What has been turned over to strangers and foreigners?

The phrase our inheritance refers to the land of Canaan and not primarily the personal land owned by individuals (see Deuteronomy 4:38; Deuteronomy 25:19; Deuteronomy 26:1; Jeremiah 12:7–14). God gave them the land as part of every good gift that went with it (Deuteronomy 8:7–10).¹ In addition to the land, the expression our homes refers to the personal property of everyone who owned property in Jerusalem and Judah.² Individuals of God’s people had the right to share in the common inheritance of the land by personally owning a piece of property (see Leviticus 25:23–28).³ Both the land (inheritance) as well as their homes built on it, were all turned over to strangers and foreigners. Therefore, the entire territory, and with it also everyone's personal inheritance, has passed into foreign hands. These foreigners are the Babylonians and perhaps also the smaller neighbouring peoples (see Lamentations 1:3).⁴ The result of this overturning by the exile was not only the loss of the land, but also brought disgrace on God’s reputation (see Psalm 74:10, Psalm 74:18, Psalm 74:22; Psalm 79:1). It was also a blow to the identity of the people as God’s chosen.⁵ God gave the land as a gift, and a sign of all of his covenant with them. Their misappropriation of the land affected their relationship with him (see Psalm 79:1).⁶