:25).
• “Are you Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah…?” (Daniel 5:13).
• “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no heed to you” (Daniel 6:13).

Here Yehud marks Daniel’s unbroken link to God’s chosen people. Heightened by the court’s hostility, the term reminds the reader that Daniel’s wisdom, integrity, and deliverance flow from his covenant roots rather than Babylonian culture.

Historical Significance

1. Continuity of Covenant—Even after Jerusalem’s fall, Scripture speaks of “Judah” as an enduring entity. Foreign kings may redraw borders, yet God’s purposes for Judah remain intact.
2. Recognition by Gentile Powers—Persian and Babylonian records acknowledge Yehud, demonstrating God’s ability to secure His people’s identity in pagan settings.
3. Seedbed for Messianic Hope—By preserving the name and land of Judah, the narrative anticipates the later emergence of “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5).

Theological Themes

• Divine Sovereignty—Whether under Darius or Nebuchadnezzar, Judah’s account unfolds according to God’s timetable, not human politics.
• Faithful Remnant—The term gathers around figures like Ezra and Daniel who embody covenant fidelity amid exile.
• Restoration—Usage in Ezra links Yehud with rebuilding, teaching that God revives both land and people when they return to His word.

Ministry and Discipleship Applications

• Identity in Exile—Believers serving in secular contexts can imitate Daniel, openly bearing the name of God’s people while excelling in integrity and prayer.
• Courageous Leadership—Ezra’s commission to evaluate Judah “with regard to the Law” models Scripture-centered reform in any age.
• Hope for Renewal—Even when spiritual decline seems final, Yehud testifies that God can restore worship, community, and witness.

Related Themes and Passages

Genesis 49:8–12 (Judah’s blessing); 2 Samuel 7:12–16 (Davidic covenant); Jeremiah 29:10–14 (promise of return); Haggai 2:6–9 (glory of the rebuilt temple); Zechariah 8:13–15 (Judah a blessing). These texts frame Yehud’s Aramaic appearances within the wider canonical promise that God will never forsake His people or their land.

בִיה֖וּד ביהוד יְה֔וּד יְה֖וּד יְה֗וּד יְהֽוּד׃ יהוד יהוד׃ לִיה֤וּד ליהוד ḇî·hūḏ ḇîhūḏ lî·hūḏ liHud lîhūḏ viHud yə·hūḏ yeHud yəhūḏInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts