When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
7. He next followeth out the history well known in the truth of the holy Scriptures. "When they were in small numbers, very few, and they strangers in the land" (ver. 12); that is, in the land of Canaan. ...But some copies have the words "very few, and they strangers," in the accusative case, the translator having turned the Greek phrase too literally into Latin. If we were to render the whole clause in this way, we must say, "that they were very few, and they strangers;" but the phrase, "while they were," is the meaning of the Greek; and the verb, "to be," takes not an accusative, but a nominative after it.
Very few. Hebrew, "as it were reduced to nothing "to avoid a tautology. (Berthier)
But this version is not necessary. (Haydock)
Jacob at this time was not married, (Berthier) and his parents had no part of the land. This manifests the power of God, and the faith of the patriarchs, (Calmet) who doubted not but that he would realize what he had promises. (Haydock)
