In the Bible, the term "few" is often used to describe a small number or a minority, whether in terms of people, resources, or occurrences. This concept is significant in various biblical contexts, illustrating themes of scarcity, selectiveness, and divine favor or judgment.

Old Testament Usage

In the Old Testament, "few" frequently describes the small number of people or resources, often highlighting God's power and provision. For instance, in Deuteronomy 7:7, God reminds Israel that He chose them not because they were numerous, but because they were "the fewest of all peoples." This underscores the idea that God's election is based on His sovereign will rather than human merit or strength.

The term also appears in contexts of judgment and consequence. In Leviticus 26:22, God warns Israel that if they disobey, He will send wild animals that will "leave you few in number." Here, "few" signifies the reduction of the population as a result of divine judgment.

New Testament Usage

In the New Testament, "few" often relates to the concept of selectiveness and the narrow path of righteousness. Jesus uses the term in Matthew 7:14, saying, "But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it." This passage emphasizes the difficulty and exclusivity of the path to eternal life, suggesting that only a minority will choose to follow it.

Similarly, in Matthew 9:37, Jesus observes, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few." This highlights the need for more laborers in God's kingdom, indicating that while the opportunity for spiritual harvest is great, those willing to work for it are limited.

Theological Implications

The use of "few" in Scripture often conveys the idea of divine selection and the remnant. Throughout biblical history, God frequently works through a faithful remnant, a small group of people who remain true to Him amidst widespread unbelief or disobedience. This is evident in the account of Noah, where only a few were saved from the flood (1 Peter 3:20), and in the account of Gideon's army, where God reduces the number of soldiers to demonstrate His power (Judges 7:2-7).

Theologically, the concept of "few" challenges believers to consider the cost of discipleship and the reality of living as part of a minority in a world that often opposes God's ways. It serves as a reminder of the importance of faithfulness and the assurance that God can accomplish His purposes through even a small number of committed individuals.

Practical Application

For believers today, the biblical use of "few" encourages a focus on quality over quantity in spiritual matters. It calls Christians to be part of the faithful remnant, to strive for the narrow path, and to be diligent workers in the harvest, despite being few in number. This perspective fosters reliance on God's strength and wisdom rather than human resources or popularity.(superl.) Not many; small, limited, or confined in number; -- indicating a small portion of units or individuals constituting a whole; often, by ellipsis of a noun, a few people.3641. oligos -- few, little, small
... few, little, small. Part of Speech: Adjective; Adverb Transliteration: oligos Phonetic
Spelling: (ol-ee'-gos) Short Definition: small, brief, few, soon ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3641.htm - 7k

1024. brachus -- short, little
... short, little. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: brachus Phonetic Spelling:
(brakh-ooce') Short Definition: short, little Definition: short, little, few ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1024.htm - 6k

2640. kataleimma -- remnant.
... Word Origin variant reading for hupoleimma, qv. remnant. From kataleipo; a remainder,
ie (by implication) a few -- remnant. see GREEK kataleipo. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2640.htm - 6k

3640. oligopistos -- little faith
... 11:6). [3640 () is derived from 3461 ("few, small in number"), which is
the opposite of 4183 ("many in ").]. of little faith. From ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3640.htm - 7k

3643. oligoreo -- to esteem lightly
... 3643 (from 3641 , "little in " and , "concern, care") -- properly, caring
too little ("in too few places"); to esteem , (). 3643 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3643.htm - 6k

4935. suntomos -- briefly
... briefly. Adverb from a derivative of suntemno; concisely (briefly) -- a few words.
see GREEK suntemno. (suntomos) -- 2 Occurrences. 4934, 4935. suntomos. 4936 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4935.htm - 6k

3756. ou, ouk, ouch -- not, no
... not, no NASB Word Usage all* (1), any the less (2), before* (1), cannot (1), cannot*
(49), certainly* (1), ever* (3), except (1), failed (1), few* (1), great ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3756.htm - 7k

