The meaning of “גּוֹי”
Understanding gôwy reveals the original theological depth often simplified in translation.
rarely (shortened) גֹּי gôy (go'-ee); apparently from the same root as גֵּוָה (in the sense of massing) Gentile, heathen...
גּוֹי
rarely (shortened) גֹּי gôy (go'-ee); apparently from the same root as גֵּוָה (in the sense of massing) Gentile, heathen, nation, people. - § 1c) Goyim? = "nations" - a foreign nation - hence, a Gentile - also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts n m 1) nation, people 1a) nation, people 1a1) usually of non-Hebrew people 1a2) of descendants of Abraham 1a3) of Israel 1b) of swarm of locusts, other animals (fig.) n pr m
Occurrences in the Bible
| Reference | Text | |
|---|---|---|
| Genesis 17:16 | “And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.” Word: גּוֹי (gôwy) | |
| Judges 3:1 | “Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to prove Israel by them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;” Word: גּוֹי (gôwy) | |
| 2 Chronicles 32:15 | “Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?” Word: גּוֹי (gôwy) | |
| Isaiah 40:15 | “Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing.” Word: גּוֹי (gôwy) | |
| Joel 3:8 | “And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the Lord hath spoken it.” Word: גּוֹי (gôwy) |