Nachal means to inherit, take possession, or receive as a heritage. It appears about 60 times. It describes receiving an allotted inheritance, especially land as God's gift to His people.
Inheritance is a key covenant concept. God gave the land as Israel's nachalah (inheritance), and each tribe received its portion. The Levites' inheritance was the LORD Himself (Numbers 18:20). The concept extends to the Christian hope of an eternal inheritance 'kept in heaven for you.'