12<\/strong>. The Psalmist emphasises the marvellousness of the Divine promise by pointing out that it was made when the patriarchs were but an insignificant clan of protected aliens, and it seemed utterly improbable that they would ever become the owners of the land.<\/p>\n but a few men in number<\/em> ] Lit. men of number<\/em>: a handful of men, easily counted. Jacob uses the same phrase of his family in Gen 34:30<\/span>.<\/p>\n yea<\/em>, very few<\/em> ] The word may mean few in number, or little worth; here probably the former. Cp. Deu 7:7<\/span>; Deu 26:5<\/span>.<\/p>\n strangers<\/em> ] sojourners, foreigners under the protection of the owners of the country, without rights of citizenship. Cp. Gen 21:23<\/span>; Gen 23:4<\/span>.<\/p>\n When they were but a few men in number – <\/B>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.<\/P> And strangers in it – <\/B>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<\/span>.<\/P> <\/p>\n Verse 12<\/span>. But <\/B>a few men<\/B><\/I>] 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.<\/P> <\/p>\n A few men in number, <\/B>Heb. men of number<\/I>, i.e. few, who could easily be numbered, <\/P> very few, <\/B>as the next words explain it. <\/P> <\/p>\n 12-15. few . . . in number<\/B>alludingto Jacob’s words (Ge 34:30<\/span>), “Ibeing few in number.<\/I>” <\/P> yea, very few<\/B>literally,”as a few,” that is, like fewness itself (compare Isa1:9<\/span>). <\/P> strangers<\/B>sojourners inthe land of their future inheritance, as in a strange country (Heb11:9<\/span>).<\/P><\/p>\n When they were but a few men in number<\/strong>,…. Or “men of number” d, that might easily be numbered; see Ge 34:30<\/span>, 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. And this circumstance is mentioned to show the unmerited goodness of God unto them; see De 7:6<\/span>. And so the Lord’s people, to whom he gives the kingdom of heaven, are a little flock; they are only a few that find the way to eternal life, Lu 12:32<\/span>.<\/p>\n Yea, very few<\/strong>; or “as a little thing” e: so were the people of Israel a little contemptible body of men in the eyes of others, and in comparison of them. And such are the saints in this world; “the filth of it”, and the “offscouring of all things”;<\/p>\n yea, things that are not<\/strong>; that scarce deserve, in the opinion of men, to be reckoned entities or beings. And strangers in it; as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were, Heb 11:9<\/span>, and so are the people of God, who are the heirs of the heavenly Canaan. These are strangers to the men of the world, who know them not; and the men of the world to them; with whom they have no conversation and fellowship in things sinful and criminal; for which they late despised by the world: yet these are the fellow citizens of heaven, and of the household of God, which shows his discriminating grace.<\/p>\n d “viros numeri”, Montanus; so Vatablus, Gejerus, Michaelis. e “sicut parum”, Montanus; so Vatablus; “aut exile aliquid”, Gejerus; so Gussetius, p. 477.<\/p>\n The poet now celebrates the divine preservation which had sway over the small beginnings of Israel, when it made the patriarchs proof against harm on their wanderings. “Men of number” are such as can be easily counted, vid., the confessions in Gen 34:30<\/span>; Deu 26:5<\/span>; places the claim upon the hospitality at one time of this people and at another time of that people in the connection with it of cause and effect. , as a small number, only such a small number, signifies, as being virtually an adjective: inconsiderable, insignificant, worthless (Pro 10:20<\/span>). refers to Canaan. In Psa 105:13<\/span> the way in which the words and alternate is instructive: the former signifies the nation, bound together by a common origin, language, country, and descent; the latter the people, bound together by unity of government.<\/p>\n (Note: For this reason a king says , not ; and only occurs twice with a suffix, which refers to Jahve (Psa 106:5<\/span>; Zep 2:9<\/span>); for this reason , frequently side by side with , is the nobler word, e.g., in Deu 32:21<\/span>; Jer 2:11<\/span>; for this reason is frequently added to as a dignitative predicate, Exo 33:13<\/span>; Deu 4:6<\/span>; and for this reason and are used antithetically.)