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

10He repeated it to Jacob as a law. It was a covenant with Israel's people that would continue for ever. 11He promised Jacob, ‘I will give to you the land of Canaan. It will belong to you, and to your descendants.’ At one time, God's people were only a few. They lived in Canaan as strangers. 13They travelled among different nations and different kingdoms. 14But the Lord did not let anyone hurt them. He punished kings to keep his people safe.

Psalms 105:12 word by word

בִּֽ֭הְיוֹתָם מְתֵ֣י מִסְפָּ֑ר כִּ֝מְעַ֗ט וְגָרִ֥ים בָּֽהּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• a few menמַתmath · manH4962
• in numberמִסְפָּרmispâr · numberH4557
• yea, very fewמְעַטme‛aţ me‛âţ · littleH4592
• and strangersגּוּרgûr · to sojournH1481

Cross-references for Psalms 105:12

• Genesis 34:30When they returned to Jacob, he said to Simeon and Levi, ‘You have brought bad trouble to me! The people who live in this land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, will hate me. I will be like a bad smell to them. We do not have many men to fight for us. If the Perizzites and Canaanites join together and they attack us, they will destroy our whole family!’
• Deuteronomy 7:7Why did the Lord choose you as the people who would give him pleasure? It was not because you were the largest nation on the earth. No, you were the smallest of all nations!
• Deuteronomy 26:5Then you must say this, so that the Lord your God hears you: ‘My ancestor was an Aramean who moved from place to place. He went to Egypt to live there as a foreigner. At that time, his family was small. But while he lived in Egypt, his family became a great nation of many powerful people.
• Isaiah 51:2You all started from your ancestor Abraham, and his wife Sarah. When I first spoke to Abraham, he had no children. But I blessed him, so that he had many descendants.’
• Ezekiel 33:24‘Son of man, there are people who continue to live in the places in Israel that have become heaps of stones. Those Israelites are saying, “Abraham was only one man, but God gave him the whole land of Israel. We are many people. So we can be sure that the land now belongs to us.”
• Genesis 17:8You are now living here in Canaan as a foreign person. But I will give all of this land to you and to your descendants. It will belong to them for ever. I will be their God.’
• Genesis 23:4‘I am living as a stranger among you. Please, sell me some land here, so that it belongs to me. Then I can use it to bury my wife properly.’
• Acts 7:5At that time, God did not give Abraham any part of Canaan for his own family. He did not give Abraham even a very small piece of ground. But God made a promise to Abraham. He said, “This land will become your own country. It will also be your descendants' country.” When God said this to him, Abraham did not yet have any children.
• Hebrews 11:9Because of his faith, Abraham went to live like a stranger in that foreign country. God had promised to give that country to him, but Abraham lived there in tents. Isaac and Jacob also lived there in tents like strangers. God had also promised them that the land would belong to them one day.

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