At first there weren’t very many of God’s people. There were only a few. And they were strangers in the land.

“当时你们人丁有限，数目稀少，并且在那地为寄居的；

当时，你们人丁有限，数目稀少，在那地寄居。

当时，你们人丁有限，数目稀少，在那地寄居。

“那时他们人丁稀少，在当地寄居，

那时你们人丁单薄，数目很少，又是在那地作寄居的。’

當時你們人丁有限，數目稀少，並且在那地為寄居的；

當時，你們人丁有限，數目稀少，在那地寄居。

當時，你們人丁有限，數目稀少，在那地寄居。

「那時他們人丁稀少，在當地寄居，

那時你們人丁單薄，數目很少，又是在那地作寄居的。’

當時他們人數有限，實在很少，並且在那地做寄居者；

昔爾人寡、其數無幾、旅於斯土兮、

當時以色列族、其數無幾、旅於斯土、

當時爾曹人數無幾、生齒未繁、在斯地寄居為旅、

When they were but few in number, few indeed, and strangers in it,

When you were few in number, of little account, and sojourners in it,

He said this when you were few in number, a tiny group of strangers in Canaan.

When they were few in number, very few indeed, and resident aliens in Canaan

When they were only a few in number, Very few, and strangers in it,

When you were few in number, Indeed very few, and strangers in it.

When ye were but a few men in number, Yea, very few, and sojourners in it;

When they were few in number, very few indeed, and temporary residents in Canaan

When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it.

When they were few in number, just a very few, and foreign residents within it,

when you were but a few men in number, yes, very few, and foreigners were in it.

Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi,“ You have brought trouble on me. Now I’m like a very bad smell to the Canaanites and Perizzites who live in this land. There aren’t many of us. They may join together against me and attack me. Then I and my family will be destroyed.”

The Lord chose you because he loved you very much. He didn’t choose you because you had more people than other nations. In fact, you had the smallest number of all.

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They didn’t receive the things God had promised. They only saw them and welcomed them from a long way off. They openly said that they were outsiders and strangers on earth.

God didn’t give him any property here. He didn’t even give him enough land to set his foot on. But God made a promise to him and to all his family after him. He said they would possess the land. The promise was made even though at that time Abraham had no child.