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 1:1-10, 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 N.T.
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 .