Genesis 13:16

16 And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot 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 gone, the LORD said to Abram, “Look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west.

15 I am giving all this land, as far as you can see, to you and your descendants as a permanent possession.

16 And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted!

17 Go and walk through the land in every direction, for I am giving it to you.”

18 So Abram moved his camp to Hebron and settled near the oak grove belonging to Mamre. There he built another altar to the LORD .