Genesis 13:16

Bishops' Bible (1568)

And I wyl make thy seede as the dust of the earth: so that yf a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seede also be numbred.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וְשַׂמְתִּ֥י אֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֖ כַּעֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֑רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ אִם־יוּכַ֣ל אִ֗ישׁ לִמְנוֹת֙ אֶת־עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֔רֶץ גַּֽם־זַרְעֲךָ֖ יִמָּנֶֽה׃

Transliteration

And wĕśamtî your zarʿăḵā as kaʿăp̄ar hāʾāreṣ, that if yûḵal ʾîš to limnôṯ ʿăp̄ar hāʾāreṣ, also your zarʿăḵā yimmānê.

Grammar Details

• *wĕśamtî*: waw consecutive + qal perfect, 1st common singular - and I will make
• *zarʿăḵā*: noun, masculine singular + 2nd masculine singular suffix - your seed/descendants
• *kaʿăp̄ar*: preposition + noun, masculine singular construct - as the dust of
• *hāʾāreṣ*: definite article + noun, feminine singular - the earth
• *yûḵal*: qal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - he is able
• *ʾîš*: noun, masculine singular - a man
• *limnôṯ*: preposition + qal infinitive construct - to count
• *ʿăp̄ar*: noun, masculine singular construct - dust of
• *yimmānê*: niphal imperfect, 3rd masculine singular - will be counted

Word Meanings

• *wĕśamtî*: I will make/I will set/I will place
• *zarʿăḵā*: your seed/your offspring/your descendants
• *kaʿăp̄ar*: as the dust/like the dust
• *yûḵal*: he is able/he can/he could
• *limnôṯ*: to count/to number/to reckon
• *ʿăp̄ar*: dust/soil/powder
• *yimmānê*: will be counted/will be numbered

