New International Version
Genesis 13:16
16I 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 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.
- 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.
- New Living Translation (NLT)And I will give you so many descendants that, like the dust of the earth, they cannot be counted!
Context of Genesis 13:16
14The 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. 15All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring forever. 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. 17Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.” 18So 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.
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 12:2“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
- Genesis 15:5He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
- Genesis 17:6I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.
- Genesis 18:18Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.
- Genesis 21:13I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.”
- Genesis 22:17I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,
- Genesis 25:1Abraham had taken another wife, whose name was Keturah.
- Genesis 26:4I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed,
- Genesis 28:3May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples.
- Genesis 32:12But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’ ”
- Genesis 35:11And God said to him, “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants.
- Genesis 36:1This is the account of the family line of Esau (that is, Edom).
- Genesis 46:3“I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.
- Exodus 1:7but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.
- Exodus 32:13Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’ ”
- Numbers 23:10Who can count the dust of Jacob or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my final 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
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