כַּ/גּוֹיִ֗ם
𐤊/𐤂𐤅𐤉𐤌
Goy
like the nations
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.
Deuteronomy 8:20 · Word #1
Lexicon H1471
| Lemma | גּוֹי |
| Lemma (Paleo) | 𐤂𐤅𐤉 |
| Transliteration | Goy |
| Strong's | H1471 |
| 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. |
Morphology HRd/Ncmpa
All morphology codes
| Part of Speech | N — Noun — A person, place, thing, or idea |
| Subtype | c — Common — Common noun |
| Gender | m — Masculine — Masculine |
| Number | p — Plural — Plural |
| State | a — Absolute — The noun stands independently |
Common Translation
| Phrase | like the nations |
SIBI-P1 Translation H1471-17
like the massed peoples
| Morphological Notes | Prefixed preposition כַּ (“like/as the”) + masculine plural absolute noun גּוֹיִם. |
| Rendering Rationale | The noun גּוֹיִם is masculine plural absolute, here with prefixed כַּ (“like/as the”), yielding “like the.” Rendering it as “massed peoples” preserves the root sense of gathered bodies or collectives while reflecting the definite plural form. |
View full lexicon entry for H1471 →
SILEX v2
SIBI-P2 (Context-Aware)
like the nations
| Same as P1 | No — adjusted for context |
| Rationale | Adjusted from 'like the massed peoples' to 'like the nations' for contextual clarity and standard use; 'goyim' refers to nations, and this fits the verse's comparison. |