<\/p>\n The apodosis does not begin until Psa 105:14<\/span>. It is different in connection with in the text of the chronicler, and in this passage in the Psalter of the Syriac version, according to which Psa 105:12<\/span> ought to be jointed to the preceding group. The variation instead of is of no consequence; but (to any one whomsoever) instead of , in connection with , restores the current mode of expression (Ecc 5:11<\/span>; 2Sa 16:11<\/span>; Hos 4:17<\/span>) instead of one which is without support elsewhere, but which follows the model of , , Gen 31:28<\/span> (cf. supra<\/em> p. 171); whilst on the other hand instead of substitutes an expression that cannot be supported for the current one (Gen 19:9<\/span>; Rth 1:21<\/span>). In Psa 105:14<\/span> the poet has the three histories of the preservation of the wives of the patriarchs in his mind, viz., of Sarah in Egypt (Gen. 12), and of Sarah and of Rebekah both in Philistia (Psa 20:1-9<\/span>, Psa 26:1-12<\/span>, cf. especially Psa 26:11<\/span>). In the second instance God declares the patriarch to be a “prophet” (Psa 20:7<\/span>). The one mention has reference to this and the other to Gen. 17, where Abram is set apart to be the father of peoples and kings, and Sarai to be a princess. They are called (a passive form) as eing God-chosen princes, and (an intensive active form, from , root , to divulge), not as being inspired ones (Hupfeld), but as being God’s spokesmen (cf. Exo 7:1<\/span>. with Exo 4:15<\/span>.), therefore as being the recipients and mediators of a divine revelation.<\/p>\n 12. When they were but very few in number The prophet here recounts the benefits which God had conferred upon the holy fathers from the commencement, to manifest that even long before the deliverance from Egypt, the covenant was not ineffectual. The great object aimed at in this recital, is to show that ever since God took Abraham under his protection, he cherished him in a wonderful manner, and also that his fatherly love and care were displayed in maintaining and defending the other two patriarchs. When it is said, that they were but very few in number, the power of God by this circumstance is not only magnified, but the cause why he was so beneficent towards them is also pointed out. We must then, in the first place, attend to this, that the prophet, lest the Jews should arrogate anything to themselves, expressly declares, that their fathers had experienced the divine favor, even when they were feeble and despised, wandering from place to place, in every respect poor and miserable according to the flesh. Thus also Moses reproaches them, <\/p>\n “<\/p>\n The Lord did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people; but because the Lord loved you.” Deu 7:7<\/span>, <\/p>\n In short, in the choosing of this people, no regard was had either to number, or to any excellence whatever. There was only the house of Abraham, and yet it was barren. Isaac was compelled to banish to a distance from him one of his two sons, and he saw the other cut off from his family. The house of Jacob was indeed more fruitful, but it was nevertheless of a low condition. Besides, they were not only ignoble and despised when sojourning in a strange land, but famine, and the want of other things also, compelled them frequently to go from one place to another. All these things being taken into view, the consideration of human worth falls to the ground, and it is clearly seen, that all the blessings which God had bestowed upon them flowed from no other fountain than his own free love. And the cause of this love is not to be sought for out of himself. If the Holy Spirit is so careful in magnifying the grace of God in these earthly blessings, how much more must he observe this rule, when the subject of which he speaks is the heavenly inheritance! When it is said, that they walked about from nation to nation, this intimates the more plainly how wonderfully the divine protection was displayed in preserving them. Had they found any quiet nest in which to repose, such comfort would have been a notable sign of the divine goodness; but when they were as exiles in divers countries, and were driven from one place to another with bitter scorn, as chaff is driven about by the wind, the guardianship which God exercised over them shone forth much more conspicuously. Since their life everywhere hung only by a thread, and the changing of their place of sojourn exposed them from time to time to fresh injuries, it is evident that it was the divine power alone which preserved them in safety. <\/p>\n 12<\/strong>. <\/strong> In Psa 105:12-24<\/span>, the psalmist touches the salient points of Hebrew history from the patriarchs to Moses. <\/p>\n Few <\/strong> The Hebrews, in the times of the patriarchs, numbered less than any of the seven nations who held possession of Canaan. Deu 7:7<\/span>; Deu 26:5<\/span>; Gen 34:30<\/span>. <\/p>\n Strangers <\/strong> Same as sojourners, Psa 105:23<\/span><\/em>; Gen 35:27<\/span><\/p>\n Psa 105:12<\/span><\/em><\/strong>. <\/strong>When there were but a few men in number<\/em><\/strong><\/strong> It is literally men of number; <\/em>so few as easily to be numbered; in opposition to what their posterity afterwards were, as the sand of the sea without number. <\/em>See Horace, Ars Poet. ver. 206. <\/p>\n Populus numerabilis, utpote parvus, &c. <\/strong>They might with ease be numbered, being a few, <\/em><\/strong>&c.<\/strong> JONSON. <\/p>\n The word kimeat, <\/em>rendered very few, <\/em>in the next clause, signifies either small as to the number, or as to regard and esteem. Thus Isa 16:14<\/span>. The remainder shall be <\/em> meat; i.e.<\/em> contemptible and few. <\/em>I take this idea to be concluded in the word here, their being insignificant <\/em>and inconsiderable; <\/em>as the fewness of their number is mentioned just before. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were all strangers <\/em>in the land of Canaan, and went about from one nation and kingdom to another, without being injured by those among whom they sojourned. Dr. Chandler. <\/p>\n Psa 105:12 When they were [but] a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it.<\/p>\n Ver. 12. When they were but a few men in number<\/strong> ] Seventy souls at their going down into Egypt, which yet (say the Hebrews truly) were more worth than the seventy nations of the whole world besides. Howbeit, God chose them not for their worth or number, but loved them merely because he loved them, Deu 6:7-8<\/span> .<\/p>\n they. Some codices, with Aram, and Syriac, read “ye”: i.e. not the three Patriarchs, but the descendants of each one respectively. <\/p>\n few men in number = men (Hebrew. methim. App-14. V) of number: i.e. soon numbered (see note on “almost”, Pro 5:14). Compare Gen 34:30. Deu 4:27; Deu 26:5. Jer 44:28. (The opposite is “without number”, Psa 40:12.) This could not be said of the Patriarchs. <\/p>\n a few: Gen 34:30, Deu 7:7, Deu 26:5, Isa 51:2, Eze 33:24-33 <\/p>\n and strangers: Gen 17:8, Gen 23:4, Act 7:5, Heb 11:9, Heb 11:12 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: Gen 15:13 – thy Exo 6:4 – the land of their Jer 35:6 – Ye shall<\/p>\n Psa 105:12-15. When they were but few in number Hebrew, , 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 , chimgnat, thus rendered, signifies either small as to number, or as to regard and esteem. The meaning probably is, that they were insignificant and inconsiderable as to power, the fewness of their number being mentioned just before. And strangers in it Such were the patriarchs in the land of Canaan. They went from one nation to another Both in Canaan, where there were seven nations, and in Egypt. He reproved kings for their sakes Both verbally, and by his judgments. Saying, Touch not Hurt not, as the word , nagang, is often used; mine anointed My prophets, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who are called Gods anointed, because they were eminently blessed of God, replenished with the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, in respect of which many persons are said, in the Scriptures, to be anointed, who never had any material oil applied to them; and because they were thus consecrated to be his peculiar people, and to be kings and priests in their families. And they are called prophets, because God familiarly conversed with them, and revealed his will to them, and by them to others.<\/p>\n Psa 105:12-15 describe God’s care of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (cf. Genesis 12-36). Psa 105:16-23 summarize God’s preservation of the chosen family through Joseph’s protection (Genesis 37-50). Psa 105:24 refers to God’s increase of the Israelites during their Egyptian sojourn (Exodus 1). Psa 105:25-36 review how the Lord prepared His people to depart from Egypt with emphasis on the plagues He sent (Exodus 2-12; cf. Psa 78:44-51). Psa 105:37-38 describe the Exodus itself (Exodus 13). The order of the plagues is somewhat different from the order in Exodus, as is also true in Psalms 78, another instance of poetic license. Psa 105:39-41 recount His faithful care of His chosen people in the wilderness (Exodus 14 -Deuteronomy 34).<\/p>\n "Given the prominent position of the first eleven chapters of Genesis in the Torah and the significant names that occur there, it is rather surprising that only one person from these chapters, Ham, is mentioned by name in the Psalter, and that one only incidentally [Psa 105:25; Psa 105:29]." [Note: Bullock, p. 100.] <\/span><\/p>\n When they were [but] a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it. 12. The Psalmist emphasises the marvellousness of the Divine promise by pointing out that it was made when the patriarchs were but an insignificant clan of protected aliens, and it seemed utterly improbable that they would ever become the … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 105:12”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-15630","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15630","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15630"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15630\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15630"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15630"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15630"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible <\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"