24:1 earth is the LORD’s. Every part of the planet belongs to God by right of creation, and it is His prerogative to give each portion of it to any nation He chooses, and only for as long as He chooses (note Acts 17:24-26).

24:2 upon the seas. Initially the created earth was all water, but on the third day of creation week, God “laid the foundations of the earth” (Job 38:4), and it was founded “above” (a better translation of the Hebrew word in this context than “upon”) the seas and the great rivers (“the floods”).