PORTION (por'shiln), (Heb. P5n, khay'lek).
1. An allowance, as of food, clothing, etc. (Gen.
xiv :24 ; xlvii :22 ; Neh. xi :23 r Sam. i :5 ; Ps. xvii :14 ; Prov. xxxi :15 ; Is. liii :12 ; Dan. i :8, sq.) 2. One's lot, destiny, etc. (Job iii :22 ; xx :29; xxvii :13; Ps. xi:6; Is. xvii:14) ; the result of effort (Eccles. ii :to).
3. Part of an estate, one's inheritance (Ps. xvi: 5; cxix :57 ; Lam. iii :24).
Figurative. (i) God is the fiortion of his peo ple; he freely gives himself to them to supply all their need; and enriches them with every thing great and useful (Ps. lxxiii :26 ; Jer. 16). (2) The Jewish nation, the church, and her true members, are God's portion; he claimed. or claims a special right to them, and did or does show a peculiar regard to them (Deut. xxxii : 9; Ps. cxxxv :4). (3) Christ has a portion with the great, and divides the spoil with the strong, when, notwithstanding all opposition from sin, Satan, and the world, he obtains a glorious church, and great honor among men (Is. liii:
12). (4) The portion of incorrigible sinners is punishment (Job xxxi :2; xx :29; Ps. xi :6). (5) The portion of goods given to prodigal sinners. is their natural abilities, and worldly enjoyments which they consume in the service of sin (Luke xv :12). (6) Men give a portion to seven, and also to eight, when they abound more and more in relieving the necessities of the poor (Eccl. xi:2). (7) They have their portion among smooth stones, when they are wholly taken with idols formed out of stones, or metal, or the like, and the worshiping of them (Is. lvii :6). (8) God's portion of the lawgiver, was an inheritance as signed to that tribe by Moses (Dent. xxxiii :21).