The English word “nation” usually has to do with political boundaries. The words generally translated as “nation” in the Bible are gowy (Strong’s H1471) and ethnos (Strong’s G1484). Ethnos has to do with the customs of a people group (much like our derivative “ethnic”), but can refer to a country, a culture, or people. For example, in Acts 8:9 and 10:22 the word ethnos is clearly referring to people. Political boundaries are expressed by the Greek word basileia “kingdom” (cf. Matthew 21:3 where basileia and ethnos are both used). Hebrew gowy and Greek ethnos are almost synonymous, so remember these concepts when I go over gowy.
How should ethnos be translated? “People” is not a good enough translation, because that word implies only individuals, and can also have a connotation of the commoners or non-rulers (as in “power to the people”), and “people” is also translated from Greek laos. It should not be “tribe” or “race,” as those are denoted by phule and genos respectively. “Nation” is looking better and better, but still it doesn’t have just the right intonation. “Ethnicity” could work, but try it in Galatians 3:8
“Yet foreseeing that out of faith The God is justifying the ethnicities, the scripture fore-messages good at Abraham, that ‘all the ethnicities will be being blessed in you.’”
It is a bit awkward, but “ethnicity” has the connotation of people and customs whereas “nation” has the connotation of physical borders, so I think ethnicity is the best choice.
On to gowy. This word has the idea of people amassing. It is not, however, “people.” “People” is represented by `am. Like ethnos, gowy is closely associated with, but distinct from, the idea of a kingdom. Except for the connotation of bodies, which ethnos doesn’t have, “ethnicity” would seem to work as well for gowy as for ethnos, but try it in Exodus 9:24
“And hail is becoming, and fire amidst the hail, intensely heavy, which there was not like it in all the land of Egypt from since she became an ethnicity.” Fail. When does an ethnicity come into existence? Also, the land became a gowy. What word could imply bodies and land? “Nation” isn’t exactly right, but it seems to be closer than “ethnicity,” since “nation” can imply the physical borders as well as the people. “Ethnicity” also has connotations of minority groups and foreigners, uses devoid in the Greek. Perhaps for continuity, since ethnos is translated in the LXX and NT for gowy, “nation” should be used in both cases. Let me know what you think…
Sola Scriptura!
Copyright © 2011 David S. Robinson. Any part of this work may be transmitted, reprinted, or otherwise used in any form, so long as 1) I am clearly identified as the author, and 2) a link or URL to this site is included.
How should ethnos be translated? “People” is not a good enough translation, because that word implies only individuals, and can also have a connotation of the commoners or non-rulers (as in “power to the people”), and “people” is also translated from Greek laos. It should not be “tribe” or “race,” as those are denoted by phule and genos respectively. “Nation” is looking better and better, but still it doesn’t have just the right intonation. “Ethnicity” could work, but try it in Galatians 3:8
“Yet foreseeing that out of faith The God is justifying the ethnicities, the scripture fore-messages good at Abraham, that ‘all the ethnicities will be being blessed in you.’”
It is a bit awkward, but “ethnicity” has the connotation of people and customs whereas “nation” has the connotation of physical borders, so I think ethnicity is the best choice.
On to gowy. This word has the idea of people amassing. It is not, however, “people.” “People” is represented by `am. Like ethnos, gowy is closely associated with, but distinct from, the idea of a kingdom. Except for the connotation of bodies, which ethnos doesn’t have, “ethnicity” would seem to work as well for gowy as for ethnos, but try it in Exodus 9:24
“And hail is becoming, and fire amidst the hail, intensely heavy, which there was not like it in all the land of Egypt from since she became an ethnicity.” Fail. When does an ethnicity come into existence? Also, the land became a gowy. What word could imply bodies and land? “Nation” isn’t exactly right, but it seems to be closer than “ethnicity,” since “nation” can imply the physical borders as well as the people. “Ethnicity” also has connotations of minority groups and foreigners, uses devoid in the Greek. Perhaps for continuity, since ethnos is translated in the LXX and NT for gowy, “nation” should be used in both cases. Let me know what you think…
Sola Scriptura!
Copyright © 2011 David S. Robinson. Any part of this work may be transmitted, reprinted, or otherwise used in any form, so long as 1) I am clearly identified as the author, and 2) a link or URL to this site is included.
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