Bible Strands

1 Chronicles 16:20

they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — The Chronicler records David’s song of praise to the assembled congregation after the ark’s arrival in Jerusalem. The narrator describes God’s historical protection of the patriarchs during their early years in Canaan.

The words — The Hebrew verb וַיִּתְהַלְּכוּ (va-yit-hallekhû) literally means “and they went about” or “wandered.” It is paired with מִגּוֹי אֶל־גּוֹי (mi-gôy ’el-gôy) and מִמַּמְלָכָה אֶל־עַם אַחֵר (mi-mamlekâ ’el-‘am ’acher), translating to “from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people.”

The thread — This motif of patriarchal migration appears in Genesis 46:3 where God assures Jacob of His presence in Egypt, and Genesis 12:10 where Abram descends to Egypt during famine. The pattern of divine guidance through foreign lands recurs in Genesis 46:6 as the family relocates with their possessions.

Why it lands — The text states the patriarchs moved repeatedly between political entities before establishing a fixed inheritance. It requires the reader to recognize that God’s covenantal presence operates through displacement rather than immediate settlement.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיִּֽתְהַלְּכוּ֙va/i.yit.ha.le.Khuand/ they went aboutמִגּ֣וֹיmi./Goyfrom/ nationאֶל־'el-toגּ֔וֹיGoynationוּמִמַּמְלָכָ֖הu./mi./mam.la.Khahand/ from/ a kingdomאֶל־'el-toעַ֥ם'ama peopleאַחֵֽר׃'a.Cheranother

King James Version

And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people;

Cross-references