But the LORD’s portion is His people, Jacob His allotted inheritance.
Parallel translations
- WEB For Yahweh’s portion is his people. Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
- KJV For the LORD’s portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
- NKJV For the Lord’s portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His inheritance.
- NASB “For the Lord’s portion is His people; Jacob is the allotment of His inheritance.
- NLT “For the people of Israel belong to the Lord; Jacob is his special possession.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The LORD's portion is His people; Jacob is His allotted inheritance. It matters because it reveals the astonishing truth that God treasures His people as His own possession.
Overview
While the nations receive their inheritance, God reserves Israel as His own special treasure. The language of portion and inheritance expresses intimate covenant ownership and delight. This electing love prefigures the New Testament reality that the church is God's own possession, purchased by Christ to be His inheritance.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Jer 10:16The Portion of Jacob is not like these, for He is the Maker of all things, and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance—the LORD of Hosts is His name.
- 1 Pet 2:9–10But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
- 1 Kgs 8:51For they are Your people and Your inheritance; You brought them out of Egypt, out of the furnace for iron.
- 1 Kgs 8:53For You, O Lord GOD, as Your inheritance, have set them apart from all the peoples of the earth, as You spoke through Your servant Moses when You brought our fathers out of Egypt.”
- Exod 19:5–6Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations—for the whole earth is Mine.
- Jer 51:19The Portion of Jacob is not like these, for He is the Maker of all things, and of the tribe of His inheritance—the LORD of Hosts is His name.
- Isa 43:21The people I formed for Myself will declare My praise.
- Deut 26:18–19And today the LORD has proclaimed that you are His people and treasured possession as He promised, that you are to keep all His commandments,
- Ps 135:4For the LORD has chosen Jacob as His own, Israel as His treasured possession.
- Mic 2:5Therefore, you will have no one in the assembly of the LORD to divide the land by lot.
- 1 Sam 10:1Then Samuel took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, “Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance?
- Exod 15:16and terror and dread will fall on them. By the power of Your arm they will be as still as a stone until Your people pass by, O LORD, until the people You have bought pass by.
- Eph 1:18I ask that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know the hope of His calling, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints,
- Ps 78:71from tending the ewes He brought him to be shepherd of His people Jacob, of Israel His inheritance.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Moses promised a Prophet like himself to whom Israel must listen (18:15); Jesus is that Prophet, the one who keeps the covenant we broke and becomes the curse for us by hanging on a tree (Gal 3:13).
How Deuteronomy 32:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.