5100. tis -- a certain one, someone, anyone
... 90), anyone's (1), anyone's* (1), anyone...anything (1), anything (40),
anything...anyone (1), certain (6), certain man (1), certain men (2), few (1), in ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5100.htm - 7k

4183. polus -- much, many
... word Definition much, many NASB Word Usage all (3), better (1), deep (1), earnestly
(3), enough (1), even more (1), few* (1), freely (1), full (1), further (1 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4183.htm - 9k

4591. maat -- to be or become small, diminished, or few
... maat. 4592 . to be or become small, diminished, or few. Transliteration: maat
Phonetic Spelling: (maw-at') Short Definition: decrease. Word Origin a prim. ...
/hebrew/4591.htm - 6k

4592. meat -- a little, fewness, a few
meat or meat. 4591, 4592. meat or meat. 4593 . a little, fewness, a few.
Transliteration: meat or meat Phonetic Spelling: (meh-at') Short Definition: little ...
/hebrew/4592.htm - 6k

4213. mizar -- a little, a trifle, a few
... 4212, 4213. mizar. 4214 . a little, a trifle, a few. Transliteration: mizar
Phonetic Spelling: (miz-awr') Short Definition: very. ... few, very. ...
/hebrew/4213.htm - 6k

4962. math -- male, man
... root Definition male, man NASB Word Usage associates (1), few (3), few men (1),
men (14), men being few (1), number (2). few, friends, men, persons, small. ...
/hebrew/4962.htm - 6k

4557. mispar -- number, tally
... the same as sepher Definition number, tally NASB Word Usage account (1), count
(1), count* (1), counted (1), countless* (1), enumeration (1), few (7), infinite ...
/hebrew/4557.htm - 6k

259. echad -- one
... 1), certain (11), certain man (1), each (48), each one (4), each other (1), each*
(4), eleven* (9), eleventh* (4), every (1), everyone (1), few (3), first (38 ...
/hebrew/259.htm - 7k

7116. qatser -- short
... few, hasty, small, soon. From qatsar; short (whether in size, number, life, strength
or temper) -- few, hasty, small, soon. see HEBREW qatsar. 7115, 7116. ...
/hebrew/7116.htm - 6k

8147. shenayim -- two (a cardinal number)
... 62* (1), 62,700* (2), 642* (2), 652* (2), 72* (1), 72,000* (1), 822* (1), 832*
(1), both (62), both* (7), couple (2), double (7), each other (1), few (1), forty ...
/hebrew/8147.htm - 7k

6810. tsair -- little, insignificant, young
... Or tsanowr {tsaw-ore'}; from tsa'ar; little; (in number) few; (in age) young, (in
value) ignoble -- least, little (one), small (one), + young(-er, -est). ...
/hebrew/6810.htm - 6k

The Upper Room: Being a Few Truths for the Times
The Upper Room: Being a Few Truths for the Times. <. The Upper Room: Being
a Few Truths for the Times John Charles Ryle. Table of Contents. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/ryle/the upper room being a few truths for the times/

'Fit, Though Few'
... THE BOOK OF JUDGES 'FIT, THOUGH FEW'. ... III. Note the final test. God required
but few men, but He required that these should be fit. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/fit though few.htm

A Few Sighs from Hell;
... A Few Sighs From Hell; or, The Groans of the Damned Soul: or, An Exposition of those
Words in the Sixteenth of Luke, Concerning the Rich Man and the Beggar. ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a few sighs from hell.htm

The Eleventh Chapter: Few Love the Cross of Jesus
... BOOK TWO. THE INTERIOR LIFE The Eleventh Chapter: Few Love the Cross of Jesus. JESUS
has always many who love His heavenly kingdom, but few who bear His cross. ...
/.../kempis/the imitation of christ/the eleventh chapter few love.htm

