When they were few in number, of little account, and sojourners in it,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse highlights not just that Abraham and his family were few, but that their "stranger" status in the land meant they were insignificant and without power. This detail magnifies God's faithfulness, showing He protected and favored them precisely when they seemed the most vulnerable and overlooked by the world.
When they were few in number, of little account, and sojourners in it,
English Standard Version (ESV)
The Psalmist is recounting God's faithfulness to Abraham and his descendants, emphasizing His protection even when they were a tiny, insignificant group. The focus is on how God established a covenant with them, choosing them not for their strength or numbers, but purely out of love, and He sustained them through their vulnerable nomadic existence as strangers in the land of Canaan, preparing them for the future.
Ever feel like you're just one person in a vast world, with little impact? This verse reminds us that God's plans often start small.
The Psalmist highlights the patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – when they were "few in number" and "strangers" in the land of Canaan. They could be easily counted, a stark contrast to the future multitude God promised them. This wasn't about their own strength or status; it was about God choosing to work with the seemingly insignificant.
Being a foreigner can feel isolating and vulnerable. But for God's chosen, even this vulnerability becomes a stage for His protection.
The patriarchs were not just few; they were also "strangers" or sojourners in Canaan. This means they were outsiders, lacking the political power, social standing, or land ownership that native inhabitants possessed. They were essentially guests in a land that would one day be their home.
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Understand the original words
ger · Hebrew Noun
Refers to someone who resides temporarily in a foreign land without the rights of a native citizen; biblically, it emphasizes the believer's identity as a pilgrim whose true home is with God.
This verse highlights the patriarchs' humble beginnings – few in number and transient in the land – underscoring God's faithfulness to His promises even when human circumstances seemed impossible.
c. 2091 BC
God's Covenant with Abraham
God establishes a covenant with Abraham, promising him land and descendants, despite Abraham having no children at this time.
c. 1876 BC— this verse
Jacob's Sojourn in Canaan
Jacob and his family, though few, are living as sojourners in the land of Canaan, moving between various locations and peoples.
c. 1850 BC
Joseph Sold into Egypt
Joseph, one of Jacob's twelve sons, is sold into slavery in Egypt, a precursor to the Israelites' later sojourn there.
c. 1805 BC
Israelites Settle in Egypt
Jacob and his entire family move to Egypt during a famine, settling in the land of Goshen.
This passage describes God's initial promise to Abraham, setting the stage for the patriarchs' journey as few in number and strangers in a foreign land, mirroring the context of Psalm 105:12.
Deuteronomy 7:7-8This verse directly states that Israel was chosen not because of their numbers, but because of God's love, reinforcing the theme in Psalm 105:12 that God's favor rests on the seemingly insignificant.
Hebrews 11:9This New Testament passage echoes Psalm 105:12 by highlighting Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob's status as sojourners in the promised land, living in tents and looking for a city with heavenly foundations.
Genesis 34:30Jacob's fearful exclamation, 'I am few in number,' directly illustrates the sense of being 'few in number' that Psalm 105:12 describes for the patriarchs.
Genesis 26:4God reiterates the promise of land and numerous descendants to Isaac, underscoring the contrast between their current state as a 'few' strangers and the future they were destined for, as recalled in Psalm 105:12.
clarkePsalms 105:12: "When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it."
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.
bensonPsalms 105:12: "When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it."
Psalm 105:12-15 . When they were but few in number — Hebrew, מתי מספר , methee mispar, men of number, so few as easily to be numbered, in opposition to what their posterity afterward were, as the sand of the sea without number: yea, very few — The word כמעשׂ , chimgnat, thus rendered, signifies either small as to number, or as to regard and esteem. The meaning probably is, that they were insignificant a…
The verse highlights not just that Abraham and his family were few, but that their "stranger" status in the land meant they were insignificant and without power. This detail magnifies God's faithfulness, showing He protected and favored them precisely when they seemed the most vulnerable and overlooked by the world.
The Psalmist is recounting God's faithfulness to Abraham and his descendants, emphasizing His protection even when they were a tiny, insignificant group. The focus is on how God established a covenant with them, choosing them not for their strength or numbers, but purely out of love, and He sustained them through their vulnerable nomadic existence as strangers in the land of Canaan, preparing them for the future.
The Psalmist is recounting God's faithfulness to Abraham and his descendants, emphasizing His protection even when they were a tiny, insignificant group. The focus is on how God established a covenant with them, choosing them not for their strength or numbers, but purely out of love, and He sustained them through their vulnerable nomadic existence as strangers in the land of Canaan, preparing them for the future.
"When they were few in number, of little account, and sojourners in it," — The verse highlights not just that Abraham and his family were few, but that their "stranger" status in the land meant they were insignificant and without power. This detail magnifies God's faithfuln…
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Last reviewed October 2026