For the Lord’s portion is His people; Jacob is the place of His 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.
- BSB But the LORD’s portion is His people, Jacob His allotted 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 former of all things; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance: Yahweh of Armies is his name.
- 1 Pet 2:9–10But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
- 1 Kgs 8:51(for they are your people, and your inheritance, which you brought out of Egypt, from the middle of the iron furnace);
- 1 Kgs 8:53For you separated them from among all the peoples of the earth, to be your inheritance, as you spoke by Moses your servant, when you brought our fathers out of Egypt, Lord Yahweh.”
- Exod 19:5–6Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice, and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine;
- Jer 51:19The portion of Jacob is not like these, for he is the former of all things; including the tribe of his inheritance: Yahweh of Armies is his name.
- Isa 43:21the people which I formed for myself, that they might declare my praise.
- Deut 26:18–19Yahweh has declared today that you are a people for his own possession, as he has promised you, and that you should keep all his commandments.
- Ps 135:4For Yah has chosen Jacob for himself; Israel for his own possession.
- Mic 2:5Therefore you will have no one who divides the land by lot in Yahweh’s assembly.
- 1 Sam 10:1Then Samuel took the vial of oil, and poured it on his head, and kissed him, and said, “Hasn’t Yahweh anointed you to be prince over his inheritance?
- Exod 15:16Terror and dread falls on them. By the greatness of your arm they are as still as a stone — until your people pass over, Yahweh, until the people pass over who you have purchased.
- Eph 1:18having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
- Ps 78:71from following the ewes that have their young, he brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob, his people, and Israel, his inheritance.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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.