How many times is Israel mentioned in the Bible?
The word Israel appears 2,567 times in the King James Version, in 2,294 verses. Counting every form (Israel, Israel's), it appears 2,577 times in 2,301 verses across 47 of the 66 books. The World English Bible uses Israel 2,567 times (2,581 with every form).
Israel in the King James Version and the World English Bible
Each form of Israel counted in each translation.
| Form | KJV | WEB |
|---|---|---|
| Israel | 2,567 | 2,567 |
| Israel's | 10 | 14 |
| Total | 2,577 | 2,581 |
Which books mention Israel most
Israel appears in 47 books of the 66 in the King James Version. Numbers has the most (236), then 1 Kings (203) and 2 Chronicles (187).
Also in: Psalms (62), Hosea (44), Genesis (43), Ezra (40), Amos (30), Nehemiah (22), Acts (21), Micah (12), Matthew (12), Luke (12), Romans (12), Ruth (5), Zechariah (5), Malachi (5), Daniel (4), Zephaniah (4), John (4), Lamentations (3), Joel (3), Hebrews (3), Revelation (3), Mark (2), 2 Corinthians (2), Proverbs (1), Ecclesiastes (1), Song of Solomon (1), Obadiah (1), Nahum (1), 1 Corinthians (1), Galatians (1), Ephesians (1), Philippians (1).
First and last mention of Israel
And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.
And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
The verse that uses it most is Numbers 8:19, 5 times:
And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and to his sons from among the children of Israel, to do the service of the children of Israel in the tabernacle of the congregation, and to make an atonement for the children of Israel: that there be no plague among the children of Israel, when the children of Israel come nigh unto the sanctuary.
Where the two translations differ
3 verses match in the KJV but not in the World English Bible, and 5 verses match only in the World English Bible, usually because the other translation chose a different word there.
1 Chronicles 21:16: counted in the KJV only
And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of Israel, who were clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
David lifted up his eyes, and saw Yahweh’s angel standing between earth and the sky, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces.
Jeremiah 51:19: counted in the KJV only
The portion of Jacob is not like them; for he is the former of all things: and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: the LORD of hosts is his name.
The portion of Jacob is not like these, for he is the former of all things; including the tribe of his inheritance: Yahweh of Armies is his name.
Leviticus 23:42: counted in the World English Bible only
Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:
You shall dwell in temporary shelters for seven days. All who are native-born in Israel shall dwell in temporary shelters,
Numbers 25:14: counted in the World English Bible only
Now the name of the Israelite that was slain, even that was slain with the Midianitish woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a chief house among the Simeonites.
Now the name of the man of Israel that was slain, who was slain with the Midianite woman, was Zimri, the son of Salu, a prince of a fathers’ house among the Simeonites.
Verses with Israel on our topic pages
28 verses that use Israel in the World English Bible are in our topic collections.
For I hate divorce”, says Yahweh, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with violence!” says Yahweh of Armies. “Therefore take heed to your spirit, that you don’t deal treacherously.
On: Family, Divorce, What Does the Bible Say About Adultery? 28 Verses
Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
On: New Beginnings, Sleep
But now Yahweh who created you, Jacob, and he who formed you, Israel says: “Don’t be afraid, for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine.
On: Identity in Christ, What Does the Bible Say About Suicide? 25 Verses of Hope
I saw when, for this very cause, that backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a bill of divorce, yet treacherous Judah, her sister, had no fear; but she also went and played the prostitute.
On: Divorce, What Does the Bible Say About Adultery? 28 Verses
Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, “God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.”
You may make them an inheritance for your children after you, to hold for a possession; of them may you take your slaves forever; but over your brothers the children of Israel you shall not rule, one over another, with harshness.
“To the children of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service which they serve, even the service of the Tent of Meeting.
On: Tithing
“Moreover you shall speak to the Levites, and tell them, ‘When you take of the children of Israel the tithe which I have given you from them for your inheritance, then you shall offer up a wave offering of it for Yahweh, a tithe of the tithe.
On: Tithing
If a man is found stealing any of his brothers of the children of Israel, and he deals with him as a slave, or sells him; then that thief shall die. So you shall remove the evil from among you.
Achan answered Joshua, and said, “I have truly sinned against Yahweh, the God of Israel, and this is what I have done.
Nothing failed of any good thing which Yahweh had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.
On: Faithfulness
They gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, and said there, “We have sinned against Yahweh.” Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.
On: Fasting
Common questions
How many times is Israel in the Old Testament and the New Testament?
In the King James Version, counting every form, 2,502 of the 2,577 uses are in the Old Testament and 75 in the New Testament. Israel appears in 47 books of the 66 in the King James Version. Numbers has the most (236), then 1 Kings (203) and 2 Chronicles (187).
Where is Israel first mentioned in the Bible?
The first use in the King James Version is Genesis 32:28: "And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed." The last is Revelation 21:12.
More word counts: David, Moses, Abraham, Mary, Paul, Peter, seven, forty, or all 253 words.
Counted by Bible Says About from the full public-domain text of the King James Version (1769 edition) and the World English Bible. Verse text only: headings and psalm titles are left out. A word is a run of letters: a hyphenated name like Beer-sheba counts as two, and an apostrophe stays inside its word (LORD'S is one). Matching ignores capital letters. Data compiled 2026-10-03.