“They aroused my jealousy with a non-god
and provoked me with their vanities;
I will arouse their jealousy with a non-people
and provoke them with a vile nation.”
-Deuteronomy 32:21
Let’s take a good look at verse 21 today.
We’re told that since Israel aroused the jealousy of Hashem by rejecting Him and turning their affections over to other “non-gods” or LO-ELOHIM, the Lord will retaliate by removing His presence and turning them over to a “non-people” or a LO-AMMI.
This is the Lord exercising the “eye for an eye” principle in full.
If you do this to me, this is how I will punish you.
Since the gods that Israel turned to were spirit beings who were NOT loyal to Hashem, in turn Israel will be turned over to a ferocious people who are not loyal to Hashem.
What exactly is “non-people” referring to?
Essentially it means “a people who are not mine” from Hashem’s perspective.
In other words, we’re talking about gentiles here.
The AMMI are the Israelites.
Thus, by definition the LO AMMI are everyone else.
However, understand that in this context we’re not necessarily referring to a specific nation such as Edom or Canaan.
I don’t think the Complete Jewish Bible is quite right when it translates LO-AMMI as a “vile nation” in this verse.
LO-AMMI is being applied as a general term to all gentiles in general.
There are serious theological implications attached to these two Hebrew words, so make darn well sure you understand them.
For instance, whenever Israel committed an especially egregious offense, in anger the Lord would refer to His own chosen people as LO-AMMI in Scripture.
That’s right, he was calling Israel “gentiles”.
Literally, He was saying…
…”You reckless law-breaking gentiles!”
The word LO-AMMI was being used as an epithet.
Understand that for an Israelite, to be called a LO-AMMI by Hashem was the most terrifying and worst of insults.
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