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גּוֹי

𐤂𐤅𐤉

Goy

H1471 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A people-group or nation, typically distinguished by shared lineage, culture, language, and territorial affiliation; in the context of the Hebrew Bible, refers to both non-Israelite nations and, at times, the Israelite people themselves. The word encompasses political, ethnic, and social entities of various sizes, emphasizing collective identity. Occasionally, it can extend figuratively to large groups of animals or swarms.

Semantic Range

nation, people-group, collective of people, (figuratively) vast assemblage, troop of animals, swarm

Root / Etymology

From the root גוה (g-w-h), which conveys the sense of massing together or a body. גּוֹי (gôwy) derives from this notion and refers to a collective or assemblage, manifesting specifically as a nation or people-group.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, גּוֹי frequently designates foreign nations—often in contrast with the Israelite collective (e.g., Israel and the nations)—but can also refer to the Israelite people themselves (e.g., Genesis 12:2, Exodus 19:6). The term is broadly ethnic and political but not intrinsically pejorative or tied to religious status. Over time, especially in post-exilic and later literature, גּוֹי increasingly acquired the nuance of 'non-Israelite nation,' contributing to the later concept of Gentiles. However, in early and monarchic usage, the word is value-neutral and applied to Israelites and non-Israelites alike. In later Rabbinic and Hellenistic contexts, the term evolved to mean non-Jew or Gentile, but this sense is not consistently present in the Hebrew Bible. The use of גּוֹי to describe groups of animals (e.g., Joel 1:6's locust swarm) is metaphorical, drawing on the root sense of a massed entity. גּוֹי is sometimes contrasted with עַם ('am), which can denote a people-community, often focusing on shared kinship or covenant relationship, rather than ethnic or national formation. English translations such as 'nation,' 'people,' or 'Gentile' may not fully capture the breadth or early neutrality of the Hebrew term.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

rarely (shortened) גֹּי; apparently from the same root as גֵּוָה (in the sense of massing); a foreign nation; hence, a Gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts; Gentile, heathen, nation, people.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

גוה (g-w-h) — to collect, to mass together, body, group

Root גוה to collect, to mass together, body, group
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1466 גֵּוָה lofty exaltation
H1472 גְּוִיָּה in the corpse of

Word Forms

35 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1471-16 הַ/גּוֹיִם֙ hagoyim HTd/Ncmpa the nations the people-groups the nations 180
H1471-11 גּוֹיִֽם goyim HNp nations people-groups nations 136
H1471-05 גּ֛וֹי goy HNcmsa nation people-group people-group 59
H1471-01 בַּ/גּוֹיִ֑ם bagoyim HRd/Ncmpa among the nations in the people-groups among the nations 57
H1471-15 הַ/גּ֛וֹי hagoy HTd/Ncmsa the nation the people-group the nation 28
H1471-28 בַ/גּוֹיִ֔ם vagoyim HRd/Ncmpa among the nations among the people-groups among the nations 18
H1471-22 לְ/ג֣וֹי legoy HR/Ncmsa into a nation to a people-group to a nation 14
H1471-21 לַ/גּוֹיִם֙ lagoyim HRd/Ncmpa to the nations to the massed nations to the nations 14
H1471-09 גּוֹיֵ֥י goyey HNcmpc nations people-groups of nations of 8
H1471-25 מִ/גּ֣וֹי migoy HR/Ncmsa from nation from a people-group from a people-group 7

Occurrences in Scripture

567 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1471-16 Genesis 10:5 הַ/גּוֹיִם֙ hagoyim HTd/Ncmpa of the nations the people-groups the people-groups
H1471-03 Genesis 10:5 בְּ/גוֹיֵ/הֶֽם begoyehem HR/Ncmpc/Sp3mp in their nations in their people-groups in their people-groups
H1471-03 Genesis 10:20 בְּ/גוֹיֵ/הֶֽם begoyehem HR/Ncmpc/Sp3mp in their nations in their people-groups in their people-groups
H1471-23 Genesis 10:31 לְ/גוֹיֵ/הֶֽם legoyehem HR/Ncmpc/Sp3mp according to their nations to their people-groups to their nations
H1471-03 Genesis 10:32 בְּ/גוֹיֵ/הֶ֑ם begoyehem HR/Ncmpc/Sp3mp in their nations in their people-groups in their people-groups
H1471-16 Genesis 10:32 הַ/גּוֹיִ֛ם hagoyim HTd/Ncmpa the nations the people-groups the people-groups
H1471-22 Genesis 12:2 לְ/ג֣וֹי legoy HR/Ncmsa into a nation to a people-group to a nation
H1471-11 Genesis 14:1 גּוֹיִֽם goyim HNp Goiim people-groups Goy
H1471-11 Genesis 14:9 גּוֹיִ֔ם goyim HNp of nations people-groups Goy
H1471-15 Genesis 15:14 הַ/גּ֛וֹי hagoy HTd/Ncmsa the nation the people-group the nation
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