Reference: Nations
Hastings
In many places where in the AV we have 'Gentiles' and 'heathen' the RV bas rightly substituted 'nations,' and it might with advantage have carried out the change consistently.
The Heb. (goi) and Greek (ethnos) words denote invariably a nation or a people, never a person. Where in the AV (only NT) we find 'Gentile' in the singular (Ro 2:9 f.) the RV has 'Greek,' following the original. In nearly every example the singular 'nation' stands for 'Israel,' though we have a few exceptions, as in Ex 9:24 (of Egypt), Pr 14:34 (general), and Mt 21:43. It is often applied to Israel and Judah when there is an implication of disobedience to God, sinfulness and the like: see De 32:28; Jg 2:10; Isa 1:4 etc. This shade of meaning became very common in the later writings of the OT. Quite early in Israelitish history the singular as a term for Israel was discarded for the word translated 'people' ('am), so that 'am ('people') and goi ('nation') came to be almost antithetic terms = 'Israelites' and 'non-Israelites,' as in Rabbinical Hebrew. For the reason of the change in the use of goi ('nation'), see below.
In the AV 'Gentiles' often corresponds to 'Greeks' in the original, as in Joh 7:35; Ro 3:9 etc. In the RV the word 'Greeks' is rightly substituted, though the sense is the same, for to the Jews of the time Greek culture and religion stood for the culture and religion of the non-Jewish world.
The two words (Heb. and Greek) translated 'nation' have their original and literal sense in many parts of the OT and NT, as in 10/5/type/nsb'>Ge 10:5,10 etc., Isa 2:4 (= Mic 4:2 f.), Job 12:23; 34:20; Ac 17:28; Ga 3:14. In other passages this general meaning is narrowed so as to embrace the descendants of Abraham, e.g. in Ge 12:2; 18:18; 17:4-6,15. But it is the plural that occurs by far the most frequently, standing almost invariably for non-Israelitish nations, generally with the added notion of their being idolatrous and immoral: see Ex 9:24; 34:10; Le 25:44 ff., Nu 14:15; De 15:5; 1Ki 4:31; Isa 11:10,12, and often. These are contrasted with Israel 'the people of Jahweh' in 2Sa 7:22; 1Ch 17:21 etc.
This contrast between Israel (united or divided into the kingdoms of Israel and Judah) as Jahweh's people, and all the rest of the human race designated 'nations,' runs right through the OT. Such a conception could have arisen only after the Israelites bad developed the consciousness of national unity. At first, even among the Israelites, each nation was thought to be justified in worshipping its deity (see De 3:24; 10:17; 1Ki 8:23; Isa 19:1 etc.). As long as this idea prevailed there could be no necessary antagonism between Israelites and foreign nations, except that which was national, for the nation's god was identified with the national interests. But when the belief in Jahweh's absolute and exclusive claims possessed the mind of Israel, as it began to do in the time of the earliest literary prophets (see Am 9 ff., Mic 7:18 etc.), the nations came to be regarded as worshippers of idols (Le 18:20), and in Ps 9:5,15,17 (cf. Eze 7:21) 'nations' and 'wicked people' are, as being identical, put in parallelism. It will be gathered from what has been said, that the hostile feelings with which Israelites regarded other peoples varied at various times. At all periods it would be modified by the laws of hospitality (see art. Stranger), by political alliances (cf. Isa 7:1 ff., and 2Ki 16:5 ff., Ahaz and Assyria against Israel and Syria), and by the needs of commerce (see Eze 27:11 [Tyre], 1Ki 9:28; 10:11; 22:28 etc.).
