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

“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,

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

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

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.

Afterward Jacob said to Simeon and Levi,“ You have ruined me! You’ve made me stink among all the people of this land— among all the Canaanites and Perizzites. We are so few that they will join forces and crush us. I will be ruined, and my entire household will be wiped out!”

“ The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations!

All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth.

“ But God gave him no inheritance here, not even one square foot of land. God did promise, however, that eventually the whole land would belong to Abraham and his descendants— even though he had no children yet.