Dictionary Article

Designation for the collective group that believes in God. It is a common strand of Israel’s faith that it became the people of God because he chose it to be his own possession (Ex 6:6-7; 19:5; Dt 7:6; 14:2; 26:18). The idea of the covenant is linked to this (Lv 26:9-12). In the preaching of the prophets, where the judgment of God is often seen as leading to complete destruction, there is also the vision of the reestablishment and re-creation of the people of God (Jer 32:37; Hos 2:1, 23 OET HOS 2:1 · OET HOS 2:23; Ez 11:20; 36:28). In the development of Judaism after the exile, the idea emerges that it is only the Israel of the future, the final messianic community, that will be “people of God” in the full sense of that term.

Show passage in OET: EXO 6:6–7

OET-RV EXO 6:6

6 Therefore, tell the Israelis, ‘I am Yahweh and I will help you escape from the control of the Mitsrim and rescue you from their slavery. I’ll buy you out of slavery using my power and by punishing the Mitsrim for this injustice.

OET-RV EXO 6:7

7 I’ll take you all to be my own people, and I’ll be your god. Then you’ll know that I am Yahweh your god—the one rescuing you all from the Mitsri (Egyptian) oppression.

OET-LV EXO 6:6

6 For_so/thus/hence say to_the _people _of Yisrā^ʼēl/(Israel) I am_YHWH and_I _will _bring _out you(pl) from_under the _forced _labour _of Miʦrayim and_I _will _deliver you(pl) from_labour _of_their and_I _will _redeem you(pl) by_an _arm outstretched and_with_acts _of _judgement great.

OET-LV EXO 6:7

7 And_I _will _take you(pl) to_me to_a _people and_I _will _be to/for_you(pl) (into)_god and_you(pl)_will _know if/because _that I am_YHWH god _of_your(pl) who_brought_out you(pl) from_under the _forced _labour _of Miʦrayim.

Show passage in OET: EXO 19:5

OET-RV EXO 19:5

5 And now, if you all carefully listen to my words and keep my agreement, then your nation will be my possession, separate from all the others, because all the earth is mine,

OET-LV EXO 19:5

5 And_now if carefully _(listen) you(pl)_will _listen to_voice _of_my and_you(pl)_will _keep DOM covenant _of_my and_you(pl)_will _be to_me a _possession from_all the_peoples if/because to_me all _of the_earth/land.

Show passage in OET: DEU 7:6

OET-RV DEU 7:6

6 You must do that because you’re a group of people who belong only to your god Yahweh. He’s chosen you from all the people groups in the world to be his own special people.

OET-LV DEU 7:6

6 If/because are_a _people holy you to/for_YHWH god _of_your (in)_you he _has _chosen YHWH god _of_your to_be to_him/it (into)_a_people _of possession from_all the_peoples which are_on the _surface _of the_soil.

Show passage in OET: DEU 14:2

OET-RV DEU 14:2

2 because you’re a nation that’s set apart for your god Yahweh, and he’s chosen you out of all the other peoples in the world to be his own people.

OET-LV DEU 14:2

2 If/because are_a _people holy you to/for_YHWH god _of_your and_(in)_you YHWH he _has _chosen to_be to_him/it (into)_a_people _of possession from_all the_peoples which are_on the _surface _of the_soil.

Show passage in OET: DEU 26:18

OET-RV DEU 26:18

18 Also today, Yahweh has declared that you are his people, like a prized possession, like he told you that you would be. You must follow all his instructions

OET-LV DEU 26:18

18 And_YHWH he_has _declared _you the_day to_be to_him/it (into)_a_people _of possession just_as he _spoke to/for_you(fs) and_to_keep all _of commands _of_his.

Show passage in OET: LEV 26:9–12

OET-RV LEV 26:9

9 I’ll give you all my attention and bless you with many children, and I’ll maintain my agreement with you all.

OET-RV LEV 26:10

10 You’ll all still be eating the previous year’s grain when the new harvest starts, and you’ll have to move out that left-over grain to make room for the new.

OET-RV LEV 26:11

11 Then I’ll put my residence among you all and won’t reject you,

OET-RV LEV 26:12

12 and I’ll walk among you and be your god, and you’ll all be my people.

