Nation

A title for a people or ethnicity, like the Israelites.¹ “Nations” does not refer to modern states, but to family divisions or subsets, like the ancient tribes of Israel. They were called nations. The terms “nations, kindreds, tongues, and people” have a family meaning; they specifically have the family of Israel — in its scattered condition — in mind. The gospel is intended primarily for one family of redeemed souls.² Nation can also be defined in another way. Not all of God’s words are in the Bible. God has spoken to every nation — meaning He has spoken to every religious body of people. For behold, the Lord doth grant unto all nations, of their own nation and tongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he seeth fit that they should have; therefore, we see that the Lord doth counsel in his wisdom, according to that which is just and true (Alma 15:13).³