New King James Version
Genesis 13:16
16And 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.
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 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
14And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: “Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; 15for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. 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. 17Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.” 18Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there 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 12:2I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
- Genesis 15:5Then He brought him outside and said, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”
- Genesis 17:6I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.
- Genesis 18:18since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
- Genesis 21:13Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.”
- Genesis 22:17blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.
- Genesis 25:1Abraham again took a wife, and her name was Keturah.
- Genesis 26:4And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed;
- Genesis 28:3“May God Almighty bless you, And make you fruitful and multiply you, That you may be an assembly of peoples;
- Genesis 32:12For You said, ‘I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’ ”
- Genesis 35:11Also God said to him: “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall proceed from you, and kings shall come from your body.
- Genesis 36:1Now this is the genealogy of Esau, who is Edom.
- Genesis 46:3So He said, “I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there.
- Exodus 1:7But the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, multiplied and grew exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.
- Exodus 32:13Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’ ”
- Numbers 23:10“Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number one-fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, And let my end be like his!”
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries