κατακληροδοτέω

From the study of Acts 13:19

Range of meaning

A compound of κατά (down, thoroughly) and κληρονομέω (to receive a klēros, an allotted portion or inheritance). It can mean "to take possession of as an inheritance" or, with a causative sense, "to give someone a possession as an inheritance." Here God is the subject and the land is the object, so the causative sense applies: "he made (Israel) inherit the land."

Against the English

BSB, ESV, WEB and NIV: "gave ... as an inheritance". KJV and YLT: "divided ... by lot", which follows the different Textus Receptus verb κατακληροδοτέω, literally "to give out by lot". Both are correct. "By lot" keeps the picture of land being shared out, and "inheritance" keeps the idea of a permanent family holding.

How it drifted

In modern English "inheritance" means property passed on when someone dies. In the biblical setting the word meant an allotted, permanent family portion granted by the land's true owner (Leviticus 25:23: "the land is mine"). No death is involved.

Used elsewhere in the period

This is a characteristic Septuagint word. In Deuteronomy and Joshua it renders the Hebrew causative hinḥîl ("to cause to inherit"), used of Joshua making Israel inherit the land (e.g. Deut 1:38; 3:28; 31:7). The word appears nowhere else in the New Testament. Paul is speaking in the language of the Greek Bible his synagogue audience heard every Sabbath.