New English Translation
Deuteronomy 32:8
8When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided up humankind, he set the boundaries of the peoples, according to the number of the heavenly assembly.
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, you foolish, unwise people? Is he not your father, your creator? He has made you and established you. 7Remember the ancient days; bear in mind the years of past generations. Ask your father and he will inform you, your elders, and they will tell you. When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided up humankind, he set the boundaries of the peoples, according to the number of the heavenly assembly. 9For the Lord’s allotment is his people, Jacob is his special possession. 10The Lord found him in a desolate land, in an empty wasteland where animals howl. He continually guarded him and taught him; he continually protected him like the pupil of his eye.
Read all of Deuteronomy 32Deuteronomy 32:8 word by word
בְּהַנְחֵ֤ל עֶלְיוֹן֙ גּוֹיִ֔ם בְּהַפְרִיד֖וֹ בְּנֵ֣י אָדָ֑ם יַצֵּב֙ גְּבֻלֹ֣ת עַמִּ֔ים לְמִסְפַּ֖ר בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- When the most Highעֶלְיוֹן‛elyôn · Most HighH5945
- dividedנָחַלnâchal · to inheritH5157
- to the nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
- when he separatedפָּרַדpârad · to separateH6504
- the sonsבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Adamאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- he setנָצַבnâtsab · to standH5324
- the boundsגְּבוּלָהgebûlâh gebûlâh · borderH1367
- of the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- according to the numberמִסְפָּרmispâr · numberH4557
- of the childrenבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 32:8
- Numbers 24:16the oracle of the one who hears the words of God, and who knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees a vision from the Almighty, although falling flat on the ground with eyes open:
- Psalms 7:17I will thank the Lord for his justice; I will sing praises to the sovereign Lord!
- Psalms 50:14Present to God a thank-offering! Repay your vows to the sovereign One!
- Psalms 82:6I thought, ‘You are gods; all of you are sons of the Most High.’
- Psalms 91:1As for you, the one who lives in the shelter of the sovereign One, and resides in the protective shadow of the mighty king –
- Psalms 92:8But you, O Lord, reign forever!
- Isaiah 14:14I will climb up to the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High!”
- Daniel 4:17This announcement is by the decree of the sentinels; this decision is by the pronouncement of the holy ones, so that those who are alive may understand that the Most High has authority over human kingdoms, and he bestows them on whomever he wishes. He establishes over them even the lowliest of human beings.’
- Daniel 5:18As for you, O king, the most high God bestowed on your father Nebuchadnezzar a kingdom, greatness, honor, and majesty.
- Acts 7:48Yet the Most High does not live 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’s name was Joktan.
- Genesis 11:9That is why its name was called Babel – because there the Lord confused the language of the entire world, and from there the Lord scattered them across the face of the entire earth.
- Psalms 115:16The heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to mankind.
- Acts 17:26From one man he made every nation of the human race to inhabit the entire earth, determining their set times and the fixed limits of the places where they would live,
- Genesis 10:15Canaan was the father of Sidon his firstborn, Heth,
- Genesis 15:18That day the Lord made a covenant with Abram: “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates River –
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
In the dictionaries
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
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