King James Version

Psalms 105:12

When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it.

Study

Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

בִּֽ֭הְיוֹתָםbihyotamin beהָיָהpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, plural — “in be”, the to-form of the verbH1961to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)beacon, [idiom] altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, [phrase] follow, happen, [idiom] have, last, pertain, quit (one-) self, require, [idiom] use.מְתֵ֣יmetepersonsמַתnoun, common, masculine, plural, construct — “persons”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4962properly, an adult (as of full length); by implication, a man (only in the plural)[phrase] few, [idiom] friends, men, persons, [idiom] small.מִסְפָּ֑רmisparnumberמִסְפָּרnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “number”, the ordinary formH4557a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerable; small, a few); also (abstractly) narration[phrase] abundance, account, [idiom] all, [idiom] few, (in-) finite, (certain) number(-ed), tale, telling, [phrase] time.כִּ֝מְעַ֗טkimatas littleמְעַטpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “as little”, the ordinary formH4592a little or few (often adverbial or compar.)almost (some, very) few(-er, -est), lightly, little (while), (very) small (matter, thing), some, soon, [idiom] very.וְגָרִ֥יםvegarimand fearגּוּרconjunction, verb, qal, participle, absolute — “and fear”, a verb used as a describing wordH1481properly, to turn aside from the road (for a lodging or any other purpose), i.e. sojourn (as a guest); also to shrink, fear (as in a strange place); also to gather forhostility (as afraid)abide, assemble, be afraid, dwell, fear, gather (together), inhabitant, remain, sojourn, stand in awe, (be) stranger, [idiom] surely.בָּֽהּbahinבָּֽהּpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, feminine, singular — “in”in

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

When they were but a few men in number. Yea, very few, and sojourners in it,

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

When they were but a few men in number, Yea, very few, and sojourners in it.

Young’s Literal Translation

In their being few in number, But a few, and sojourners in it.

World English Bible

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

Darby Translation

When they were a few men in number, of small account, and strangers in it.

Douay-Rheims

And they believed his words: and they sang his praises.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

When they were but a few men in number. Yea, very few, and sojourners in it,

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

when they were few in number, very few, and sojourners in it.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Ἐν τῷ εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἀριθμῷ βραχεῖς, ὀλιγοστοὺς καὶ παροίκους ἐν αὐτῇ,