The Meaning of Acts 13:19 Explained

Acts 13:19

KJV: And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Chanaan, he divided their land to them by lot.

YLT: and having destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He did divide by lot to them their land.

Darby: And having destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance.

ASV: And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land for an inheritance, for about four hundred and fifty years:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  when he had destroyed  seven  nations  in  the land  of Chanaan,  he divided  their  land  to them  by lot. 

What does Acts 13:19 Mean?

Context Summary

Acts 13:13-24 - The Savior According To Promise
It was very natural that the missionary party should sail for Cyprus, partly because it was the first and nearest outpost of the great heathen world that lay to the west, and partly because Barnabas was a native of the island and had owned land there, which he had sold for the benefit of his poorer brethren in the church, Acts 4:36.
In visiting a new city, it was the custom of the Apostles to go first to the Jewish synagogue, where such was to be found. "To the Jew first, and also to the Gentile," was the divine order, Romans 2:10. The journey from Cyprus to the mainland was easily made; but the journey up to this inland city of Antioch was very perilous, 2 Corinthians 11:26.
Acts 13:16 gives us the Apostle's favorite attitude, Acts 21:40; Acts 26:1. Ye that fear God, referred to the Gentile proselytes. This first address contained the seed-thoughts of the Apostle's ministry. He loved to show that the gospel was the white flower that grew on the ancient stock of Judaism. Whatever his starting point, he was sure to come, by a direct path, to Jesus Christ. Observe throughout how Paul attributes all of the great events and movements of history to the direction and agency of God. God chose the fathers; God gave Saul; God brought unto Israel a Savior. [source]

Chapter Summary: Acts 13

1  Paul and Barnabas are chosen to go to the Gentiles
6  Of Sergius Paulus, and Elymas the sorcerer
13  Paul preaches at Antioch that Jesus is Christ
42  The Gentiles believe;
44  but the Jews talked abusively against Paul,
46  whereupon they turn to the Gentiles, of whom many believe
50  The Jews raise a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, who go to Iconium

Greek Commentary for Acts 13:19

When he had destroyed [κατελων]
Second aorist active participle of καταιρεω — kathaireō to tear down, old verb. [source]
He gave them for an inheritance [κατεκληρονομησεν]
First aorist active indicative of the double compound verb κατακληρονομεω — katȧklērȯnomeō late verb in lxx (Numbers 34:18; Deuteronomy 3:28; Joshua 14:1) and only here in the N.T., to distribute by lot, to distribute as an inheritance. This is the correct reading and not κατεκληροδοτησεν — kateklērodotēsen from κατακληροδοτεω — kataklērodoteō of the Textus Receptus. These two verbs were confused in the MSS. of the lxx as well as here. For about four hundred and fifty years (ως ετεσιν τετρακοσιοις και πεντηκοντα — hōs etesin tetrakosiois kai pentēkonta). Associative instrumental case with an expression of time as in Acts 8:11; Luke 8:29 (Robertson, Grammar, p. 527). The oldest MSS. (Aleph A B C Vg Sah Boh) place these figures before “after these things” and so in Acts 13:19. This is the true reading and is in agreement with the notation in 1 Kings 6:1. The difficulty found in the Textus Receptus (King James Version) thus disappears with the true text. The four hundred and fifty years runs therefore from the birth of Isaac to the actual conquest of Canaan and does not cover the period of the Judges. See note on Acts 7:6. [source]
For about four hundred and fifty years [ως ετεσιν τετρακοσιοις και πεντηκοντα]
Associative instrumental case with an expression of time as in Acts 8:11; Luke 8:29 (Robertson, Grammar, p. 527). The oldest MSS. (Aleph A B C Vg Sah Boh) place these figures before “after these things” and so in Acts 13:19. This is the true reading and is in agreement with the notation in 1 Kings 6:1. The difficulty found in the Textus Receptus (King James Version) thus disappears with the true text. The four hundred and fifty years runs therefore from the birth of Isaac to the actual conquest of Canaan and does not cover the period of the Judges. See note on Acts 7:6. [source]
Divided by lot [κατεκληρονόμησεν]
The A. V. gives the literal rendering. The Rev., gave them their land for an inheritance, is correct, so far as the meaning, inheritance is concerned (see on 1 Peter 1:4), but does not give the sense of distribution which is contained in the word. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Acts 13:19

