The Yiddish term goy (plural: goyim) comes directly from the Biblical Hebrew word גּוֹי (pronounced goy).

Here is the breakdown of its origin and how the meaning shifted over time:

1. The Biblical Meaning: "Nation"

In the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh), the word goy simply means "nation" or "peoplehood." It was a neutral term used to describe a group of people with a common land and government.

It applied to Jews: In the Bible, God famously refers to the Israelites as a Goy Kadosh (גוי קדוש), which translates to a "Holy Nation" (Exodus 19:6).

It applied to others: It was used to describe Egyptians, Canaanites, and other surrounding groups as nations.

2. The Distinction: Am vs. Goy

Ancient Hebrew had two words for "people":

Am (עם): Refers to a people related by kinship or blood (like a tribe or family). Israel is often called Am Yisrael.

Goy (גוי): Refers to a people defined by political borders, territory, or government.

3. The Semantic Shift: "The Nations"

Over time, specifically during the Second Temple period and in Mishnaic Hebrew, a linguistic shift occurred.

Since the Jews referred to themselves specifically as Am Yisrael (The People of Israel), the term Ha'Goyim ("The Nations") became shorthand for "the other nations" (i.e., anyone who was not part of the Jewish covenant).

By the time Yiddish developed in medieval Europe, this later meaning had solidified. The word goy was adopted into Yiddish specifically to mean a "Gentile" or "non-Jew," losing its original Biblical flexibility that included Jews.

Summary: The word originally meant "Nation" (including Israel), but evolved to mean "The Nations [of the world]", which is the meaning Yiddish inherited.

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5831525&forum_id=2\u0026hid=#49649753)

https://i.imgur.com/OHMsTbO.jpeg

(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=5831525&forum_id=2\u0026hid=#49649768)