Nation

A nation, in the Bible and the ancient world, is a people. It is a large group who share descent, real or claimed, and so share a language, a religion, customs and a common story. When you see the word nation in the Old Testament, think people, not country. The English word comes through French and Latin from a root meaning "to be born." The Old Testament usually traces a nation back to one ancestor:

• Israel from Jacob;
• Moab and Ammon from Lot (Genesis 19:36-38);
• Edom from Esau (Genesis 36:1).

A nation is not tied to land. It can migrate, be scattered or live under foreign rule and still remain a nation, as long as its shared line and identity last. Israel was a nation in Egypt long before it held any territory (Exodus 1:7-9), and it remained a nation after its kingdoms fell. A nation could also take in outsiders who joined it fully, adopting its language, customs, God and story, as Rahab and Ruth did (Joshua 6:25; Ruth 1:16).

A nation and a state are different things. A nation is a people; a state is a government over a territory. A nation can become a state when it gains land and rule, but a government and a border cannot create a people. That is why a map can draw states but not nations. See State and how the map's regions are drawn.