כִּֽי־גוֹי֙ עָלָ֣ה עַל־אַרְצִ֔י עָצ֖וּם וְאֵ֣ין מִסְפָּ֑ר שִׁנָּיו֙ שִׁנֵּ֣י אַרְיֵ֔ה וּֽמְתַלְּע֥וֹת לָבִ֖יא לֽוֹ׃
한 이족이 내 땅에 올라왔음이로다 그들은 강하고 무수하며 그 이는 사자의 이 같고 그 어금니는 암사자의 어금니 같도다
Kol Dodi Dofek
16. See R. Yonah Ibn Janah, Sefer HaShorashim (ed. A. Bacher), s.v. goy. See also R. David Kimhi, Sefer HaShorashim, “R. Jonah [Ibn Janah] said that the term goy [nation] is appropriate for [even] one person, as it says, ‘Shall you slay even a righteous goy?’ (Genesis 20:4).” See also (a) S.Mandelkern, Concordance. s.v. goy, where he states, “It refers to a group of people who belong to one nation that have formed a body [politic] (emphasis added),” and (b) Gesenius, Hebrew Lexicon, s.v. goy.
However, occasionally we encounter the term goy in relation to a group of animals, as in “For a goy [of locusts] has come up to my land” (Joel 1:6). It is understood that with regard to animals this term appears metaphorically. See (a) Radak and Rashi ad loc., and (b) R. Elijah of Vilna, Commentary on the Bible, ad Isaiah 1:4, “Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity,” wherein he states:
“Now … the term am will be used with respect to the collective of a large number of persons, even a multitude, … but [the term] goy is used only for those who are law-abiding … as our Rabbis have said, ‘“There he became a goy” (Deuterotomy 26:5). This teaches that the Israelites were distinctive there’ [Passover Haggadah] [i.e., by their observance of traditional norms of behavior].”
However, occasionally we encounter the term goy in relation to a group of animals, as in “For a goy [of locusts] has come up to my land” (Joel 1:6). It is understood that with regard to animals this term appears metaphorically. See (a) Radak and Rashi ad loc., and (b) R. Elijah of Vilna, Commentary on the Bible, ad Isaiah 1:4, “Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity,” wherein he states:
“Now … the term am will be used with respect to the collective of a large number of persons, even a multitude, … but [the term] goy is used only for those who are law-abiding … as our Rabbis have said, ‘“There he became a goy” (Deuterotomy 26:5). This teaches that the Israelites were distinctive there’ [Passover Haggadah] [i.e., by their observance of traditional norms of behavior].”