It is written:
“When the Most High divided their inheritance to the nations, When He separated the sons of Adam, He set the boundaries of the peoples According to the number of the children of Israel.” (Deuteronomy 32:8)
The Greek translation of this passage is very interesting.
Deuteronomy 32:8 (LXX)-When the Most High divided the nations, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the nations according to the number of the angels of God.
These two translations reflect a difference in the manuscripts of the Bible. Some rendered this passage as “according to the number of the children of Israel.” Others taught that the nations were divided up among the angels of God.
Which translation is correct?
Scholar Michael Heiser has written:
“When God divided the nations—the punishment at Babel when the languages were confused—he distributed them among “the sons of God.” Some Bible translations have “sons of Israel” instead of “sons of God.” But Israel didn’t exist at the time of the Tower of Babel . God only called Abraham and began the nation of Israel after Babel (Gen. 12). “Sons of Israel” can’t be right. “Sons of God” is also what the Dead Sea Scrolls say, the oldest manuscripts of the Bible. The ESV has it right. Deuteronomy 4:19-20 is the opposite side of that coin. That passage has God allotting these other gods to the nations he dispersed at Babel. These two passages associated with the rebellion at Babel, are the Old Testament’s explanation of why the other nations worship other gods—it’s the result of a divine punishment from the God of Israel. What this means is that the tower of Babel event is akin to what’s described in Romans 1, where Paul tells us that God gave humankind over to its own rebellion. Because the nations would not obey him, God basically gave humanity up to lesser gods. God gave them what they wanted—other gods to follow. The result was self-destruction and idolatry…. This conflict extends into the New Testament as well. Paul rarely uses the word “demons” to describe the spiritual opposition we face. He uses words like “principalities,” “powers,” “thrones,” “dominions,” and “authorities”—all of which convey the idea of geographical rulership. The message is that the whole world is under the dominion of unseen powers of darkness, save for those who are in Christ. Babel explains why that is so.” (Michael Heiser, The 60 Second Scholar, 64-65 (Kindle Edition))
This passage is referring back to the events of the Tower of Babel, in which about 70 nations were formed (Genesis 10-11). According to Scripture, at that time some seventy wicked angels were allowed to assume dominion of the world as God allowed the people to reject Him and accept these wicked beings instead of His leadership. These same wicked angels rule in the world today, pretending to be gods and goddesses. Yet there is only one true God!
1 Corinthians 8:5-6-For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.
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