Psalms 105:12
in Psalms 105When they were few in number, few indeed, and strangers in the land,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
When they were but a few men in number, Yea, very few, and sojourners in it.
KJV
When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it.
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This verse in Psalms 105
Commentary
8 notes on this verseWhen they were but a few men in number. bpom ytm. Literally, "homines numeri", men of number; so few as easily to be numbered: in opposition to what their posterity afterwards were, as the sand of the sea, without number. Samuel Chandler.
This site's exposition
When they were few in number
on Psalms 105:12-15
They were few, unsettled, and moving from nation to nation, and kings were rebuked on their account. The title prophet comes from Genesis 20:7, where God calls Abraham a prophet in His own words. At Genesis 26:11 Abimelech warns that whoever harms Isaac will die.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
He next follows out the history well known in the truth of the holy Scriptures. "When they were in small numbers, very few, and they strangers in the land" [Psalm 105:12]; that is, in the land of Canaan....But some copies have the words "very few, and they strangers," in the accusative case, the translator having turned the Greek phrase too literally into Latin. If we were to render the whole clause in this way, we must say, "that they were very few, and they strangers;" but the phrase, "while they were," is the meaning of the Greek; and the verb, "to be," takes not an accusative, but a nominative after it.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
16 ), because he was always generous; and yet even in this world he was not wanting to them, but that he might appear, to do uncommon things for them, he exercised them with uncommon trials. [1.] They were few, very few. Abraham was called alone ( Isa. li.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number
When they were but a few men in number,.... Or "men of number" (d), that might easily be numbered; see Gen 34:30, when this covenant, promise, and oath, were first made to Abraham, he was alone, and had no child; and when his posterity were increased in Jacob's time, and sojourned in Egypt, they were but few, though greatly enlarged when they came out of it: in comparison of other nations, they were the fewest of all people, and therefore had this grant of Canaan, not for their numbers any more than their goodness.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
few . . . in number--alluding to Jacob's words (Ge 34:30), "I being few in number." yea, very few--literally, "as a few," that is, like fewness itself (compare Isa 1:9). strangers--sojourners in the land of their future inheritance, as in a strange country (Heb 11:9).
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
But a few men - When all appearances were against them, and nothing but the arm of God could have brought them through their difficulties, and given them a settlement in the promised land.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
When they were but a few men in number - literally, “In their being people of number, very little.” That is, They could then be easily numbered, and they were so few that they could not take possession of it themselves. This is in contrast with the promise then made to them that they should be in number as the stars, and as the sand on the sea shore. And strangers in it - Foreigners. They were mere sojourners. They did not become incorporated with the people of the land. They did not acquire property there. They were regarded and treated as belonging to a foreign people. See the notes at Heb 11:9.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Saying, “To you I shall give, etc.” That is the covenant that He made for them.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
And they walked from nation to nation Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines, in Egypt, and in the land of Canaan, and so Isaac, and so Jacobthey all were exiled from one strange place to another strange place.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 6 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| בִּֽ֭הְיוֹתָם | bihyotom | when were they | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| מְתֵ֣י | metei | men of | H4962 → | 22 times |
| מִסְפָּ֑ר | mispar | number | H4557 → | 134 times |
| כִּ֝מְעַ֗ט | kimat | like a little | H4592 → | 101 times |
| וְגָרִ֥ים | vegarim | and sojourners | H1481 → | 97 times |
| בָּֽהּ׃ | bah | in it |
בִּֽ֭הְיוֹתָםwhen were they
bihyotomH1961 →3559 times
מְתֵ֣יmen of
meteiH4962 →22 times
מִסְפָּ֑רnumber
misparH4557 →134 times
כִּ֝מְעַ֗טlike a little
kimatH4592 →101 times
וְגָרִ֥יםand sojourners
vegarimH1481 →97 times
בָּֽהּ׃in it
bah
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Deuteronomy 7:7The LORD did not set His affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than the other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 10:22
Your fathers went down to Egypt, seventy in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Romans 9:11–15
Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand,
- Deuteronomy 10:22
Through
Hebrews 11:9By faith he dwelt in the promised land as a stranger in a foreign country. He lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.
it leads to
- Genesis 12:8
From there Abram moved on to the hill country east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel to the west and Ai to the east. There he built an altar to the LORD,…
- Genesis 13:18
So Abram moved his tent and went to live near the Oaks of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the LORD.
- Genesis 13:3
From the Negev he journeyed from place to place toward Bethel, until he came to the place between Bethel and Ai where his tent had formerly been pitched,
- Hebrews 6:17
So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath.
- Genesis 12:8
Through
Deuteronomy 26:5and you are to declare before the LORD your God, “My father was a wandering Aramean, and he went down to Egypt few in number and lived there and became a great nation, mighty…
it leads to
- Genesis 46:27
And with the two sons who had been born to Joseph in Egypt, the members of Jacob’s family who went to Egypt were seventy in all.
- Genesis 31:20
Moreover, Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean by not telling him that he was running away.
- Genesis 46:27
Where this verse is studied
About Psalms
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 105; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 5; Franz Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Psalms; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.