God’s Word Translation
Genesis 13:16
16I will also give you as many descendants as the dust of the earth. If anyone could count the dust of the earth, then he could also count your descendants.
Genesis 13:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered.
Context of Genesis 13:16
14After Lot left, the Lord said to Abram, “Look north, south, east, and west of where you are. 15I will give all the land you see to you and to your descendants for an indefinite period of time. I will also give you as many descendants as the dust of the earth. If anyone could count the dust of the earth, then he could also count your descendants. 17Go! Walk back and forth across the entire land because I will give it to you.” 18So Abram moved his tents and went to live by the oak trees belonging to Mamre at Hebron. There he built an altar for the Lord.
Read all of Genesis 13Genesis 13:16 word by word
וְשַׂמְתִּ֥י אֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֖ כַּעֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֑רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר׀ אִם־יוּכַ֣ל אִ֗ישׁ לִמְנוֹת֙ אֶת־עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֔רֶץ גַּֽם־זַרְעֲךָ֖ יִמָּנֶֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Genesis 13:16
- Genesis 12:2I will make you a great nation, I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
- Genesis 15:5He took Abram outside and said, “Now look up at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He also said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”
- Genesis 17:6I will give you many descendants. Many nations and kings will come from you.
- Genesis 18:18After all, Abraham is going to become a great and mighty nation and through him all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
- Genesis 21:13Besides, I will make the slave’s son into a nation also, because he is your child.”
- Genesis 22:17I will certainly bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of their enemies’ cities.
- Genesis 25:1Abraham married again, and his wife’s name was Keturah.
- Genesis 26:4I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and give all these lands to your descendants. Through your descendant all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
- Genesis 28:3May God Almighty bless you, make you fertile, and increase the number of your descendants so that you will become a community of people.
- Genesis 32:12But you did say, ‘I will make sure that you are prosperous and that your descendants will be as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. No one will be able to count them because there are so many.’ ”
- Genesis 35:11God also said to him, “I am God Almighty. Be fertile, and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from you.
- Genesis 36:1This is the account of Esau (that is, Edom) and his descendants.
- Genesis 46:3“I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to go to Egypt, because I will make you a great nation there.
- Exodus 1:7But the descendants of Israel had many children. They became so numerous and strong that the land was filled with them.
- Exodus 32:13Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. You took an oath, swearing on yourself. You told them, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky. I will give to your descendants all the land I spoke of. It will be their permanent possession.’ ”
- Numbers 23:10The descendants of Jacob are like specks of dust. Who can count them or number even one-fourth of the people of Israel? Let me die the death of innocent people. Let my end be like theirs.”
Commentaries on Genesis 13:16
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-18Verses 1-18 - Abram and Lot Separate 7. פרזי perı̂zı̂y Perizzi, “descendant of Paraz.” פרז pārāz “leader,” or inhabitant of the plain or open country. 10. ככר kı̂kar “circle, border, vale, cake, talent;” related: “bow, bend, go round, dance.” ירדן yardēn Jardan, “descending.” Usually with the article in prose. צער tso‛ar Tsoar, “smallness.” 18. ממרא mamrē' Mamre, “fat, strong, ruler.” חברון chebrôn Chebron, “conjunction, confederacy.” Lot has been…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-18Verses 14-18 Those are best prepared for the visits of Divine grace, whose spirits are calm, and not ruffled with passion. God will abundantly make up in spiritual peace, what we lose for preserving neighbourly peace. When our relations are separated from us, yet God is not. Observe also the promises with which God now comforted and enriched Abram. Of two things he assures him; a good land, and a numerous issue to enjoy it. The prospects seen by faith are…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-17Abram could give Lot the choice land because he believed in God’s promise. Abram waited for God to give him the land. Lot just took what he wanted.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-181. went up ... south--Palestine being a highland country, the entrance from Egypt by its southern boundary is a continual ascent.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 13:16
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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