Are There Few that Shall He Saved?
... VI. CAUTIONS. Hymn 77 Are there few that shall he saved? John Newton 6,6,8,6.
Are there few that shall he saved? Destruction's dangerous road. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/newton/olney hymns/hymn 77 are there few.htm

Few Saved; Or, the Almost Christian, the Hypocrite, and Apostate.
... third lines of the stanza. Hymn 2:158. Few saved; or, The almost Christian,
the hypocrite, and apostate. 1 Broad is the road that ...
/.../watts/hymns and spiritual songs/hymn 0 193055556 few saved or.htm

Wherefore a Few Witnesses, which the Lord Deigns to Suggest to My ...
... Section 32. Wherefore a few witnesses, which the Lord deigns to suggest
to my mind? 32. Wherefore a few witnesses, which the Lord ...
/.../augustine/of holy virginity /section 32 wherefore a few.htm

And after a Few Years I was Again in Britain with My Parents ...
... Section 23. And after a few years I was again in Britain with my parents
kinsfolk.? 23. And after a few years I was again in Britain ...
/.../patrick/the confession of st patrick/section 23 and after a.htm

The True and Chaste virgins Few; Chastity a Contest; Thekla
... Discourse XI."Arete. Chapter I."The True and Chaste Virgins Few; Chastity
a Contest; Thekla. Chief of Virgins. I do accept it ...
/.../chapter i the true and chaste.htm

Few Will Believe the Soul to be Infinite: yet Infinite* is the ...
... THE SECOND CENTURY 81 Few will believe the soul to be infinite: yet infinite*
is the first thing which is naturally known. Few will ...
/.../traherne/centuries of meditations/81 few will believe the.htm

Few (652 Occurrences)
... small, limited, or confined in number; -- indicating a small portion of units or
individuals constituting a whole; often, by ellipsis of a noun, a few people. ...
/f/few.htm - 6k

Crafts (2 Occurrences)
... A study of what few references there are leads us to believe that before the Israelites
came in contact with the people of Canaan and Phoenicia they had not ...
/c/crafts.htm - 30k

Exploration
... concerning ancient Palestine, including its races, laws, languages, history and
manners, was obtained from Josephus and the Bible, with a few brief additional ...
/e/exploration.htm - 38k

Diminish (22 Occurrences)
... Numbers 26:54 to the many thou shalt increase their inheritance, and to the few
thou shalt diminish their inheritance; to every one shall his inheritance be ...
/d/diminish.htm - 14k

Chosen (197 Occurrences)
... It is said with regard to those who do not profit by their opportunities that "many
are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 20:16). (see ELECTION.). ...
/c/chosen.htm - 53k

Sojourners (37 Occurrences)
... word. (ASV). 1 Chronicles 16:19 When ye were but a few men in number, Yea,
very few, and sojourners in it; (See JPS ASV YLT RSV). 1 ...
/s/sojourners.htm - 18k

Adonijah (28 Occurrences)
... There is no reason to think that it lasted more than a few weeks. Later in the year
a few weeks are enough time to allow for the campaign against Sheba. ...
/a/adonijah.htm - 22k

Persian (4 Occurrences)
... The former is known to us from the inscriptions of the Achemenian kings, the latter
from the Avesta, and a few Median words preserved for us by Herodotus and ...
/p/persian.htm - 45k

Foreigners (76 Occurrences)
... word." (WEB). 1 Chronicles 16:19 when you were but a few men in number, yes,
very few, and foreigners were in it. (WEB). 1 Chronicles ...
/f/foreigners.htm - 29k

Choose (116 Occurrences)
... Corresponds to Experience The words denote an act of comparison of two or more objects
or persons, the preference and selection of one, or of a few out of a ...
/c/choose.htm - 54k

What does it mean that man is few of days and full of trouble (Job 14:1)? | GotQuestions.org

What does “Many are called but few are chosen” in Matthew 22:14 mean? | GotQuestions.org

Why are there so few men in the church? | GotQuestions.org

Few: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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