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— - ^[p. 412] The words used for people, peoples, nations in the⁺ Hebrew are these. m[’ “people” in the singular in general signifies Israel, myMi[’ in the plural “peoples.” This is very often indeed wrongly translated “people” in the Authorised Version, I suppose because “peoples” is not correct English; but the sense is quite different. I believe the myMi[’ are the peoples in connection with Israel, brought into relationship with Israel. myIG on the contrary, are the nations in contrast with God’s people. It is used of Israel, where it is disowned, in Psalm 43, dyséIt;AaOl yG an impious nation. There is another word, and quite general, לְאֻמִּים, “tribes,” “races,” and so “nations.” This is the word translated people in Psalm 2, and often elsewhere. The word tMau is found in Genesis 25: 16 (of Arab tribes), and in Numbers 25: 15, in the same sense. We have myMi[’ in Psalm 18: 47. In Psalm 3: 6, it is m[’ Israel. In Psalm 7: 8 it is myMi[’; that is, while a general word, not the nations looked at in contrast with Israel, “Gentiles,” as we are accustomed to say. In Psalm 9 God is viewed as clearing the land of His enemies. He is known by the judgment He executes. The wicked (which may be of His people in the land) are turned into Sheol, are slain and go down into the pit, and the Gentiles also who give no heed to God but go their own way, despising Him. In Psalm 67: 2, it is “all the nations” everywhere, contrasted with Israel who speaks. Verse 7 is the effect. In verse 3 they are looked at as brought into relationship, myMi[’ . In verse 4 it is לְאֻמִּים, all the various tribes of the earth. Then He judges them, not in destruction as myIG, but as peoples ( myMi[’ ) under Him: then לְאֻמִּים the various tribes and races He shall lead or govern. In verse 5 it is myMi[’ all the various peoples, but viewed in relationship with Jehovah.

We have in Luke 2 “before the face of all peoples.” Were the λαοί expressed in Hebrew, it would be myMi[’ a general word (not I think here לְאֻמִּים ) but viewed as brought into relationship with God. Then the nations, ἔθνη, ( myIG ) were viewed as wholly invisible, unseen and ignored. The light of God was to reveal them, bring them out into visible existence, so that they became myMi[’ so to speak. Then “people Israel” is plain enough.
[1871.]

⁺‘What is the distinctive force of the words used for people, peoples, nations in the Old Testament? And to which would the different Greek words in Luke 2: 31, 32 correspond?’