Referenced Verses

• Gen 28:14 : 14 And thy seede shalbe as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spreade abrode to the west, to the east, to the north, and to the south: and in thee, and in thy seede, shall all the kynredes of the earth be blessed.
• Num 23:10 : 10 Who can tell the dust of Iacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? I pray God that my soule may dye the death of the righteous, and that my last ende may be like his.
• Gen 32:12 : 12 Thou saydest, I wyll surely do thee good, and make thy seede as the sande of the sea, whiche can not be numbred for multitude.
• Gen 15:5 : 5 And he brought hym out, and sayde: loke vp vnto heauen, and tell the starres, if thou be able to number them. And he sayde vnto hym: euen so shall thy seede be.
• Gen 22:17 : 17 That in blessing I wyll blesse thee, and in multiplying I wyll multiplie thy seede as the starres of heauen, and as the sande which is vpon the sea side, and thy seede shall possesse the gates of his enemies.
• 1 Kgs 3:8 : 8 And thy seruaunt is in the middest of thy people which thou hast chosen: and veryly the people are so many, that they cannot be told nor nubred for multitude.
• 1 Kgs 4:20 : 20 And Iuda and Israel were many euen as the sande of the sea in numbre, eating, drincking, and making mery.
• 1 Chr 21:5 : 5 And gaue the summe of the number of the people vnto Dauid: And all they of Israel were a thousande thousand and an hundred thousande men that drue sworde: and Iuda was foure hundred threescore and ten thousande men that drue sworde.
• 1 Chr 27:23 : 23 But Dauid toke not the number of them vnder twentie yeres, because the Lorde saide he would encrease Israel lyke vnto the starres of the skye.
• 2 Chr 17:14-18 : 14 And these are the offices of them in the house of their fathers: the captaines ouer thousandes in Iuda, Adna the captayne, and with him of fighting men three hundred thousand. 15 And next to his hand was Iehohanan a captayne, and with him two hundred and fourescore thousand. 16 And next him was Amazia the sonne of Zichri, which of his owne good wyll offered him selfe vnto the Lorde, and with him two hundred thousand mightie men of warre. 17 And of the children of Beniamin, Eliada a man of might, and with him armed men with bowe and shielde two hundred thousand. 18 And next him was Iehosabad, and with him an hundred and fourescore thousand, that were prepared for the warre.
• Isa 48:18-19 : 18 O that thou hadst regarded my commaundementes, then had thy wealthynesse ben as the water streame, and thy ryghteousnesse as the waues flowyng in the sea: 19 Thy seede also had ben lyke as the sande in the sea, and the fruite of thy body lyke the grauell stones therof: His name shoulde not be rooted out, nor destroyed before me.
• Jer 33:22 : 22 For like as the starres of heauen may not be numbred, neither the sande of the sea measured: so wyll I multiplie the seede of Dauid my seruaunt, and the Leuites my ministers.
• Rom 4:16-18 : 16 Therefore by fayth is the inheritaunce geuen that it might come by grace, that the promise myght be sure to all ye seede, not to that only which is of the lawe, but to that also which is of the fayth of Abraham, which is the father of vs al. 17 (As it is written, that I haue made thee a father of many nations) before God, whom he beleued, which restoreth the dead vnto life, and calleth those thynges whiche be not, as though they were. 18 Who contrary to hope, beleued in hope, that he shoulde be the father of many nations, accordyng to that which was spoken: so shall thy seede be.
• Heb 11:12 : 12 And therfore sprang there of one, euen of one whiche was as good as dead so many in multitude, as are the starres in the skye, and as the sande the whiche is by the sea shore innumerable.
• Rev 7:9 : 9 After this I behelde, and loe a great multitude which no man could number of all nations, and kinredes, and people, and tongues, stoode before the throne, and before the lambe, clothed with long whyte garmentes, and palmes in their handes,
• Gen 12:2-3 : 2 And I will make of thee a great people, and wyll blesse thee, and make thy name great, that thou shalt be euen a blessyng. 3 I wyll also blesse them that blesse thee, and curse the that curseth thee: and in thee shall all kinredes of the earth be blessed.
