What does נַחֲלָה (naḥalah) mean in the Bible?
נַחֲלָה (nachalah) is an inheritance, hereditary possession, heritage, or assigned portion. Much of its biblical use concerns tribal land and family holdings, as in Numbers 26 and Joshua.
Hebrew · H5159
נַחֲלָה
Properly, something inherited , i.e. (abstractly) occupancy , or (concretely) an heirloom ; generally an estate , patrimony or portion
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נַחֲלָה H5159
Pronunciation naḥalah
What does נַחֲלָה (naḥalah) mean in the Bible?
נַחֲלָה (nachalah) is an inheritance, hereditary possession, heritage, or assigned portion. Much of its biblical use concerns tribal land and family holdings, as in Numbers 26 and Joshua.
Reader summary
Full entry for נַחֲלָה (H5159) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5159?
The BSB source-word alignment has 222 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include as an inheritance (24), inheritance (24), the inheritance (18), an inheritance (13), his inheritance (12).
Where does נַחֲלָה (naḥalah) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 31:14. Its strongest book concentrations include Joshua (50), Numbers (46), Deuteronomy (25), Psalms (23).
What This Word Actually Means
נַחֲלָה (nachalah) is an inheritance, hereditary possession, heritage, or assigned portion. Much of its biblical use concerns tribal land and family holdings, as in Numbers 26 and Joshua. The noun can also describe Israel as the Lord's inheritance, the Lord as the Levites' inheritance, children as a heritage, or another possession assigned within a legal and covenant order.
Numbers 18:20 tells Aaron that he will have no inheritance in Israel's land because the Lord is his portion and inheritance among the people. Deuteronomy 10:9 gives the related Levitical arrangement. This is a specific priestly and tribal provision that depends on the wider support system described in Numbers; it should not be romanticized as landlessness without material support or generalized to every believer's property situation.
Deuteronomy 4:20 and 32:9 describe Israel or Jacob as the Lord's inheritance, while Psalm 33:12 calls the people God chose for his heritage blessed. Psalm 16:6 says the psalmist has a beautiful inheritance, but verse 5 uses other portion and lot terms rather than H5159. These texts support covenant-belonging themes without making inheritance a simple mutual exchange or every possession an unearned entitlement.
Lexical sourcePassage contextCanonical synthesis
How the Bible Uses It
Nachalah orders land distribution, family continuity, tribal identity, Levitical provision, covenant belonging, and other portions. The giver, recipient, object, and legal setting determine what kind of inheritance is meant.
- Num.18.20
The Lord tells Aaron that he is Aaron's portion and inheritance instead of a landholding among Israel.
- Num.26.53
The land is assigned to the tribes as an inheritance according to their counted names.
- Deut.4.20
The Lord brought Israel from Egypt to be a people of his inheritance.
- Ps.16.6
The psalmist describes boundary lines in pleasant places and a beautiful inheritance.
- Ps.127.3
Children are called an inheritance from the Lord and the fruit of the womb a reward.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It as an inheritance 24× Numbers 18:21, Numbers 26:53, Numbers 27:7, Numbers 34:2
inheritance 24× Numbers 26:62, Numbers 27:7, Numbers 33:54, Numbers 36:3
the inheritance 18× Numbers 26:54, Numbers 35:8, Numbers 36:2, Numbers 36:7
an inheritance 13× Numbers 16:14, Numbers 36:8, Joshua 14:9, Joshua 17:4
his inheritance 12× Numbers 27:8, Numbers 27:9, Numbers 27:10, Numbers 27:11
their inheritance 11× Numbers 34:14, Numbers 34:15, Numbers 36:3, Numbers 36:4
was the inheritance 10× Joshua 13:23, Joshua 13:28, Joshua 16:8, Joshua 18:28
My inheritance 7× Isaiah 19:25, Jeremiah 2:7, Jeremiah 12:7, Jeremiah 12:8
of His inheritance 7× Deuteronomy 4:20, Joshua 24:30, Judges 2:9, Jeremiah 10:16
or inheritance 6× Genesis 31:14, Deuteronomy 10:9, Deuteronomy 12:12, Deuteronomy 14:27
Your inheritance 6× Deuteronomy 9:26, Deuteronomy 9:29, Psalms 2:8, Psalms 28:9
of Your inheritance 5× Exodus 15:17, 1 Chronicles 16:18, Psalms 74:2, Psalms 105:11
- 3× Numbers 36:3, Numbers 36:4
[as] an inheritance 3× Deuteronomy 19:10, Deuteronomy 24:4, Deuteronomy 26:1
of their inheritance 3× Joshua 16:5, Joshua 19:10, Joshua 19:41
our inheritance 3× Numbers 32:19, Psalms 47:4, Lamentations 5:2
to his own inheritance 3× Joshua 24:28, Judges 2:6, Judges 21:24
. . . 2× Numbers 18:23, Numbers 18:24
a heritage 2× Psalms 127:3, Psalms 136:22
and their inheritance 2× Numbers 36:12, Psalms 37:18
and your inheritance 2× Numbers 18:20, 1 Kings 8:51
as his inheritance 2× Joshua 14:13, Psalms 33:12
as your inheritance 2× Numbers 18:26, 1 Kings 8:53
it as an inheritance 2× Deuteronomy 29:8, Joshua 11:23
its inheritance 2× Numbers 26:54, Numbers 36:9
Your heritage 2× Psalms 94:5, Joel 2:17
[and] 1× Numbers 36:4
[is] their inheritance 1× Deuteronomy 18:2
[to mark] the inheritance 1× Deuteronomy 19:14
and included 1× Joshua 19:2
and left his inheritance 1× Malachi 1:3
and the inheritance 1× Deuteronomy 12:9
any of the inheritance 1× Ezekiel 46:18
are inherited 1× Proverbs 19:14
as a heritage 1× Psalms 135:12
as their inheritance 1× Numbers 18:24
by His heritage 1× Psalms 78:62
by inheritance 1× Ezekiel 46:16
Each inheritance 1× Numbers 26:56
from his inheritance 1× Ezekiel 46:17
from the inheritance 1× Numbers 35:2
from the portion 1× Numbers 36:3
His heritage 1× Psalms 94:14
His own inheritance 1× Psalms 106:40
in the inheritance 1× 1 Samuel 26:19
in the territory they inherit 1× Genesis 48:6
inheritances 1× Isaiah 49:8
Is [not] My inheritance 1× Jeremiah 12:9
is his inheritance 1× Deuteronomy 10:9
is the heritage 1× Isaiah 54:17
is the inheritance 1× Joshua 15:20
is their inheritance 1× Joshua 13:33
it 1× Numbers 26:54
My heritage 1× Isaiah 47:6
my own inheritance 1× Ruth 4:6
of My inheritance 1× 2 Kings 21:14
of Your heritage 1× Isaiah 63:17
on his own inheritance 1× Nehemiah 11:20
or the heritage 1× Job 31:2
out of their own inheritance 1× Joshua 21:3
received an inheritance 1× Joshua 19:9
territory 1× Judges 18:1
that is their inheritance 1× Deuteronomy 18:1
the heritage 1× Job 27:13
the inheritance of each 1× Joshua 18:4
the inheritances 1× Joshua 19:51
the territory 1× Joshua 19:1
their own inheritance 1× Judges 21:23
to his inheritance 1× Jeremiah 12:15
we may have our inheritance 1× Numbers 32:32
when the inheritance 1× Ezekiel 35:15
with the heritage 1× Isaiah 58:14
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 31:14 וְנַחֲלָ֖ה to or inheritance Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular Genesis 48:6 בְּנַחֲלָתָֽם׃ to in the territory they inherit Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural Exodus 15:17 נַחֲלָֽתְךָ֔ to of Your inheritance Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular Numbers 16:14 נַחֲלַ֖ת to an inheritance Noun - feminine singular construct Numbers 18:20 וְנַחֲלָ֣תְךָ֔ to and your inheritance Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular Numbers 18:21 לְנַחֲלָ֑ה to as an inheritance Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular Numbers 18:23 נַחֲלָֽה׃ to . . . Noun - feminine singular Numbers 18:24 לְנַחֲלָ֑ה to as their inheritance Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular Numbers 18:24 נַחֲלָֽה׃פ to . . . Noun - feminine singular Numbers 18:26 בְּנַחֲלַתְכֶ֑ם to as your inheritance Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 31:14
Aligned rows 222
Books represented 25
Genesis 2 Exodus 1 Numbers 46 Deuteronomy 25 Joshua 50 Judges 7 Ruth 3 1 Samuel 2 2 Samuel 4 1 Kings 6 2 Kings 1 1 Chronicles 1 2 Chronicles 2 Nehemiah 1 Job 4 Psalms 23 Proverbs 3 Ecclesiastes 1 Isaiah 6 Jeremiah 12 Lamentations 1 Ezekiel 15 Joel 2 Micah 3 Malachi 1
Source forms
נַחֲלַ֥ת 10x na·ḥă·laṯ Numbers 27:7, Numbers 36:8, Joshua 13:28, Joshua 19:1
נַחֲלָת֔וֹ 9x na·ḥă·lā·ṯōw Numbers 26:54, Numbers 33:54, Deuteronomy 10:9, Deuteronomy 18:2
נַחֲלָ֑ה 8x na·ḥă·lāh Deuteronomy 19:10, Deuteronomy 20:16, Deuteronomy 26:1, Joshua 13:14
נַחֲלַ֛ת 8x na·ḥă·laṯ Numbers 36:2, Joshua 15:20, Joshua 16:8, Joshua 19:8
נַחֲלָ֖ה 7x na·ḥă·lāh Deuteronomy 4:20, Deuteronomy 4:38, Deuteronomy 15:4, Joshua 14:3
נַחֲלַ֣ת 7x na·ḥă·laṯ Numbers 36:3, Numbers 36:4, Joshua 16:9, Judges 20:6
נַחֲלָתֽוֹ׃ 6x na·ḥă·lā·ṯōw Numbers 26:54, Numbers 32:18, Deuteronomy 32:9, Ruth 4:5
וְנַחֲלָ֖ה 5x wə·na·ḥă·lāh Genesis 31:14, Deuteronomy 10:9, Deuteronomy 12:12, Deuteronomy 14:27
