There were no Jews in Egypt. However, there were Israelites in Egypt. This word 'Jew' has been intermingled with the words 'Israelite', 'Judahite', 'Judean', 'Pharisee', and 'Edomite' for over 400 years. It's use in the Bible is ambiguous and unfortunately needs to be deciphered for every verse that it is used. Some times it refers to the Roman province of Judea, other times it refers more accurately to Edomites. Other times it references 'Israelites". Even in the 1980 Jewish Almanac and also in the Jewish Encyclopedia IV, 1902, p 335), it makes it clear and distinguishes the difference. It states -- "Strictly speaking, it is incorrect to call an ancient Israelite a 'Jew' or to call a contemporary Jew an 'Israelite' or a 'Hebrew'".

The word Jew is an English word originally referring to those Eastern European people who spoke Yiddish. Even the Yiddish people did not view themselves as Israelites. The word 'Jew' did not exist during the Roman times. Rome referred to the region as 'Judea' and those people of the region as 'Judeans'. Even Pontius Pilate inscribed a title in Latin on the torture stake that read - "Jesus the Nazerene King of the Judeans".