• Gen 25:1-9 : 1 Abraham proceeded further, and toke hym another wyfe, called Cetura. 2 Whiche bare hym Zimram, and Iocsan, and Medan, and Midian, and Iesbac, and Suah. 3 Iocsan begat Seba and Dedan, and the sonnes of Dedan were Assurim, and Letusim, and Leummim. 4 And the sonnes of Midian, Ephah, & Epher, & Hanoch, & Abida, & Eldaah: all these were the children of Cetura. 5 And Abraham gaue al his goodes vnto Isahac: 6 But vnto the sonnes of the concubines whiche Abraham had, he gaue gyftes, and sent them away from Isahac his sonne (whyle he yet lyued) eastwarde vnto the east countrey. 7 And these are the dayes of the yeres of Abrahams lyfe which he liued, an hundred threscore and fifteene yeres. 8 And then Abraham waxyng away, dyed in a lustie age, beyng an olde man, when he had liued ynough, and was gathered to his people. 9 And his sonnes Isahac and Ismael buryed hym in the double caue in the fielde of Ephron sonne of Soar the Hethite, before Mamre. 10 Whiche fielde Abraham bought of the sonnes of Heth: there was Abraham buryed, and Sara his wyfe. 11 And it came to passe after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his sonne Isahac, and Isahac dwelled by the well of liuing and seeing me. 12 These are the generations of Ismael Abrahams sonne, whiche Hagar the Egyptian Saraes handmayde bare vnto Abraham. 13 And these are the names of the sonnes of Ismael, accordyng to the names of their kindred: the eldest sonne of Ismael, Nabaioth, and Cedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, 14 And Misma, and Duma, and Massa, Hadar, and Thema, 15 Ietur, Naphis, and Cedina. 16 These are the sonnes of Ismael, and these are their names by theyr townes and castles, twelue princes of their housholdes. 17 And these are the yeres of the lyfe of Ismael, an hundred and thirtie and seuen yere: and he waxing away, dyed, and was layed vnto his people. 18 And they dwelled from Hauilah vnto Sur, that is by the border of Egypt as thou goest toward Assur, and he died in the presence of all his brethren. 19 And these are the generations of Isahac, Abrahams sonne: Abraham begat Isahac. 20 And Isahac was fourtie yere olde when he toke Rebecca to wyfe, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian of Mesopotamia, and sister to Laban the Syrian. 21 And Isahac made intercession vnto the Lorde for his wyfe, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of hym, and Rebecca his wyfe conceaued. 22 And the childre stroue together within her wombe: therfore she said, if it be so, why am I thus? wherefore she went to aske the Lorde. 23 And the Lorde sayde vnto her: there are two maner of people in thy wombe, and two nations shalbe deuided out of thy bowelles, and the one nation shalbe mightier then the other, and the elder shalbe seruaunt vnto the younger. 24 Therefore when her tyme was come to be deliuered, behold, there were two twynnes in her wombe. 25 And he that came out fyrst, was red, and he was all ouer as it were a hearie garment, and they called his name Esau. 26 And after hym came his brother out, and his hande holdyng Esau by the heele, and his name was called Iacob: and Isahac was threscore yere olde when they were borne. 27 And the boyes grewe, and Esau became a cunnyng hunter, and a wylde man: but Iacob was a perfect man, and dwelled in tentes. 28 Isahac loued Esau, because he dyd eate of his venison, but Rebecca loued Iacob. 29 Iacob sodde pottage, and Esau came from the fielde, and was fayntie: 30 And Esau sayd to Iacob: feede me I pray thee, with that same red pottage, for I am fayntie: and therfore was his name called Edom. 31 And Iacob saide: sell me this day thy byrthryght. 32 Esau sayde: lo, I am at the poynt to dye, and what profite shall this byrthryght do me? 33 Iacob aunswered: sweare to me then this day. And he sware to him, & solde his byrthryght vnto Iacob. 34 Then Iacob gaue Esau bread and pottage of ryse, and he dyd eate and drinke, and rose vp, and went his way: and Esau little regarded his byrthright.
• Gen 26:4 : 4 And wyl make thy seede to multiplie as the starres of heauen, and wyll geue vnto thy seede al these countreys: and in thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed:
• Gen 28:3 : 3 And God almyghtie blesse thee, and make thee to encrease, & multiplie thee, that thou mayest be a number of people:
• Gen 17:6 : 6 I wyll make thee exceedyng fruitefull, and wyll make nations of thee, yea and kynges shall spryng out of thee.
• Gen 17:16 : 16 And I wyll blesse her, and geue thee a sonne of her: yea, I wyll blesse her, and she shalbe a mother of nations, yea & kynges of people shall sprynge of her.
• Gen 17:20 : 20 And as concernyng Ismael also I haue hearde thee: for I haue blessed him, and wyll make him fruitefull, and wyl multiplie him excedingly: Twelue princes shall he beget, and I wyll make a great nation of hym.
• Gen 18:18 : 18 Seyng that Abraham shall surely be a great and a myghtie nation, and all the nations of the earth shalbe blessed in hym?
• Gen 21:13 : 13 Moreouer, of the sonne of the bonde woman wyll I make a nation, because he is thy seede.
• Gen 35:11 : 11 And God sayd vnto him: I am God almightie, be fruitefull and multiplie: a nation, and a multitude of nations shall spring of thee, yea and kinges shall come out of thy loynes.
