נַחֲלָה
na.cha.lah
inheritance
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
Supported# נַחֲלָה (Inheritance) The Hebrew word *nachalah* appears 222 times throughout the biblical text and carries the fundamental meaning of "inheritance." Based on its frequency and distribution across Scripture, this term represents a concept of central importance to Hebrew thought and biblical narrative. The word denotes property, land, or possessions that pass from one generation to another, typically through family lines or divine allocation. The high frequency of *nachalah* in the biblical corpus—appearing in dozens of chapters across both historical narratives and legal material—suggests this concept governed significant aspects of ancient Israelite society and theology. The term likely carried both practical and spiritual weight, addressing questions of property ownership, family succession, and divine promise. Its consistent use across different genres and time periods indicates that inheritance was not merely a legal transaction but a foundational principle organizing community relationships and individual identity. Without access to specific usage contexts from the lexicon data provided, the precise nuances of *nachalah*—whether emphasizing material property, divine blessing, or territorial possession—cannot be determined from this summary alone. Nevertheless, the sheer prevalence of the word across 222 biblical occurrences establishes inheritance as a dominant concern throughout Hebrew Scripture, making it essential to understanding biblical law, covenant theology, and narrative structure.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
222 total occurrences across the text — showing 50
The residue of Israel, of the priests, the Levites, were in all the cities of Judah, everyone in his inheritance.
Job 20:29This is the portion of a wicked man from God, the heritage appointed to him by God.”
Job 27:13“This is the portion of a wicked man with God, the heritage of oppressors, which they receive from the Almighty.
Job 31:2For what is the portion from God above, and the heritage from the Almighty on high?
Job 42:15In all the land were no women found so beautiful as the daughters of Job. Their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.
Psalms 2:8Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.
Psalms 78:62He also gave his people over to the sword, and was angry with his inheritance.
Psalms 16:6The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places. Yes, I have a good inheritance.
Psalms 28:9Save your people, and bless your inheritance. Be their shepherd also, and bear them up forever.
Psalms 33:12Blessed is the nation whose God is Yahweh, the people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance.
Psalms 106:40Therefore Yahweh burned with anger against his people. He abhorred his inheritance.
Psalms 37:18Yahweh knows the days of the perfect. Their inheritance shall be forever.
Psalms 47:4He chooses our inheritance for us, the glory of Jacob whom he loved.
Psalms 68:9You, God, sent a plentiful rain. You confirmed your inheritance when it was weary.
Psalms 74:2Remember your congregation, which you purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your inheritance: Mount Zion, in which you have lived.
Psalms 78:71from following the ewes that have their young, he brought him to be the shepherd of Jacob, his people, and Israel, his inheritance.
Psalms 79:1God, the nations have come into your inheritance. They have defiled your holy temple. They have laid Jerusalem in heaps.
Psalms 94:5They break your people in pieces, Yahweh, and afflict your heritage.
Psalms 94:14For Yahweh won’t reject his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.
Psalms 105:11saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance,”
Psalms 106:5that I may see the prosperity of your chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance.
Psalms 111:6He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the heritage of the nations.
Psalms 127:3Behold, children are a heritage of Yahweh. The fruit of the womb is his reward.
Psalms 135:12and gave their land for a heritage, a heritage to Israel, his people.
Psalms 135:12and gave their land for a heritage, a heritage to Israel, his people.
Psalms 136:21and gave their land as an inheritance; for his loving kindness endures forever;
Psalms 136:22even a heritage to Israel his servant; for his loving kindness endures forever:
Proverbs 17:2A servant who deals wisely will rule over a son who causes shame, and shall have a part in the inheritance among the brothers.
Proverbs 19:14House and riches are an inheritance from fathers, but a prudent wife is from Yahweh.
Proverbs 20:21An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning, won’t be blessed in the end.
Ecclesiastes 7:11Wisdom is as good as an inheritance. Yes, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.
Numbers 18:23But the Levites shall do the service of the Tent of Meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity. It shall be a statute forever throughout your generations. Among the children of Israel, they shall have no inheritance.
Isaiah 19:25because Yahweh of Armies has blessed them, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.”
Isaiah 47:6I was angry with my people. I profaned my inheritance and gave them into your hand. You showed them no mercy. You laid a very heavy yoke on the aged.
Isaiah 49:8Yahweh says, “I have answered you in an acceptable time. I have helped you in a day of salvation. I will preserve you and give you for a covenant of the people, to raise up the land, to make them inherit the desolate heritage,
Isaiah 54:17No weapon that is formed against you will prevail; and you will condemn every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of Yahweh’s servants, and their righteousness is of me,” says Yahweh.
Isaiah 58:14then you will delight yourself in Yahweh, and I will make you to ride on the high places of the earth, and I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father;” for Yahweh’s mouth has spoken it.
Isaiah 63:17O Yahweh, why do you make us wander from your ways, and harden our heart from your fear? Return for your servants’ sake, the tribes of your inheritance.
Jeremiah 2:7I brought you into a plentiful land to eat its fruit and its goodness; but when you entered, you defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.
Jeremiah 3:19“But I said, ‘How I desire to put you among the children, and give you a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the armies of the nations!’ and I said, ‘You shall call me “My Father”, and shall not turn away from following me.’
Jeremiah 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: Yahweh of Armies is his name.
Jeremiah 12:7“I have forsaken my house. I have cast off my heritage. I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.
Jeremiah 12:8My heritage has become to me as a lion in the forest. She has uttered her voice against me. Therefore I have hated her.
Jeremiah 12:9Is my heritage to me as a speckled bird of prey? Are the birds of prey against her all around? Go, assemble all the animals of the field. Bring them to devour.
Jeremiah 12:14Yahweh says, “Concerning all my evil neighbors, who touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit: Behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck up the house of Judah from among them.
Jeremiah 12:15It will happen that after I have plucked them up, I will return and have compassion on them. I will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
Jeremiah 16:18First I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double, because they have polluted my land with the carcasses of their detestable things, and have filled my inheritance with their abominations.”
Jeremiah 17:4You, even of yourself, will discontinue from your heritage that I gave you. I will cause you to serve your enemies in the land which you don’t know, for you have kindled a fire in my anger which will burn forever.”
Jeremiah 50:11“Because you are glad, because you rejoice, O you who plunder my heritage, because you are wanton as a heifer that treads out the grain, and neigh as strong horses;
Jeremiah 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.