I hate to say it but in a contest between the NRSV, the TNIV, and the ESV, the ESV wins on Deuteronomy 32:8 with regard to wooden translation of the original meaning.
The TNIV loses on the original meaning because it goes with a reading we all know wasn't original: "When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided all the human race, he set up boundaries for the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel. For the LORD's portion is his people, Jacob his allowed inheritance."
The NRSV as usual makes me feel stupid because it has left words out to make the verse more inclusive, and I wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't seen the other translations: "When the Most High apportioned the nations, when he divided humankind, he fixed the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the gods; the LORD's own portion was his people, Jacob his allotted share."
The ESV in this case is most literal on this issue, although it uses "mankind" instead of "humankind" for no reason whatsoever except spite for those who wish to include women in the translation wherever it is justified. This is, by the way, why I refuse to buy an ESV: "When the Most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. But the Lord’s portion is his people, Jacob his allotted heritage."
ESV wins on wooden translation of the original meaning translation of the phrase. The NRSV perhaps does make the original meaning more obvious, even though it omits "sons of." Yes, this passage does seem to picture God handing out the other nations to gods like Marduk, Dagon, Baal, etc. Perhaps the TNIV wins the "theologically safe" award.
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