Genesis 13:16

16 I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth. If someone could count the bits of dust on the earth, then they could also count your descendants.

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 After Lot separated from him, the LORD said to Abram, "From the place where you are standing, look up and gaze to the north, south, east, and west,

15 because all the land that you see I give you and your descendants forever.

16 I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth. If someone could count the bits of dust on the earth, then they could also count your descendants.

17 Stand up and walk around through the length and breadth of the land because I am giving it to you."

18 So Abram packed his tent and went and settled by the oaks of Mamre in Hebron. There he built an altar to the LORD.