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nation, nations

Definition:

A nation is a large group of people ruled by some form of government. The people of a nation often have the same ancestors and share a common ethnicity.

  • A "nation" usually has a well-defined culture and territorial boundaries.
  • In the Bible, a "nation" could be a country (like Egypt or Ethiopia), but often it is more general and refers to a people group, especially when used in the plural. It is important to check the context.
  • Nations in the Bible included the Israelites, the Philistines, the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Canaanites, the Romans, and the Greeks, among many others.
  • Sometimes the word "nation" was used figuratively to refer to the ancestor of a certain people group, as when Rebekah was told by God that her unborn sons were "nations" that would fight against each other. This could be translated as "the founders of two nations" or the "ancestors of two people groups."
  • The word translated as "nation" was also sometimes used to refer to "Gentiles" or to people who do not worship Yahweh. The context usually makes the meaning clear.

Translation Suggestions:

  • Depending on the context, the word "nation" could also be translated as "people group" or "people" or "country."
  • If a language has a term for "nation" that is distinct from these other terms, then that term can be used wherever it occurs in the Bible text, as long as it is natural and accurate in each context.
  • The plural term "nations" can often be translated as "people groups."
  • In certain contexts, this term could also be translated as "Gentiles" or "nonJews."

(See also: Assyria, Babylon, Canaan, Gentile, Greek, people group, Philistines, Rome)

Bible References:

Word Data:

  • Strong's: H523, H524, H1471, H3816, H4940, G246, G1074, G1085, G1484