What standard did God use when He set the bounds of the nations in Deuteronomy 32:8?
According to the number of the children of Israel. Deuteronomy 32:8 states that when the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance and separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel, making Israel the standard for the nations' borders.
Les explains that Deuteronomy 32:8 was written by Moses but spoken by God Himself, the sovereign, almighty God. The verse says, "When the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance" — that is, all the nations of the world — "when He separated the sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the people... according to the number of the children of Israel." Les notes that when God designated where the nations' borders would be, how large their population would be, and how they would be blessed in one way or another, He did it according to the number of the children of Israel. He calls this amazing and says some people may accuse him of making too much of the nation of Israel, but he insists you cannot make too much of it.
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.
More Questions
Which nations are meant when Deuteronomy 32:8 says God divided to the nations their inheritance?
The 'nations' to whom the Most High divided their inheritance, and the 'people' whose bounds He set, means all the nations of the world.
According to Deuteronomy 32:8, what did God set the national boundaries of the peoples by?
In Moses' song, when God divided the nations their inheritance and separated the offspring of Adam, He set the national boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the children of Israel.