Acts 13:19

And when he had destroyed seuen nations in the land of Chanaan, he diuided their land to them by lot: Acts 13:19 (KJV)

The sentence quoted above is not found in any biblical translation and was not spoken by the Apostle Paul. In Acts 13:16‑18 Paul addresses the Israelites in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia, recalling their history from Egypt through the wilderness, but he does not mention the destruction of seven nations or a land‑allocation by lot. The conquest of Canaan and the subsequent division of the land among the twelve tribes are recorded in the book of Joshua. God instructed the Israelites to drive out the peoples who lived in the land (see Exodus 23:23‑33; Deuteronomy 7:1‑2). The nations specifically named in Deuteronomy 7:1 are the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite—six groups rather than seven.

The allocation of the territory was carried out by casting lots before the Lord, a process described in Joshua chapters 13‑21. Eleazar the priest participated in the distribution together with Joshua, and this occurred while Joshua was still alive. The casting of lots was a method used to determine God’s will in assigning the portions of the land to the different tribes, ensuring that each tribe received its designated inheritance.

Although the wording of Acts 13:19 does not appear verbatim in Scripture, the historical background it evokes is rooted in the Israelite experience of conquest and inheritance. Paul’s broader speech in Acts emphasizes God’s faithfulness to Israel’s ancestors and the fulfillment of the promises made to them. By recalling these foundational events, Paul sought to connect with his Jewish audience, highlighting God’s sovereignty and the continuity of His work throughout history.