New Living Translation
Deuteronomy 32:8
8When the Most High assigned lands to the nations, when he divided up the human race, he established the boundaries of the peoples according to the number in his heavenly court.
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 the way you repay the Lord, you foolish and senseless people? Isn’t he your Father who created you? Has he not made you and established you? 7Remember the days of long ago; think about the generations past. Ask your father, and he will inform you. Inquire of your elders, and they will tell you. When the Most High assigned lands to the nations, when he divided up the human race, he established the boundaries of the peoples according to the number in his heavenly court. 9“For the people of Israel belong to the Lord; Jacob is his special possession. 10He found them in a desert land, in an empty, howling wasteland. He surrounded them and watched over them; he guarded them as he would guard his own eyes.
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 message 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 because he is just; I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.
- Psalms 50:14Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High.
- Psalms 82:6I say, ‘You are gods; you are all children of the Most High.
- Psalms 91:1Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
- Psalms 92:8But you, O Lord, will be exalted forever.
- Isaiah 14:14I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.’
- Daniel 4:17For this has been decreed by the messengers; it is commanded by the holy ones, so that everyone may know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world. He gives them to anyone he chooses— even to the lowliest of people.”
- Daniel 5:18Your Majesty, the Most High God gave sovereignty, majesty, glory, and honor to your predecessor, Nebuchadnezzar.
- Acts 7:48However, the Most High doesn’t live in temples made by human hands. As the prophet says,
- Genesis 10:25Eber had two sons. The first was named Peleg (which means “division”), for during his lifetime the people of the world were divided into different language groups. His brother’s name was Joktan.
- Genesis 11:9That is why the city was called Babel, because that is where the Lord confused the people with different languages. In this way he scattered them all over the world.
- Psalms 115:16The heavens belong to the Lord, but he has given the earth to all humanity.
- Acts 17:26From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries.
- Genesis 10:15Canaan’s oldest son was Sidon, the ancestor of the Sidonians. Canaan was also the ancestor of the Hittites,
- Genesis 15:18So the Lord made a covenant with Abram that day and said, “I have given this land to your descendants, all the way from the border of Egypt to the great 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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