What is the meaning of 'Israel' in the Bible?

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Israel - which we get from the Greek, is originally in the Hebrew, "Yisrael".
Yisrael means, quite literally, "He has striven with God," or "He has been saved by God," based on which translation of "sra" was meant to be used.
"Yi", in the Hebrew, is the masculine form "he". "Sra", in the Hebrew, comes from the Semitic root "Sry", which means "to strive or to save." The word "El," in the Hebrew, is a form of the word for God.

When you see 'el' in any Hebrew name, it is a form of the word for God. See other names such as Ishmael (God has heard), Michael (Who is like God), and Daniel (My judge is God).

To better understand which meaning of Sra we are to use, we need to understand the origin of the name Israel. The origins came from Genesis chapter 32 where Jacob struggles with a man all night long until he is blessed. The man asks Jacob's name, then tells him that his name is no longer Jacob, but Israel, because he has striven with God and with man. (Genesis 32:28)
Therefore, we can definitively say that the word 'Israel', based on the Bible, means "He has striven with God."

Jacob (now Israel) became the father of the nation of Israel through his twelve sons - which is why you may hear the phrase, "Children of Israel" referring to the nation itself.

 

Another Answer

The precise original meaning of the name Yisra'el is unclear:

"He has wrestled (striven) with God" is of course based on the famous episode in which Jacob wrestled with (a) God.

Other possible translations are "Ruler (or prince) over God", or alternatively "God prevails" - both possible references to to wrestling episode. The outcome of the wrestle could be understood as victory for either party.

Another: "Champion or prince [sar] of God" which is a possible references to the same episode, but could imply praise.

Another: "God rules" [the converse of "Ruler or prince over God"]

Yet another: "God will rule" or "God who will rule". This has possible polytheistic overtones.

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First answer by ID0403434210. Last edit by Dick Harfield. Contributor trust: 1102 [recommend contributorrecommended]. Question popularity: 14 [recommend question].