Genesis 13:16

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 After Lot had separated from him, the Lord said to Abram, "Look from the place where you are. Look north and south, east and west,

15 for I will give you and your offspring forever all the land that you see.

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.

17 Get up and walk from one end of the land to the other, for I will give it to you."

18 So Abram moved his tent and went to live beside the oaks of Mamre at Hebron, where he built an altar to the Lord.