OET-LV LEV 26:9

9 And_I _will _turn to_you(pl) and_I _will _make _fruitful you(pl) and_I _will _multiply you(pl) and_I _will _establish DOM covenant _of_my with_you(pl).

OET-LV LEV 26:10

10 And_you(pl)_will _eat old _harvest growing _old and_old _harvest from_face/in _front _of the_new_harvest you(pl)_will _bring _out.

OET-LV LEV 26:11

11 And_I _will _put place _of_my _dwelling among_you(pl) and_not self _of_my it _will _abhor you(pl).

OET-LV LEV 26:12

12 And_I _will _walk _about among_you(pl) and_I _will _be to/for_you(pl) (into)_god and_you(pl) you(pl)_will _become to_me (into)_a_people.

Show passage in OET: JER 32:37

OET-RV JER 32:37

37 Listen, I’ll gather them back from every land where I had banished them to in my rage, fury, and great anger. I’m about to bring them back to this place and enable them to live in security,

OET-LV JER 32:37

37 HERE_I will _of_be_gathering _them from_all the_lands where I_have _banished _them there in_anger _of_my and_in_rage _of_my and_in_severe _anger great and_I_will _bring _them _back to the_place the_this and_I_will _cause _them _to _dwell to_security.

Show passage in OET: HOS 2:1; HOS 2:23

OET-RV HOS 2:1

2 “Say to your brothers, ‘My people,’ and your sisters, ‘You’ve all been shown compassion.’ ”

OET-RV HOS 2:23

23 I will sow her for myself in the land,
⇔ and I will have mercy on Lo -Ruhamah (‘No mercy’).
⇔ I will tell Lo -Ami (‘Not my people’),
⇔ ‘You are my people,’
⇔ and they’ll say, ‘You’re our God.’ ”

OET-LV HOS 2:3

3  Say to_brothers _of_your(pl) people _of_my and_to_sisters _of_your(pl) she _is _shown _compassion.

OET-LV HOS 2:25

25  And_I_will _sow _her to/for_me on _the_earth and_I _will _have _compassion _on DOM Lo- Ruhamah and_I _will _say to_Lo- ammi people _of_are_my you and_he he _will _say god _of_my.

Show passage in OET: EZE 11:20

OET-RV EZE 11:20

20 so that they’ll follow my instructions and obey my regulations. Then they’ll be my people, and I’ll be their god.

OET-LV EZE 11:20

20 So _that in_regulations _of_my they _may _walk and_DOM judgements _of_my they _may _keep and_they _will _do DOM_them and_they _will _be to_me (into)_a_people and_I I _will _become to/for_them (into)_god.

Show passage in OET: EZE 36:28

OET-RV EZE 36:28

28 Then you’ll inhabit the land that I gave to your ancestors—you’ll be my people and I’ll be your god.

OET-LV EZE 36:28

28 And_you(pl)_will _dwell on _the_earth which I _gave to_ancestors _of_your(pl) and_you(pl)_will _be to_me (into)_a_people and_I I _will _become to/for_you(pl) (into)_god.

Jump to OET EXO 6:6–7 section.

Jump to OET EXO 19:5 section.

Jump to OET DEU 7:6 section.

Jump to OET DEU 14:2 section.

Jump to OET DEU 26:18 section.

Jump to OET LEV 26:9–12 section.

Jump to OET JER 32:37 section.

Jump to OET HOS 2:1 section. · OET HOS 2:23 section.

Jump to OET EZE 11:20 section.

Jump to OET EZE 36:28 section.

It is evident from a number of passages in the NT that the church knew itself to be this future people of God. The clearest passage is 1 Peter 2:9 (rsv): “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people.” The expressions “royal priesthood” and “holy nation” are taken from Exodus 19:6, which so powerfully expresses both the participation in God’s reign and the priestly service of the people of God in the world. Just as the original people of God were called to proclaim God’s mighty acts of deliverance (Is 43:20-21, LXX), so the new people of God are called to “declare the wonderful deeds of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Pt 2:9).

Tyndale Open Bible Dictionary