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The biens nationaux were properties confiscated during the French Revolution from the Catholic Church, the monarchy, émigrés, and suspected counter-revolutionaries for "the good of the nation".
Biens means "goods", both in the sense of "objects" and in the sense of "benefits". Nationaux means "of the nation". This can be summarized as "things for the good of the nation", or simply "national goods".
The possessions of the Roman Catholic Church were declared national property by the decree of 2 November 1789. These were sold to resolve the financial crisis that caused the Revolution. Later, the properties of the Crown were given the same treatment.
The concept of national property was later extended to the property of the émigrés, and the suspected counter-revolutionaries, which were confiscated from 30 March 1792, and sold after the decree of 27 July.