כִּֽי־גוֹי֙ עָלָ֣ה עַל־אַרְצִ֔י עָצ֖וּם וְאֵ֣ין מִסְפָּ֑ר שִׁנָּיו֙ שִׁנֵּ֣י אַרְיֵ֔ה וּֽמְתַלְּע֥וֹת לָבִ֖יא לֽוֹ׃
װאָרום אַ פֿֿאָלק איז אַרױפֿֿגעקומען אױף מײַן לאַנד, מאַכטיק און אָן אַ צאָל; זײַנע צײן זײַנען צײן פֿֿון אַ לײב, און באַקצײנער פֿֿון אַ לײבינטע האָט ער.
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].”