Acts 13:16 Beckoning [κατασεισας]
First aorist active participle of κατασειω — kataseiō old verb to shake down, a dramatic gesture for quiet and order like Peter in Acts 12:17 and Paul on the steps of the tower of Antonia (Acts 21:40). And ye that fear God (και οι ποβουμενοι τον τεον — kai hoi phoboumenoi ton theon). Evidently large numbers of these Gentiles like Cornelius in Caesarea were present. They offered Paul a great opportunity for reaching the purely pagan Gentiles. This (verses 16-41) is the first full report of a sermon of Paul‘s that Luke has preserved for us. He is now a practised preacher of the gospel that he began proclaiming at Damascus, that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah of promise and the Saviour of the whole world both Jew and Gentile if they will only believe on him and be saved. It is possible that Paul here based his sermon on the passages of the law and the prophets that had just been read. He uses two words from the lxx, one in Acts 13:19 from Deuteronomy 1:31 ετροποπορησεν — etrophophorēsen (as a nursing-father bare he them), the reading of many old MSS. and the one preferred by the American Committee, the other in Acts 13:17 from Isaiah 1:2 υπσωσεν — hupsōsen (exalted). At any rate it is clear that Paul spoke in Greek so that all could understand his sermon. He may have written out notes of this sermon afterwards for Luke. The keynotes of Paul‘s theology as found in his Epistles appear in this sermon. It is interesting to observe the steady growth of Paul‘s Christology as he faced the great problems of his day. Here we see Paul‘s gospel for the Jews and the God-fearers (Gentiles friendly to the Jews). [source]
Acts 13:16 And ye that fear God [και οι ποβουμενοι τον τεον]
Evidently large numbers of these Gentiles like Cornelius in Caesarea were present. They offered Paul a great opportunity for reaching the purely pagan Gentiles. This (verses 16-41) is the first full report of a sermon of Paul‘s that Luke has preserved for us. He is now a practised preacher of the gospel that he began proclaiming at Damascus, that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah of promise and the Saviour of the whole world both Jew and Gentile if they will only believe on him and be saved. It is possible that Paul here based his sermon on the passages of the law and the prophets that had just been read. He uses two words from the lxx, one in Acts 13:19 from Deuteronomy 1:31 ετροποπορησεν — etrophophorēsen (as a nursing-father bare he them), the reading of many old MSS. and the one preferred by the American Committee, the other in Acts 13:17 from Isaiah 1:2 υπσωσεν — hupsōsen (exalted). At any rate it is clear that Paul spoke in Greek so that all could understand his sermon. He may have written out notes of this sermon afterwards for Luke. The keynotes of Paul‘s theology as found in his Epistles appear in this sermon. It is interesting to observe the steady growth of Paul‘s Christology as he faced the great problems of his day. Here we see Paul‘s gospel for the Jews and the God-fearers (Gentiles friendly to the Jews). [source]
Acts 13:19 He gave them for an inheritance [κατεκληρονομησεν]
First aorist active indicative of the double compound verb κατακληρονομεω — katȧklērȯnomeō late verb in lxx (Numbers 34:18; Deuteronomy 3:28; Joshua 14:1) and only here in the N.T., to distribute by lot, to distribute as an inheritance. This is the correct reading and not κατεκληροδοτησεν — kateklērodotēsen from κατακληροδοτεω — kataklērodoteō of the Textus Receptus. These two verbs were confused in the MSS. of the lxx as well as here. For about four hundred and fifty years (ως ετεσιν τετρακοσιοις και πεντηκοντα — hōs etesin tetrakosiois kai pentēkonta). Associative instrumental case with an expression of time as in Acts 8:11; Luke 8:29 (Robertson, Grammar, p. 527). The oldest MSS. (Aleph A B C Vg Sah Boh) place these figures before “after these things” and so in Acts 13:19. This is the true reading and is in agreement with the notation in 1 Kings 6:1. The difficulty found in the Textus Receptus (King James Version) thus disappears with the true text. The four hundred and fifty years runs therefore from the birth of Isaac to the actual conquest of Canaan and does not cover the period of the Judges. See note on Acts 7:6. [source]
Acts 13:19 For about four hundred and fifty years [ως ετεσιν τετρακοσιοις και πεντηκοντα]
Associative instrumental case with an expression of time as in Acts 8:11; Luke 8:29 (Robertson, Grammar, p. 527). The oldest MSS. (Aleph A B C Vg Sah Boh) place these figures before “after these things” and so in Acts 13:19. This is the true reading and is in agreement with the notation in 1 Kings 6:1. The difficulty found in the Textus Receptus (King James Version) thus disappears with the true text. The four hundred and fifty years runs therefore from the birth of Isaac to the actual conquest of Canaan and does not cover the period of the Judges. See note on Acts 7:6. [source]
Romans 4:13 Heir of the world [κληρονόμον κόσμου]
See on divided by lot, Acts 13:19; and see on inheritance, 1 Peter 1:4. “Paul here takes the Jewish conception of the universal dominion of the Messianic theocracy prefigured by the inheritance of Canaan, divests it of its Judaistic element, and raises it to a christological truth.” Compare Matthew 19:28, Matthew 19:29; Luke 22:30. The idea underlies the phrases kingdom of God, kingdom of Heaven. [source]
Hebrews 1:4 He hath by inheritance obtained [κεκληρονόμηκεν]
More neatly, as Rev., hath inherited, as a son. See Hebrews 1:2, and comp. Romans 8:17. For the verb, see on Acts 13:19, and see on 1 Peter 1:4. [source]

What do the individual words in Acts 13:19 mean?

and having destroyed nations seven in [the] land of Canaan He gave as an inheritance the land of them
καὶ καθελὼν ἔθνη ἑπτὰ ἐν γῇ Χανάαν κατεκληρονόμησεν τὴν γῆν αὐτῶν

καθελὼν  having  destroyed 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: καθαιρέω  
Sense: to take down.
ἔθνη  nations 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ἔθνος  
Sense: a multitude (whether of men or of beasts) associated or living together.
ἑπτὰ  seven 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ἑπτά  
Sense: seven.
γῇ  [the]  land 
Parse: Noun, Dative Feminine Singular
Root: γῆ  
Sense: arable land.
Χανάαν  of  Canaan 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: Χανάαν  
Sense: the land of Canaan.
κατεκληρονόμησεν  He  gave  as  an  inheritance 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: κατακληροδοτέω 
Sense: to distribute by lot.
γῆν  land 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: γῆ  
Sense: arable land.
αὐτῶν  of  them 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Neuter 3rd Person Plural
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.