44. PEOPLE. NATIONS. GENTILES
The words , , , and are all translated ‘people.’ , ‘a people,’ is employed often in the LXX to point out God’s chosen people Israel, in contrast to the nations around them, for which is used. Thus in Exo 15:13-14, “Thou hast led forth by thy mercy the people (), whom thou hast redeemed. . . . . The nations () heard and were afraid.” Moses said, “Both I and thy people () shall be glorified beyond all the nations () as many as are upon the earth.” Exo 33:16. When Israel is spoken of as a nation, then is used, see Exo 33:13
In the N.T. is twice rendered ‘people’: Act 8:9, referring to the Samaritans, who could not well be called a nation, and who differed from the Gentiles; and Rom 10:19, which is a quotation from Deu 32:21. In the plural it is commonly translated ‘Gentiles’ as a proper name, and ‘nation’ or ‘nations’ as an appellative; in a few instances ‘heathen,’ but it would be better ‘nations.’
occurs often in the N.T. and is always translated ‘people,’ probably with the same general idea, as in the O.T.: see Tit 2:14
occurs only in Act 12:22; Act 17:5; Act 19:30; Act 19:33. It answers to the Latin populus , free citizens, and is thus employed in these passages
is the contrast to this, and refers more to the unorganised multitude. It is five times translated ‘press’ and many times ‘multitude’ for the people who thronged around the Lord. It is also often translated ‘people.’