Gentiles

Simeon takes the baby Jesus in his arms and calls him “A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel” (Luke 2:32). Gentiles are everyone who is not Israel, and the promise of light for them runs back through Isaiah. In Acts it comes to life. Peter, entering the house of the Roman Cornelius, says, “God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34), and Paul becomes the apostle sent to the nations. How Gentile believers were to be welcomed became a real argument in the early church; Acts 15 records how it was settled.

1,035 verses

Genesis

Genesis 12:3

And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Genesis 12:5

And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.

Genesis 22:18

And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Genesis 49:10

The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

Exodus

Exodus 32:6

And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

Exodus 32:25

And when Moses saw that the people were naked;(for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)

Leviticus

Leviticus 18:21

And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.

Leviticus 20:2

Again, thou shalt say to the children of Israel, Whosoever he be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn in Israel, that giveth any of his seed unto Molech; he shall surely be put to death: the people of the land shall stone him with stones.

Leviticus 20:3

And I will set my face against that man, and will cut him off from among his people; because he hath given of his seed unto Molech, to defile my sanctuary, and to profane my holy name.

Leviticus 20:4

And if the people of the land do any ways hide their eyes from the man, when he giveth of his seed unto Molech, and kill him not:

Leviticus 20:5

Then I will set my face against that man, and against his family, and will cut him off, and all that go a whoring after him, to commit whoredom with Molech, from among their people.

Numbers

Numbers 25:1

And Israel abode in Shittim, and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.

Numbers 25:2

And they called the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods.

Numbers 25:3

And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel.

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 12:31

Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.

Deuteronomy 18:10

There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,

Deuteronomy 32:21

They have moved me to jealousy with that which is not God; they have provoked me to anger with their vanities: and I will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people; I will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation.

1 Kings

1 Kings 14:24

And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

1 Kings 15:12

And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.

1 Kings 18:26

And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

2 Kings

2 Kings 3:26

And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not.

2 Kings 3:27

Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

2 Kings 16:3

But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel.

2 Kings 17:17

And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

2 Kings 17:18

Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only.

2 Kings 17:30

And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima,

2 Kings 21:6

And he made his son pass through the fire, and observed times, and used enchantments, and dealt with familiar spirits and wizards: he wrought much wickedness in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

2 Kings 23:7

And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.

2 Kings 23:10

And he defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech.

2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 28:3

Moreover he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire, after the abominations of the heathen whom the LORD had cast out before the children of Israel.

2 Chronicles 33:6

And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.

Psalms

Psalms 2:8

Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.

Psalms 16:4

Their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god: their drink offerings of blood will I not offer, nor take up their names into my lips.

Psalms 22:27

All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.

Psalms 22:28

For the kingdom is the LORD'S: and he is the governor among the nations.

Psalms 22:29

All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.

Psalms 22:30

A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.

Psalms 22:31

They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.

Psalms 46:4

There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High.

Psalms 46:10

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Psalms 65:2

O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.

Psalms 65:5

By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:

Psalms 66:4

All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee; they shall sing to thy name. Selah.

Psalms 68:31

Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.

Psalms 68:32

Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah:

Psalms 72:1

A Psalm for Solomon. Give the king thy judgments, O God, and thy righteousness unto the king's son.

Psalms 72:2

He shall judge thy people with righteousness, and thy poor with judgment.

Psalms 72:3

The mountains shall bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness.

Psalms 72:4

He shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor.

Psalms 72:5

They shall fear thee as long as the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations.

Psalms 72:6

He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass: as showers that water the earth.

Psalms 72:7

In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.

Psalms 72:8

He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

Psalms 72:9

They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust.

Psalms 72:10

The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts.

Psalms 72:11

Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.

Psalms 72:12

For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.

Psalms 72:13

He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy.

Psalms 72:14

He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence: and precious shall their blood be in his sight.

Psalms 72:15

And he shall live, and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba: prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised.

Psalms 72:16

There shall be an handful of corn in the earth upon the top of the mountains; the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon: and they of the city shall flourish like grass of the earth.

Psalms 72:17

His name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him blessed.

Psalms 72:18

Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doeth wondrous things.

Psalms 72:19

And blessed be his glorious name for ever: and let the whole earth be filled with his glory; Amen, and Amen.

Psalms 72:20

The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.

Psalms 86:9

All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name.

Psalms 102:15

So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.

Psalms 102:18

This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.

Psalms 102:19

For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;

Psalms 102:20

To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;

Psalms 102:21

To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;

Psalms 102:22

When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

Psalms 106:37

Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,

Psalms 106:38

And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.

Psalms 145:10

All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.

Psalms 145:11

They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;

Isaiah

Isaiah 2:2

And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD'S house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

Isaiah 2:3

And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Isaiah 2:4

And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

Isaiah 2:5

O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the LORD.

Isaiah 9:1

Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.

Isaiah 9:2

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

Isaiah 9:3

Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

Isaiah 9:4

For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.

Isaiah 9:5

For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.

Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:7

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Isaiah 11:1

And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

Isaiah 11:2

And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

Isaiah 11:3

And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears:

Isaiah 11:4

But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

Isaiah 11:5

And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.

Isaiah 11:6

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

Isaiah 11:7

And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

Isaiah 11:8

And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.

Isaiah 11:9

They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.

Isaiah 11:10

And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

Isaiah 18:7

In that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.

Isaiah 24:16

From the uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, even glory to the righteous. But I said, My leanness, my leanness, woe unto me! the treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously; yea, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.

Isaiah 35:1

The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose.

From Easton's Bible Dictionary

Matthew George Easton, 1897

(Heb., usually in plural, goyim), meaning in general all nations except the Jews. In course of time, as the Jews began more and more to pride themselves on their peculiar privileges, it acquired unpleasant associations, and was used as a term of contempt.

In the New Testament the Greek word Hellenes, meaning literally Greek (as in Acts 16:1, 3; 18:17; Rom. 1:14), generally denotes any non-Jewish nation.

From Smith's Bible Dictionary

William Smith, 1884

(nations). All the people who were not Jews were so called by them, being aliens from the worship, rites and privileges of Israel. The word was used contemptuously by them. In the New Testament it is used as equivalent to Greek. This use of the word seems to have arisen from the almost universal adaption of the Greek language.

Based on Nave's Topical Bible by Orville J. Nave (1896). Dictionary entries from Easton's Bible Dictionary and Smith's Bible Dictionary. Public domain. KJV scripture text, public domain.