Goyim vs. Goyem

Goyim

Goy (, Hebrew: גוי‎, regular plural goyim , גוים‎ or גויים‎) is the standard Hebrew biblical term for a nation. The word nation has been the common translation of the Hebrew goy or ethnos in the Septuagint, from the earliest English language bibles such as the 1611 King James Version and the 1530 Tyndale Bible, following the Latin Vulgate which used both gentile (and cognates) and nationes. The term nation did not have the same political connotations it entails today. The word “gentile” is a synonym for the Hebrew word Nokri (Hebrew: נָכְרִי‎) which signifies “stranger” or “non-Jew”.Long before Roman times it had also acquired the meaning of someone who is not Jewish. It is also used to refer to individuals from non-Jewish religious or ethnic groups; when used in this way in English, it occasionally has pejorative connotations and many non-Jews find it disparaging. However, many people do not see the term goy as any more or less offensive than the term gentile. In order to avoid the confusion, many modern Jews prefer to use the term “non-Jew” instead of gentile or goyim.

As the Jews considered all of the non-Jewish nations in biblical times as polytheistic and idolatrous, the Hebrew word goy has for some time acquired the meaning “heathen”. In a more comprehensive definition, the word goy corresponds to the later term ummot ha-olam (nations of the world).

Goyem

For the word meaning non-Jews, see goyim.

Göyəm (also, Gegam, Gegem, and Gëgyam; Avar: Кукам) is a village and municipality in the Zaqatala Rayon of Azerbaijan. It has a population of 4,155. The municipality consists of the villages of Göyəm, Dardoqqaz, Çökəkoba, and Sumaylı.