Genesis 13:16

16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.

Genesis 13:16 in Other Translations

KJV
16 And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.
ESV
16 I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted.
NLT
16 And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted!
MSG
16 I'll make your descendants like dust - counting your descendants will be as impossible as counting the dust of the Earth.
CSB
16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if one could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted.

Genesis 13:16 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 13:16

And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth
An hyperbolical expression denoting the great multitude of Abram's posterity, as they were in the days of Solomon, and as they will be in the latter day; and especially as this may respect all the spiritual seed of Abram, Jews and Gentiles, and as they will be in the spiritual reign of Christ, see ( Hosea 1:10 Hosea 1:11 ) ; so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, [then] shall thy
seed be numbered;
but as it is impossible to do the one, so the other is not practicable, see ( Numbers 23:10 ) .

Genesis 13:16 In-Context

14 The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, “Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west.
15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever.
16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.
17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.”
18 So Abram went to live near the great trees of Mamre at Hebron, where he pitched his tents. There he built an altar to the LORD.

Cross References 1

  • 1. S Genesis 12:2; Genesis 16:10; Genesis 17:20; Genesis 21:13,18; Genesis 25:16; Numbers 23:10
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