The reforms instituted by king Josiah in the Southern Kingdom (2Ki 22:1 f.), based upon the Deuteronomic law newly found in the Temple, aimed at stamping out all syncretism in religion and establishing the pure religion of Jahweb. This reformation, as also the Rechabite movement (Jer 35), had a profound influence upon the thoughts and feelings of Jews, widening the gulf between them and alien nations. The teaching of the oldest prophets looked in the same direction (see Am 2:11; 3:15; 5:11,25; 6:8; 8:5; Ho 2:19; 8:14; 9:10; 10:13; 12:7 ff; Ho 14:4; Isa 2:6; 10:4; 17:10; Zep 1:8,11; Jer 35:1 ff; Jer 37:6 f. etc.).
But the Deuteronomic law (about b.c. 620) made legally obligatory what earlier teachers had inculcated. Israelites were not to marry non-Israelites (De 7:3), or to have any except unavoidable dealings with them.
The feeling of national exclusiveness and antipathy was intensified by the captivity in Babylon, when the prophetic and priestly instructors of the exiled Jews taught them that their calamities came upon them on account of their disloyalty to Jahweh and the ordinances of His religion, and because they compromised with idolatrous practices and heathen nations. It was in Babylon that Ezekiel drew up the programme of worship and organization for the nation after the Return, laying stress on the doctrine that Israel was to be a holy people, separated from other nations (see Eze 40; 41; 42; 43; 44; 45; 46; 47; 48). Some time after the Return, Ezra and Nehemiah had to contend with the laxity to which Jews who had remained in the home land and others had yielded; but they were uncompromising, and won the battle for nationalism in religion.
Judaism was in even greater danger of being lost in the world-currents of speculation and religion soon after the time of Alexander the Great. Indeed, but for the brave Maccab
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From these the maritime peoples spread out into their territories by their clans within their nations, each with its own language.
The first centers of his kingdom were Babylon, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in Shinar.
I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you. I will make your name great. You will be a blessing.
This is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. You will no longer be called Abram (Exalted Father). Your name will be Abraham (means Father of Many). I have made you a father of many nations. read more. I will make you very fruitful. I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.
God continued: Do not call your wife Sarai any longer. Her name will be Sarah.
Abraham will definitely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him.
It hailed, and lightning flashed while it hailed. This was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation.
It hailed, and lightning flashed while it hailed. This was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation.
Jehovah said: Behold! I offer a covenant (promise) to perform signs and miracles for you that have never been done in all the earth. Neighboring nations will stand in fear and know that I was the one who did these marvelous things.
Do not have sexual intercourse with your neighbor's wife and become unclean with her.
You may have male and female slaves, but buy them from the nations around you.
But if you kill all these people at the same time the nations who have heard these reports about you will say,
O Sovereign Lord Jehovah, you have begun to show me how great and powerful you are. What kind of god is there in heaven or on earth that can do the deeds and the mighty acts you have done?
Do not intermarry with them. Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons.
Jehovah your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords! He is the great, the powerful, and the awesome God who does not show partiality nor take a bribe.
He will bless you only if you listen carefully to Jehovah your God and faithfully obey all these commandments I give you today.
My people have lost their good sense. They do not understand.
After those generations were gathered to their fathers (died) another generation followed them. This new generation did not know Jehovah or the works he had done for Israel.
For this reason you are great, O Sovereign Lord Jehovah. There is none like you. There is no God besides you according to all that we have heard with our ears.
They sailed to the land of Ophir and brought back to Solomon about sixteen tons of gold.
Hiram's fleet that brought gold from Ophir also brought a large quantity of sandalwood and precious stones from Ophir.
Rezin king of Aram, and Pekah son of Remaliah king of Israel came to Jerusalem to make war. They attacked Ahaz but could not conquer him.
Josiah was eight years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem thirty-one years. His mother's name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath.
He makes nations great, and destroys them. He enlarges nations, and disperses them.
They die suddenly in the middle of the night. People have seizures and pass away. Mighty people are taken away but not by human hands.
You condemned nations. You destroyed wicked people. You erased their names forever and ever.
The nations have dug a pit and fallen in. They have been caught in their own trap.
The grave is the destiny of all the wicked, of all those who reject God.
