Psalms 105:12

Psalms 105:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it.
• New International Version (NIV)When they were but few in number, few indeed, and strangers in it,
• English Standard Version (ESV)When they were few in number, of little account, and sojourners in it,
• New King James Version (NKJV)When they were few in number, Indeed very few, and strangers in it.

Context of Psalms 105:12

10And he confirmed it unto Jacob for a statute, unto Israel for an everlasting covenant, 11Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance; When they were a few men in number, of small account, and strangers in it. 13And they went from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people. 14He suffered no man to oppress them, and reproved kings for their sakes,

Psalms 105:12 word by word

בִּֽ֭הְיוֹתָם מְתֵ֣י מִסְפָּ֑ר כִּ֝מְעַ֗ט וְגָרִ֥ים בָּֽהּ׃Read the interlinear

• wereהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
• fewמְעַטme‛aţ me‛âţ · littleH4592
• numberמִסְפָּרmispâr · numberH4557

Cross-references for Psalms 105:12

• Genesis 34:30And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me, in that ye make me odious among the inhabitants of the land — among the Canaanites and the Perizzites; and I am few men in number, and they will gather themselves against me and smite me, and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.
• Deuteronomy 7:7Not because ye were more in number than all the peoples, hath Jehovah been attached to you and chosen you, for ye are the fewest of all the peoples;
• Deuteronomy 26:5And thou shalt speak and say before Jehovah thy God, A perishing Aramaean was my father, and he went down to Egypt with a few, and sojourned there, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous.
• Isaiah 51:2Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bore you; for I called him when he was alone, and blessed him, and multiplied him.
• Ezekiel 33:24Son of man, they that inhabit those waste places in the land of Israel speak, saying, Abraham was one, and he inherited this land, and we are many: the land is given us for a possession.
• Genesis 17:8And I give to thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land of thy sojourning, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be a God to them.
• Genesis 23:4I am a stranger and a sojourner with you; give me a possession of a sepulchre with you, that I may bury my dead from before me.
• Acts 7:5And he did not give him an inheritance in it, not even what his foot could stand on; and promised to give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when he had no child.
• Hebrews 11:9By faith he sojourned as a stranger in the land of promise as a foreign country, having dwelt in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with [him] of the same promise;

Commentaries on Psalms 105:12

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12But 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.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12When 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…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-23Verses 8-23 Let us remember the Redeemer's marvellous works, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth. Though true Christians are few number, strangers and pilgrims upon earth, yet a far better inheritance than Canaan is made sure to them by the covenant of God; and if we have the anointing of the Holy Spirit, none can do us any harm. Afflictions are among our mercies. They prove our faith and love, they humble our pride, they wean us from the world…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12-15The Lord protected Israel’s patriarchs, the early fathers of the nation.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-1512-15. 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 Is 1:9). strangers--sojourners in the land of their future inheritance, as in a strange country (He 11:9).Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 105:12

• Thankfulness

In the dictionaries

• Break
• Covering
• Glory
• Hurt
• Iron
• David
• Hallel
• Jacob (1)
• Plagues of Egypt
• Providence

Commentaries on Psalms 105

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• The Treasury of David
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings