Tribes, States, & Empires: Scripture’s Vision for a Virtuous Political Order (Yoram Hazony) Ep. #212

Aug 7, 2025

In this engaging discussion, political philosopher Yoram Hazony delves into the biblical concept of nationhood, emphasizing a vision of unity based on shared laws and faith, rather than ethnicity or imperialism. He clarifies the meanings of Hebrew terms like 'am' and 'goy', challenging modern racialized views of identity. Hazony also explains how the teachings of ancient Israel have shaped America's political ideals and critiques outdated notions of purity, advocating for a diverse yet cohesive national identity.

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INSIGHT

Nationalism As A Biblical Virtue

Yoram Hazony argues biblical nationalism is a virtue because it limits imperial conquest and values leaving other peoples alone.
The virtue is refusing to impose one’s truth on all nations while caring for one’s own people.

INSIGHT

How The Bible Defines Nationhood

Hebrew terms matter: am ranges from small groups to peoples, while goy/goyim denotes large nations with language and political power.
Scripture treats nations as social, legal, and religious constructs rather than rigid biological races.

INSIGHT

Nationhood Is Cultural Not Racial

Scripture assumes kinship and lineage matter, but rejects modern racial determinism and immutable genetics.
Nations form by language, law, religion, and choice; converts like Ruth can fully join a people.

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In this second conversation with political philosopher Yoram Hazony, we dive deeper into the biblical concept of nationhood, wrestling with listener-submitted questions on nationalism, empire, and political virtue. Hazony responds to critiques and clarifies his position: biblical nationalism is not about racial purity or imperialism, but about the virtue of limited, self-governing peoples—unified not by ethnicity but by shared laws, traditions, and faith.

Hazony distinguishes biblical terms like am and goy, explores the status of converts like Ruth, and dismantles the modern racialized understanding of nationhood. He emphasizes that scripture assumes nations will be internally diverse, but not infinitely so—there must be a dominant center that holds people together.

The conversation also explores why biblical literature, not Greco-Roman thought, shaped the American constitutional order, and why the prophets critique empire while affirming the need for some form of the state. As Hazony puts it, “Purity is not the goal. Faithful unity is.”

For the Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy article Yoram mentioned in the interview, access the PDF here:
https://journals.law.harvard.edu/jlpp/wp-content/uploads/sites/90/2025/06/Hammer-FINAL_TC-JH-YRH-edits.pdf

For more of Yoram's literature:
https://www.yoramhazony.org/
https://x.com/yhazony

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Chapters:

00:00 The Virtue of Nationalism
05:19 Understanding Nation in Biblical Context
10:42 The Role of Genetics and Kinship in Nations
15:25 Diversity and Unity in National Identity
20:09 Power Dynamics in Heterogeneous Nations
25:23 Biblical Foundations of Western Political Thought
38:14 The Christian Heritage of the West
41:15 Separation of Powers and the Mosaic Constitution
44:37 Separation of Church and State
48:29 The Concept of Empire
59:00 The Role of Kings and the State
01:00:17 Eschatology and the Future of Nations