Bible Lexicons

Girdlestone's Synonyms of the Old TestamentGirdlestone's OT Synonyms

People

If goi denotes a nation regarded from without, Am (עם ) signifies a people as viewed by one of themselves. Sometimes it is used in the familiar and domestic way in which we speak of 'folk,' a rendering which it has received in Genesis 33:15 in the LXX it is generally rendered λαός. It is often brought into direct relationship or contrast with god. Thus Moses, speaking to God concerning Israel, says, 'This nation (goi) is thy people (am),' Exodus 33:13. It is used by the later O.T. writers to distinguish Israel as God's people, and to mark them off from the surrounding goim. Yet the prophets give a hope that the Goim who had not been ammim should become the people of God through Divine mercy. Thus in Psalms 18:43 we read, 'Thou hast made me the head of the heathen (goim): a people (am) whom I have not known shall serve me.' this will come to pass when God shall be recognised as holding rule as 'King of the goim' (see Jeremiah 10:7). Compare Hosea 1:9-10; Hosea 2:23.

A word which occupies a less definite position than either goi or am is Lom (לאם ), a race. It is generally found in the plural, and is used frequently in the Psalms and Isaiah, and two or three times in earlier and later books. It first appears in Genesis 25:23, 'two races shall be separated from thy loins; the one race shall be stronger than the other race.' See also Habakkuk 2:11, and Jeremiah 51:58, which is quoted from it. this word is applied sometimes to Israel, and sometimes to other nations. Ummah (אמה ), a tribe or family, literally those sprung of one mother, is rendered people in Numbers 25:15 and Psalms 117:1, and nations in Genesis 25:16, Ezra 4:10, and throughout the Book of Daniel.

Nations and People in the NT

The word ἔθνος first occurs in the N.T in the phrase 'Galilee of the Gentiles' (Matthew 4:15). Here the title is brought into close juxtaposition with λαός, which is used in the words which immediately follow, 'The people that sitteth in darkness hath seen a great light.'

Other passages in which the words ἔθνος and λαός; are contrasted are: - Luke 2:32, 'A light for the purpose of revealing the truth to Gentiles, and a glory of thy people Israel.' Acts 4:25; Acts 4:27, 'Why do the Gentiles rage, and the people (pl.) imagine a vain thing? . for verily against thy holy servant [See chap. i. § 5.] Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people (pl.) of Israel, were gathered together.' Acts 15:14, 'God determined to take from among the Gentiles a people for his name.' Acts 26:17, 'Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee.' Verse 23, 'That Christ should suffer, that he the first should proclaim light to the people and the Gentiles.' Romans 15:10, 'Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.' Verse 11, 'Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people' (pl.). 1 Peter 2:9, 'A holy nation and peculiar people.'

The exact interpretation of the phrase 'all nations' or 'all the Gentiles' is sometimes attended with difficulty. We meet with it in the following passages: - Matthew 24:9, 'Ye shall be hated by all nations.' Verse 14, 'This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, as a witness to all nations' (compare Mark 13:10). Matthew 25:32, 'All nations shall be gathered before him.' Matthew 28:19, 'Make disciples of all nations.' Mark 11:17, 'Thy house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.' Luke 21:24, 'They (the Jews) shall be carried captive to all nation s.' Luke 24:47, 'That in his name should repentance and remission of sins be proclaimed to all nations.' Acts 14:16, ' in past times suffered all the Gentiles to walk in their ways.' Acts 15:17, 'That the remnant of men should seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles over whom now my name is called.' Romans 1:5, 'Apostleship for the obedience of faith in all nations.' Romans 15:11, 'Praise the Lord, all ye nations.' Romans 16:26, 'Made known unto all the Gentiles.' Galatians 3:8, ' in thee all the nations of the earth shall be blessed.' Revelation 12:5, 'To rule or feed all nations.' Revelation 15:4, 'All nations shall come and worship before thee.' Revelation 18:3, 'She hath called all nations to drink of her cup.' Verse 23, 'All nations were deceived by thine enchantment.'

With these passages may be compared Psalms 67:2; Psalms 72:11; Psalms 72:17; Psalms 82:8, Isaiah 2:2; Isaiah 25:7; Isaiah 61:11; Isaiah 66:18, which set forth the Divine promises to all nations of the earth. this expression, however; cannot always be understood in its full and literal sense, as will be seen by the examination of 1 Kings 4:31; 1 Chronicles 14:17; Jeremiah 27:7; and Zechariah 14:2.