Parsing patterns
Noun - feminine singular 37x Numbers 18:23, Numbers 18:24, Numbers 26:62, Numbers 27:7
Noun - feminine singular construct 34x Numbers 16:14, Numbers 27:7, Numbers 36:2, Numbers 36:3
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular 31x Numbers 26:54, Numbers 26:56, Numbers 27:8, Numbers 27:9
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural 15x Numbers 34:14, Numbers 34:15, Joshua 13:8, Joshua 13:33
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular 15x Numbers 18:21, Numbers 18:24, Deuteronomy 29:8, Joshua 11:23
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular 12x Numbers 26:53, Numbers 34:2, Numbers 36:2, Joshua 13:6
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular 9x Exodus 15:17, Psalms 2:8, Psalms 28:9, Psalms 68:9
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular 8x Ruth 4:6, 2 Kings 21:14, Isaiah 47:6, Jeremiah 12:7
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Attend to legal rights, family continuity, boundaries, and material provision rather than using inheritance only as an abstract spiritual metaphor.
- Distinguish what Scripture promises to Israel, Levites, families, and the church in their respective contexts.
Avoid claiming...
- Do not claim that every Christian is promised land, wealth, children, or a particular earthly estate.
- Do not claim that Psalm 16:5 or Psalm 37:11 directly uses H5159.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Inherited land or property securing family continuity and identity within Israel's covenant promise and tribal allocation system.
Source Gloss
properly, something inherited , i.e. (abstractly) occupancy , or (concretely) an heirloom ; generally an estate , patrimony or portion
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Inherited land or property securing family continuity and identity within Israel's covenant promise and tribal allocation system.
properly, something inherited, i.e. (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) an heirloom; generally an estate, patrimony or portion BDB: possession Usage: heritage, to inherit, inheritance, possession. Compare 5158.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Possession or heritage.
A possession or allotted portion, often referring to tribal land granted by God.
Allotted possession or inherited land.
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 222 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
Why This Word Matters
The settlement of towns reflects continuity with God’s promised inheritance. Isaiah 19:23-25
Its threatened loss underscores the covenant dimension of exile; what God granted can be forfeited through rebellion. Micah 1:10-16
Israel’s designation underscores covenant continuity within expanded mercy. Nehemiah 11:25-36
Canonical Themes
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Nachalah helps a congregation see inheritance as belonging made concrete through an assigned portion, family continuity, land, people, provision, or covenant identity. Israel's tribal inheritance involves boundaries and law; daughters' cases in Numbers 27 and 36 show that inheritance also raises questions of justice and continuity. The Levites receive a different arrangement in which the Lord is called their inheritance, but Numbers still provides tithes and cities for their material life.
A sermon should therefore avoid using spiritual inheritance language to excuse neglect of practical support. Psalm 16:6 can speak of a beautiful inheritance, while honest word study notes that verse 5 uses related but different vocabulary. New Testament heir language may continue the canonical theme, yet H5159 itself does not promise every believer land, wealth, children, or a painless family legacy.
Anchor passage
Num.18.20
Doctrinal connections
H5159 is the noun related to H5157. Other words translated portion, lot, heritage, possess, or inherit may appear in the same passage and must not be merged automatically.
From Old to New Testament
Apostolic writings speak of heirs, adoption, the promised Spirit, resurrection life, and an imperishable share kept for God's people. Those themes require direct exegesis of their own terms and contexts.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain