The term "peopled" refers to the act of populating or inhabiting a particular area or region. In the context of the Bible, it often describes the filling of the earth with human beings, as commanded by God. This concept is rooted in the creation narrative and is significant in understanding the spread of humanity across the earth.

Creation and the Mandate to Populate

The idea of the earth being "peopled" begins in the Book of Genesis. After creating Adam and Eve, God gives them a specific mandate: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it" (Genesis 1:28). This command establishes the divine intention for humanity to spread across the earth, populating it and exercising stewardship over creation.

The Post-Flood Re-Population

Following the Great Flood, the earth was once again in need of being peopled. God reiterated His command to Noah and his sons: "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth" (Genesis 9:1). This directive ensured the continuation of human life and the fulfillment of God's original plan for the earth to be inhabited by people.

The Tower of Babel

The narrative of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11 illustrates a significant moment in the peopling of the earth. Humanity, speaking a single language, sought to build a city and a tower reaching the heavens. However, this act of defiance against God's command to fill the earth led to divine intervention. God confused their language, causing them to scatter and populate different regions: "So the LORD scattered them from there over the face of all the earth, and they stopped building the city" (Genesis 11:8). This event furthered the peopling of the earth by dispersing humanity into various linguistic and cultural groups.

The Nations and Their Inheritance

The Bible also speaks of the division of the earth among the nations, which is a direct result of the peopling process. Deuteronomy 32:8 states, "When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when He divided the sons of man, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God" . This division underscores the divine orchestration in the distribution and habitation of peoples across the globe.

The Role of Israel

In the biblical narrative, the nation of Israel holds a unique place in the peopling of the earth. As God's chosen people, Israel was to be a light to the nations, demonstrating God's laws and His covenant relationship with humanity. The land of Canaan, promised to Abraham and his descendants, was to be peopled by the Israelites as a fulfillment of God's promise: "I will give this land to your descendants" (Genesis 12:7).

Prophetic Visions of a Peopled Earth

Prophetic literature in the Bible often envisions a future where the earth is peopled in harmony under God's reign. Isaiah 11:9 speaks of a time when "the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the sea is full of water" . This vision reflects the ultimate fulfillment of God's plan for a peopled earth living in accordance with His will.

In summary, the concept of "peopled" in the Bible encompasses God's command to populate the earth, the historical events that facilitated this process, and the prophetic visions of a world fully inhabited and aligned with divine purposes.1. (imp. & p. p.) of People.

2. (a.) Stocked with, or as with, people; inhabited.

The Powers of Darkness
... For him, the physical world is peopled with spirits good and evil, capable of
exercising the most far-reaching influences on the fortunes of men. ...
/.../cable/the fulfilment of a dream of pastor hsis/chapter xii the powers of.htm

The Man of Faith
... First he was simply called to go"no promise of inheritance"obeyed"came to
Canaan-found a thickly peopled land with advanced social order, and received no ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the man of faith.htm

Introduction
... The highlands of Canaan had been peopled by the Amorites, a tall fair race, akin
probably to the Berbers of northern Africa and the Kelts of our own islands ...
/.../sayce/early israel and the surrounding nations/introduction.htm

Chapter I Beginning and Early Days of the Orphan Work.
... The competition in trade, the bad times, the over-peopled country, were given as
reasons why, if the business were carried on simply according to the word of ...
/.../muller/answers to prayer/chapter i beginning and early.htm

On the Advisableness of Improving Natural Knowledge.
... It would, I fancy, have fared but ill with one who, standing where I now stand,
in what was then a thickly peopled and fashionable part of London, should have ...
/.../huxley/lay sermons addresses and reviews/i on the advisableness of.htm

Now I Thought at that Time that all Men were Judged Worthy of the ...
... Also I estimate wisdom at so high a price, that I should deem a small and
poorly-peopled city, even though besieged also by a mighty king with his forces, ...
/.../a metaphrase of the book of ecclesiastes/chapter ix now i thought.htm

The Division Between East and West
... [Sidenote: Beginnings of disunion.] Western dioceses, now peopled by the barbarian
nations who had overrun Europe, still looked up to Rome as their centre and ...
/.../a key to the knowledge of church history/chapter ix the division between.htm

Trinidad
... He found the island peopled by a race of Indians with fairer complexions than any
he had hitherto seen; 'people all of good stature, well made, and of very ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter iii trinidad.htm

At the Foot of the Bamboos
... the city. It was near the water's edge at the mooring-place of junks from
the many-peopled districts of Tong-an and Lam-an. The ...
//christianbookshelf.org/fagg/forty years in south china/v at the foot of.htm

From the Flood to Abraham
... of the earth. Year by year, the Japhethites have spread over the globe,
until whole continents are now peopled by him. He now rests ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter iii from the flood.htm

Peopled (11 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Peopled (11 Occurrences). Genesis 9:19 These three were
the sons of Noah and from them all the earth was peopled. (BBE RSV). ...
/p/peopled.htm - 10k

Elishah (3 Occurrences)
... Easton's Bible Dictionary The oldest of the four sons of Javan (Genesis
10:4), whose descendants peopled Greece. It has been supposed ...
/e/elishah.htm - 8k

People (13047 Occurrences)

/p/people.htm - 14k

Japheth (12 Occurrences)
... After the Flood the earth was re-peopled by the descendants of Noah, "the sons of
Japheth" (Genesis 10:2), "the sons of Ham" (6), and "the sons of Shem" (22). ...
/j/japheth.htm - 15k

Thickly (1 Occurrence)
... Ezekiel 36:11 Man and beast will be increased in you, and they will have offspring
and be fertile: I will make you thickly peopled as you were before, and will ...
/t/thickly.htm - 6k

Evil-doings (5 Occurrences)
... Ezekiel 36:33 This is what the Lord has said: In the day when I make you clean from
all your evil-doings I will let the towns be peopled and there will be ...
/e/evil-doings.htm - 7k

Barbarous (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Being in the state of a barbarian; uncivilized;
rude; peopled with barbarians; as, a barbarous people; a barbarous country. ...
/b/barbarous.htm - 9k

Caria
... fact showing that its population was mixed. Its coast cities, however,
were peopled chiefly by Greeks. In 129 BC Caria became a ...
/c/caria.htm - 7k

Corinth (13 Occurrences)
... destroyed by the Romans (BC 146), and that mentioned in the New Testament was quite
a new city, having been rebuilt about a century afterwards and peopled by a ...
/c/corinth.htm - 21k

Cosmological
... Beyond were the heavens where God's throne was, peopled by innumerable spiritual
intelligences, whose hosts worshipped and obeyed Him (Genesis 28:12 Psalm 103 ...
/c/cosmological.htm - 33k

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