Deuteronomy 32 · Verse 8

Deuteronomy 32:8

When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.

Deuteronomy 32:8, King James Version

Deuteronomy 32:8 in other translations

BSB	When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when He divided the sons of man, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.
WEB	When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the children of men, he set the bounds of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel.
ASV	When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, When he separated the children of men, He set the bounds of the peoples According to the number of the children of Israel.
YLT	In the Most High causing nations to inherit, In His separating sons of Adam--He setteth up the borders of the peoples By the number of the sons of Israel.
DARBY	When the Most High assigned to the nations their inheritance, When he separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the peoples According to the number of the children of Israel.
BBE	When the Most High gave the nations their heritage, separating into groups the children of men, he had the limits of the peoples marked out, keeping in mind the number of the children of Israel.
Webster	When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.

What does Deuteronomy 32:8 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Deuteronomy 32:8-9

8-9. When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance--In the division of the earth, which Noah is believed to have made by divine direction (Ge 10:5; De 2:5-9; Ac 17:26, 27), Palestine was reserved by the wisdom and goodness of Heaven for the possession of His peculiar people and the display of the most stupendous wonders. The theater was small, but admirably suited for the convenient observation of the human race--at the junction of the two great continents of Asia and Africa, and almost within sight of Europe. From this spot as from a common center the report of God's wonderful works, the glad tidings of salvation through the obedience and sufferings of His own eternal Son, might be rapidly and easily wafted to every part of the globe. he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel--Another rendering, which has received the sanction of eminent scholars, has been proposed as follows: "When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when He separated the sons of Adam and set the bounds of every people, the children of Israel were few in numbers, when the Lord chose that people and made Jacob His inheritance" (compare De 30:5; Ge 34:30; Psa 105:9-12).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 8 When the Most High divided to the nations, etc. - Deu 32:8 and Deu 32:9, says Dr. Kennicott, give us express authority for believing that the earth was very early divided in consequence of a Divine command, and probably by lot, (see Act 17:26); and as Africa is called the land of Ham, (Psa 78:51; Psa 105:23, Psa 105:27; Psa 106:22), probably that country fell to him and to his descendants, at the same time that Europe fell to Japheth, and Asia to Shem, with a particular reserve of Palestine to be the Lord's portion, for some one peculiar people. And this separation of mankind into three bodies, called the general migration, was commanded to Noah, and by him to his sons, so as to take place in the days of Peleg, about two hundred years afterwards. This general migration was prior to the partial dispersion from Babel by about five hundred years. He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel - The Septuagint is very curious, Εστησεν ὁρια εθνων κατα αριθμον αγγελων του Θεου. "He established the bounds of the nations according to the number of the angels of God." The meaning of the passage seems to be, that when God divided the earth among mankind, he reserved twelve lots, according to the number of the sons of Jacob, which he was now about to give to their descendants, according to his promise.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Deuteronomy 32:7-14

Moses gives particular instances of God's kindness and concern for them. The eagle's care for her young is a beautiful emblem of Christ's love, who came between Divine justice and our guilty souls, and bare our sins in his own body on the tree. And by the preached gospel, and the influences of the Holy Spirit, He stirs up and prevails upon sinners to leave Satan's bondage. In ver. #(13-14), are emblems of the…

Read the full comment on Deuteronomy 32:7-14 →

Deuteronomy 32:8 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

בְּהַנְחֵ֤לbe.han.Chelwhen gave inheritances toH5157

עֶלְיוֹן֙'el.yOn[the] Most HighH5945

גּוֹיִ֔םgo.YimnationsH1471

בְּהַפְרִיד֖וֹbe.haf.ri.Dowhen separated heH6504

בְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei[the] children ofH1121

אָדָ֑ם'a.DamhumankindH120

יַצֵּב֙ya.Tzevhe fixedH5324

גְּבֻלֹ֣תge.vu.Lotboundaries ofH1367

עַמִּ֔ים'a.MimpeoplesH5971

לְמִסְפַּ֖רle.mis.Parto [the] number ofH4557

בְּנֵ֥יbe.Nei[the] people ofH1121

יִשְׂרָאֵֽל\׃Yis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Deuteronomy 32:8

Acts 17:26
And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Genesis 11:8-9
So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
Daniel 4:17
This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.
Genesis 15:18-21
In the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.
Psalms 115:16
The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
Genesis 10:25
And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.
Psalms 91:1
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Genesis 10:15
And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth,
Psalms 92:8
But thou, Lord, art most high for evermore.
Psalms 7:17
I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high.
Daniel 5:18
O thou king, the most high God gave Nebuchadnezzar thy father a kingdom, and majesty, and glory, and honour:
Psalms 82:6
I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Most.
Nu 24:16; Ps 7:17; 50:14; 82:6; 91:1; 92:8; Isa 14:14; Da 4:17; 5:18
Ac 7:48
divided.
Ge 10:25; 11:9; Ps 115:16; Ac 17:26
he set.
Ge 10:15; 15:18-21

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

Deuteronomy 32:7
Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and he will shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.
Deuteronomy 32:8
When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel.
Deuteronomy 32:9
For the Lord’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.

Read all of Deuteronomy 32

Deuteronomy 32:8 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Cuando el Altísimo hizo heredar á las gentes, cuando hizo dividir los hijos de los hombres, estableció los términos de los pueblos según el número de los hijos de Israel.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Quand le Très-haut partageait l’héritage aux nations, quand il séparait les fils d’Adam, il établit les limites des peuples selon le nombre des fils d’Israël.
German Elberfelder 1871	Als der Höchste den Nationen das Erbe austeilte, als er voneinander schied die Menschenkinder, da stellte er fest die Grenzen der Völker nach der Zahl der Kinder Israel.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Quando dividebat Altissimus gentes, quando separabat filios Adam, constituit terminos populorum juxta numerum filiorum Israël.