Deuteronomy 32:8

Deuteronomy 32:8 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided all mankind, he set up boundaries for the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel.
• English Standard Version (ESV)When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God.
• New King James Version (NKJV)When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, When He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples According to the number of the children of Israel.

Context of Deuteronomy 32:8

6Is this how you repay the LORD, O foolish and senseless people? Is He not your Father and Creator? Has He not made you and established you? 7Remember the days of old; consider the years long past. Ask your father, and he will tell you, your elders, and they will inform you. 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. 9But the LORD’s portion is His people, Jacob His allotted inheritance. 10He found him in a desert land, in a barren, howling wilderness; He surrounded him, He instructed him, He guarded him as the apple of His eye.

Deuteronomy 32:8 word by word

בְּהַנְחֵ֤ל עֶלְיוֹן֙ גּוֹיִ֔ם בְּהַפְרִיד֖וֹ בְּנֵ֣י אָדָ֑ם יַצֵּב֙ גְּבֻלֹ֣ת עַמִּ֔ים לְמִסְפַּ֖ר בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear

• When the Most Highעֶלְיוֹן‛elyôn · Most HighH5945
• gave the nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• their inheritanceנָחַלnâchal · to inheritH5157
• when He dividedפָּרַדpârad · to separateH6504
• the sonsבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• He setנָצַבnâtsab · to standH5324
• the boundariesגְּבוּלָהgebûlâh gebûlâh · borderH1367
• of the peoplesעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• according to the numberמִסְפָּרmispâr · numberH4557
• of the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Godיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 32:8

• Numbers 24:16the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, who has knowledge from the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open:
• Psalms 7:17I will thank the LORD for His righteousness and sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.
• Psalms 50:14Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and fulfill your vows to the Most High.
• Psalms 82:6I have said, ‘You are gods; you are all sons of the Most High.’
• Psalms 91:1He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
• Psalms 92:8But You, O LORD, are exalted forever!
• Isaiah 14:14I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”
• Daniel 4:17This decision is the decree of the watchers, the verdict declared by the holy ones, so that the living will know that the Most High rules over the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom He wishes, setting over it the lowliest of men.’
• Daniel 5:18As for you, O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness, glory and honor.
• Acts 7:48However, the Most High does not dwell in houses made by human hands. As the prophet says:
• Genesis 10:25Two sons were born to Eber: One was named Peleg, because in his days the earth was divided, and his brother was named Joktan.
• Genesis 11:9That is why it is called Babel, for there the LORD confused the language of the whole world, and from that place the LORD scattered them over the face of all the earth.
• Psalms 115:16The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth He has given to mankind.
• Acts 17:26From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their lands.
• Genesis 10:15And Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, and of the Hittites,
• Genesis 15:18On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 32:8

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8When the Most High divided to the nations, etc. - Deuteronomy 32:8; and Deuteronomy 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 Acts 17:26;); and as Africa is called the land of Ham, ( Psalm 78:51; Psalm 105:23, Psalm 105:27; Psalm 106:22;), probably that country fell to him and to his descendants, at the same time that Europe fell to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-42Verses 1-42 Song of Moses If Deuteronomy 32:1-3 be regarded as the introduction, and Deuteronomy 32:43 as the conclusion, the main contents of the song may be grouped under three heads, namely, (1) Deuteronomy 32:4-18, the faithfulness of God, the faithlessness of Israel; (2) Deuteronomy 32:19-33, the chastisement and the need of its infliction by God; (3) Deuteronomy 32:34-42, God‘s compassion upon the low and humbled state of His people. The Song…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-14Verses 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 conquest believers have over their…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8God is sovereign over all nations and cares about them. He has given them their lands for his own reasons (see Psalm 74:17; Acts 17:26). the Most High (Hebrew ‘Elyon): Abraham learned this name for God when he met Melchizedek (Genesis 14:19). This ancient name shows that God rules over all. It describes his universal sovereignty, which means that he has authority over every nation and every part of creation. the boundaries: One sign of God's sovereignty…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-98-9. 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…Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 32:8

• Adam
• Death
• Dispersion
• Earth
• Instruction
• Predestination
• Psalms

In the dictionaries

• Adam
• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Children of Israel
• Most High
• Cease
• Crooked
• Drunk
• Esteem

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 32

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings