1 Chronicles 16:19

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

When ye were but few {H4557}{H4962}, even a few {H4592}, and strangers {H1481} in it.

When you were but few in number, and not only few, but aliens there too,

When they were few in number, few indeed, and strangers in the land,

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

Commentary

1 Chronicles 16:19 is a poignant verse from King David's psalm of thanksgiving, celebrating God's enduring faithfulness to Israel. It highlights God's protective hand over His people during their most vulnerable period, when they were a tiny, nomadic group without a secure home or significant power.

Context

This verse is part of a lengthy psalm (also found in Psalm 105:12) that David proclaimed when the Ark of the Covenant was brought to Jerusalem. The psalm serves as a historical recounting of God's mighty acts and covenant promises to Israel from their earliest days. Specifically, 1 Chronicles 16:19 refers to the patriarchal era, beginning with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and continuing through the time before Israel became a numerous nation in Egypt or possessed the Promised Land. During this period, the descendants of Abraham were indeed "but few, even a few," and "strangers" (or sojourners) in the land, moving from place to place without a permanent dwelling, often surrounded by more powerful peoples.

Key Themes

  • God's Unwavering Faithfulness: The primary message is God's steadfast commitment to His covenant people, even when they were numerically insignificant and vulnerable. He guarded them against kings and nations (1 Chronicles 16:21), ensuring their survival and growth.
  • Humble Beginnings: The verse emphasizes Israel's small and weak origins, underscoring that God often chooses and works through the seemingly insignificant to accomplish His great purposes. This aligns with the principle seen in Deuteronomy 7:7, where God chose Israel not because of their numbers, but out of His love.
  • Divine Protection and Providence: Despite being "strangers" in foreign lands, God provided for and protected them, demonstrating His sovereign control over nations and circumstances. This period of wandering and vulnerability was crucial for shaping their identity as a people utterly dependent on God.
  • Covenant Remembrance: This historical reflection serves to remind the people of David's time—and us—that God remembers His promises. His care for the patriarchs was a testament to the enduring covenant He made with Abraham and his descendants.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew phrase translated "but few, even a few" (מְתֵי מִסְפָּר, m'tei mispar) literally means "men of number" or "few in number," highlighting their quantitative insignificance. The term "strangers" (גֵּרִים, gerim) refers to sojourners or aliens, emphasizing their non-native status and lack of permanent land ownership, underscoring their precarious position and complete reliance on divine protection.

Practical Application

This verse offers powerful encouragement for believers today:

  1. Trust in God's Faithfulness: When facing challenging circumstances, feeling small, or insignificant, remember that God's power is not limited by our numbers or resources. He is faithful to those who are His, just as He was to early Israel.
  2. Embrace Humble Beginnings: Great things often start small. This verse reminds us not to despise humble beginnings in our personal lives, ministries, or callings, but to trust in God's ability to grow and sustain.
  3. Reliance on God: Just as the patriarchs were utterly dependent on God as "strangers" in the land, we too are called to rely on Him for provision, protection, and guidance, recognizing that our ultimate security comes from Him alone.
  4. Remember Past Blessings: Reflecting on God's past faithfulness, both in biblical history and in our own lives, builds confidence and hope for the future. David's psalm encourages us to recount God's mighty deeds.
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Cross-References

  • Genesis 34:30 (4 votes)

    And Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, Ye have troubled me to make me to stink among the inhabitants of the land, among the Canaanites and the Perizzites: and I [being] few in number, they shall gather themselves together against me, and slay me; and I shall be destroyed, I and my house.

  • Deuteronomy 7:7 (3 votes)

    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:

  • Hebrews 11:13 (2 votes)

    These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

  • Acts 7:5 (2 votes)

    And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not [so much as] to set his foot on: yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after him, when [as yet] he had no child.