Ἰουδαία

Ἰουδαίας, ἡ (cf. Winer's Grammar, § 18, 5 a.) (namely, γῆ, which is added Jn 3:22, or χώρα, Mk 1:5; from the adjective Ἰουδαῖος, which see), Judaea (Hebrew יְהוּדָה); in the O. T. a region of Palestine, named after the tribe of Judah, which inhabited it: Judg 17:7-9; Ruth 1:1; 2 Sam 2:1, etc. Its boundaries are laid down in Josh 15:1ff After the time of David, when the kingdom had been rent asunder, the name was given to the kingdom of Judah, to which were reckoned, besides the tribes of Judah and Benjamin, certain cities of the tribes of Dan and Simeon, together with the metropolis of Jerusalem: 1 Kgs 14:21, 1 Kgs 14:29; 1 Kgs 15:7, etc. In the N. T. the name is given:
1. in a narrower sense, to the southern part of Palestine lying on this side of the Jordan and the Dead Sea, to distinguish it from Samaria, Galilee, Peraea, Idumaea (Mk 3:8): Mt 2:1, Mt 2:5, Mt 2:22; Mt 3:5; Mt 4:25; Mt 24:16; Mk 3:7; Mk 13:14; Lk 2:4; Jn 4:3, Jn 4:47, Jn 4:54; Acts 1:8; Acts 8:1, etc.; it stands for its inhabitants in Mt 3:5; Mk 1:5 (2 Chr 32:33; 2 Chr 35:24).
2. in a broader sense, to all Palestine: Lk 1:5; (Lk 4:44 WH Tr marginal reading); Lk 7:11; Lk 23:5; Acts 2:9; Acts 10:37; Acts 11:1, Acts 11:29 (and perhaps 2 Cor 1:16; Gal 1:22); πᾶσα ἡ χώρα τῆς Ἰουδαίας, Acts 26:20; εἰς τά ὅρια τῆς Ἰουδαίας πέραν τοῦ Ιορδάνου, into the borders of Judaea (in the broader sense) beyond the Jordan, i. e. into Peraea, Mt 19:1; on the contrary, in the parallel passage, Mk 10:1 R G, εἰς τά ὅρια τῆς Ἰουδαίας διά τοῦ πέραν τοῦ Ιορδάνου, Jesus is said to have come into the borders of Judaea (in the narrower sense) through Peraea; but according to the reading of L T Tr WH, viz. καί πέραν τοῦ Ιορδάνου and (in particular that part of Judaea which lay) beyond the Jordan, Mark agrees with Matthew; (others regard πέραν τοῦ Ιορδάνου here as parallel with τῆς Ἰουδαίας and like it dependent upon ὅρια). Ἰουδαΐζω; (from Ἰουδαῖος, cf. Ἑλληνιστής (Winers Grammar, 92 (87))), to adopt Jewish customs and rites, imitate the Jews, Judaize: of one who observes the ritual law of the Jews, Gal 2:14. (Est 8:17; Ignatius ad Magnes. 10, 3 [ET]; Evang. Nicod. c. 2; Plutarch, Cicero 7; to favor the Jews, Josephus, b. j. 2, 18, 2.)