Living Word Living People

people, peoples, terms used to translate a number of Hebrew and Greek terms referring to different kinds of social, ethnic, or cultural collectivities (the kjv does not use the plural ‘peoples’ except in Rev. 10:11 and 17:15, causing some confusion cleared up by the rsv, which uses both ‘people’ and ‘peoples’; see esp. Ps. 67:4; Isa. 55:4; 60:2). Interest in the origins of the various peoples of the world is evident in genealogies (Gen. 5, 10) and in the Tower of Babel story about the development of different languages (Gen. 11). In neither of these instances, however, are there careful distinctions drawn between geography and ethnography. Genesis 10 reflects an important division between peoples based on language groups. Semitic (from Shem) peoples (speaking Hebrew and Aramaic) were prominent in Palestine. Other Semitic peoples spoke Akkadian (Assyro-Babylonian) and dialects of Arabic (Minaean, Sabaean, and Ethiopic). The Egyptians, for the most part, constituted a Hamitic (from Ham) group. Indo-Aryans (from Japheth) constituted a third major division.

The most important use of the term ‘people’ (Heb. ‘am) in the ot is as a sociocultural designation for the social entirety of Israel, in contrast to the term ‘nation’ (Heb. gôy), which is used chiefly as a political term. This distinction is evident in Num. 23:9. ‘Lo, [Israel is] a people [‘am] dwelling alone, and not reckoning itself among the nations àgôyim̱.’ Israel is often simply called ‘the people’ (Heb. ha ‘am) or ‘the people of Yahweh’ (Heb. ‘am yēhwâh; Judg. 5:11, 13; 1 Sam. 2:24). In the nt ‘the people of God’ is sometimes used to describe the ‘old Israel’ (Heb. 11:25; Matt. 1:21; Luke 1:68; Rom. 11:1-2) but is more importantly used as a designation of the church (Rom. 9:25-26; 2 Cor. 6:14; Titus 2:14).

In several instances in the ot ‘the people’ refers to the community acting with authority in making covenants or declaring war (Judg. 5:2; 21:2, 15; 1 Sam. 4:4; 14:45). ‘The people’ also designates a juridical community (Exod. 22:28; 23:11). Primary subgroups within Israel are also called ‘a people’ (‘am; Joseph in Josh. 17:14-17; Zebulun in Judg. 5:18).

The phrase ‘people of the land’ occurs frequently in the ot, especially in Jeremiah, Ezekiel, 2 Kings, and 2 Chronicles, where it is probably a term designating the qualified male citizenry as opposed to the ruling class. In Ezra and Nehemiah (Ezra 10:2, 11; Neh. 10:30) it becomes a derogatory term aimed at those who were ignorant and nonobservant Jews by the standards of Ezra and Nehemiah. See also Amorites; Canaan, Canaanites; Hittites; Horites; Nations; Semites.     F.S.F.

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[1]Achtemeier, P. J., Harper & Row, P., & Society of Biblical Literature. (1985). Harper's Bible dictionary. Includes index. (1st ed.) (770). San Francisco: Harper & Row.