Righteousness exalts a nation! But sin is a reproach to any people.
Woe to the sinful nation, people heavy with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, sons who are corrupt! They have forsaken Jehovah! They have despised the Holy One of Israel. They have turned away from him.
Then he will judge disputes between nations and settle matters between many people. They will beat (hammer) their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nations will not fight against each other, and they will not learn war anymore.
Jehovah, you have abandoned your people, the descendants of Jacob, because they are filled with Eastern influences. They practice witchcraft like the Philistines, and they make deals with foreigners.
In the days of Ahaz son of Jotham son of Uzziah, king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel went up to attack Jerusalem, but could not mount an attack against it.
There is nothing left but to crouch among prisoners and to fall with those who are killed. Even after all this, his anger will not disappear. His hand is stretched out (he is still ready to use his power).
Then in that day the nations will search for and turn to the root of Jesse. He will stand as a signal for the peoples. His resting place will be glorious.
He will lift up a standard for the nations and assemble the outcast ones of Israel. He will gather the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation. You have not been mindful of the Rock of your stronghold. Therefore you will plant pleasant plants and set out foreign (imported) (unusual) seedlings.
Jehovah rides on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him. The hearts of the Egyptians melt (their courage fails) within them.
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, in the days of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah:
I will hand it all over as plunder to foreigners and as loot to the wicked of the earth, and they will defile it.
People from Arvad and Helech were tower guards all around your walls. They made your beauty perfect.
I will engage you to me for a very long time! Yes I will engage you to me in righteousness, and in justice, and in loving kindness, and in mercies.
The people of Israel have built palaces, and they have forgotten their maker. The people of Judah have built many fortified cities. I will send a fire on their cities and burn down their palaces.
I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your forefathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree in its first season. They came to Baal-peor and devoted themselves to shame. They became as detestable as that which they loved.
But instead you plowed evil and harvested unrighteousness. You have eaten the fruit produced by your lies. This is because you trusted in your way and in the large number of your soldiers.
Jehovah says: The merchants use dishonest scales. They love to cheat people.
I will heal their apostasy! I will love them freely for my anger has turned away from them.
I ordained some of your sons for prophets and some of your young men for Nazirites (dedicated ones). Is this true, O you children of Israel?: said Jehovah.
I will strike (destroy) the winter house and the summer house. The houses of ivory will perish, and the great houses will come to an end, said Jehovah.
You impose unfair rent on the poor and defraud a tribute of grain from them. You haave built houses of hewn stone yet you will not live in them. You planted pleasant vineyards, but you will not drink the wine from them.
Did you bring sacrifices and offerings to me in the wilderness for forty years, O house of Israel?
The Lord Jehovah has sworn by himself. Jehovah, the God of Hosts declares: I abhor the pride of Jacob, and hate his palaces. Therefore I will deliver up the city with all that is in it.
You say: When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and dealing falsely with balances of deceit.
Many nations will come. They will say: Come you people, let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths! For out of Zion will go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem.
Who is a God like you who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? You do not keep your anger forever, because you delight in loving-kindness (unchanging love).
On that day of Jehovah's sacrifice, said Jehovah, I will punish the officials, the king's sons, and all who practice foreign customs.
Wail, you inhabitants of Maktesh! The people of Canaan have perished. Those wealthy with silver will be destroyed.
For this reason I tell you, The kingdom of God will be taken away from you. It will be given to a nation producing fruit.
The Jews said among themselves: Where will this man go that we shall not find him? Will he go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks?
Those circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of Holy Spirit was also poured out on the people of the nations.
In him we live, and move, and have our existence. Your own poets have said: For we are also his offspring.
[There will be] tribulation and distress on every person who works evil, for the Jew first and for the Greek.
Are we Jews in any better condition than the people of the nations? Not at all! I have already shown that Jews and the people of the nations are all under the power of sin.
This way the blessing of Abraham might come upon the nations through Christ Jesus and we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.