דברי הימים א, פרק ט״ז, פסוק כ׳

The founding fathers of the Israelite nation lived a life defined by constant movement. They existed as temporary residents, strangers navigating their way through foreign lands and unfamiliar peoples. The primary approach among commentators is that this reality of endless travel refers specifically to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Their experience was not merely a matter of traveling from one location to another; rather, it was a continuous state of nomadism and displacement, completely lacking a permanent home [רש״י, מצודת דוד].

These journeys took the patriarchs back and forth across different territories, occurring both within the borders of Canaan and far beyond them [רלב״ג, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Driven by severe times of famine, Abraham and Isaac were forced to relocate to Egypt and the land of the Philistines. Similarly, Jacob spent twenty years living away from his homeland in the household of Laban [רש״י, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

Living as perpetual nomads placed the patriarchs in a deeply vulnerable position. Without a secure base or the protection of a settled community, they were constantly exposed to danger. It is a common tendency for native populations to exploit and oppress foreigners who settle among them temporarily, making the survival of the patriarchs a constant challenge [מצודת דוד].