• Gen 36:1-9 : 1 These are the generations of Esau, the same is Edom. 2 Esau toke his wiues of ye daughters of Chanaan: Ada ye daughter of Ebon an Hethite, and Aholibama the daughter of Ana, the daughter of Sibeon an Heuite, 3 And Basemath Ismaels daughter, and sister of Nebaioth. 4 And Ada bore vnto Esau Eliphas: and Basemath bare Rehuel. 5 And Aholibama bare Iehus, and Ialam, and Corah. These are the sonnes of Esau, whiche were borne hym in the lande of Chanaan. 6 And Esau toke his wyues, and his sonnes and daughters, and al the soules of his house, his goods, and all his cattell, and al his substaunce which he had got in the lande of Chanaan, and went into a countrey away from the face of his brother Iacob. 7 For theyr ryches was much, and they coulde not dwell together: and the land wherein they were straungers coulde not receaue them, because of theyr possessions. 8 Thus dwelt Esau in mounte Seir, the same Esau, is Edom. 9 These are the generations of Esau, father of the Edomites in mount Seir. 10 And these are the names of Esaus sonnes: Eliphas the sonne of Ada, the wyfe of Esau, and Rehuel the sonne of Basemath the wife of Esau. 11 And the sonnes of Eliphas, were Theman, Omar, Sepho, and Gatham, and Cenaz. 12 And Thimna was concubine to Eliphas Esaus sonne, and bare vnto Eliphas Amalec: and these be the sonnes of Ada Esaus wife. 13 And these are the sonnes of Rehuel: Nahath, and Zerah, Samma, and Mizza: these were ye sonnes of Basemath Esaus wyfe. 14 And these were the sonnes of Aholibama the daughter of Ana, daughter of Sebeon Esaus wife: and she bare vnto Esau, Iehus, and Ialam and Corah. 15 These were dukes of the sonnes of Esau. The children of Eliphas the first borne sonne of Esau were these. 16 Duke Theman, duke Omar, duke Sepho, duke Cenaz, and duke Corah, duke Gatham, & duke Amalec: these are the dukes that came of Eliphas in the lande of Edom, and these were the sonnes of Ada. 17 These also are the children of Rehuel Esaus sonne: duke Nahath, duke Serah, duke Samma, duke Mizza. These are the dukes that came of Rehuel, in the lande of Edom: and these are the sonnes of Basemath Esaus wyfe. 18 These were the chyldren of Aholibama Esaus wyfe: duke Iehus, duke Ialam, duke Corah: these dukes came of Aholibama the daughter of Ana Esaus wyfe. 19 These are the chyldren of Esau, and these are the dukes of them, whiche Esau is Edom. 20 These are the chyldren of Seir the Horite, the inhabitauntes of the lande, Lotan, and Sobal, & Sebeon, & Ana, 21 And Dison, and Eser, and Disan: these are the dukes of the Horites the chyldren of Seir in the lande of Edom. 22 And the chyldren of Lotan, were Hori, and Hemam: and Lotans sister was called Thimna. 23 The chyldren of Sobal were these: Aluan, and Manahath, and Ebal, Sepho, and Onam. 24 These are the chyldren of Sebeon, both Aia and Ana: this was that Ana that founde mules in the wyldernesse as she fedde her father Sebeons asses. 25 The chyldren of Ana were these: Dison, & Aholibama the daughter of Ana. 26 These are the chyldren of Dison: Hemdan, and Esban, and Iethran, and Cheran. 27 The chyldren of Eser are these: Bilhan, and Saauan, and Acan. 28 The chyldren of Disan also are these: Us and Aran. 29 These are the dukes that came of the Horites: duke Laton, duke Sobal, duke Sebeon, duke Ana, 30 Duke Dison, duke Eser, duke Disan: these be the dukes that came of Hori, after theyr dukedoms in the lande of Seir. 31 These are the kinges that raigned in the lande of Edom, before there raigned any king vpon the chyldren of Israel. 32 Bela the sonne of Beor raigned in Edom: and the name of his citie was Dinhabah. 33 And when Bela dyed, Iobab the sonne of Serah out of Bosra, raigned in his steade. 34 When Iobab also was dead, Husam of the lande of Temani, raigned in his steade. 35 And after the death of Husam, Hadad the sonne of Bedad, which slew the Madianites in the field of the Moabites, raigned in his steade: & the name of his citie was Auith. 36 When Hadad was dead, Samlah of Masrecah raigned in his steade. 37 When Samlah was dead, Saul of the ryuer of Rehoboth raigned in his steade. 38 When Saul was dead, Baal-hanan the sonne of Achbor raigned in his steade. 39 And after the death of Baal-hanan the sonne of Achbor, Hadar raigned in his steade: and ye name of his citie was Pau, & his wyfes name Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. 40 These are the names of the dukes that came of Esau, accordyng to their kinredes, places, & names: duke Timna, duke Aluah, duke Ietheth. 41 Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon, 42 Duke Cenaz, duke Theman, duke Mibsar, 43 Duke Magdiel, duke Iran. These be the dukes of Edom, accordyng to their habitations in the lande of their possessions. This Esau is the father of the Edomites.
• Gen 46:3 : 3 And he sayde: I am God, the God of thy father, feare not to go downe into Egypt: for I wyll there make of thee a great people.
• Exod 1:7 : 7 And the children of Israel were fruitfull, encreased, multiplied, & waxed exceedyng myghtie, and the lande was full of them.
• Exod 32:13 : 13 Remember Abraham, Isahac, and Israel thy seruauntes, to whom thou swarest by thy owne selfe, and saydest vnto them: I wyll multiplie your seede as the starres of heauen, and all this lande that I haue spoken of wyll I geue vnto your seede, and they shall inherite it for euer.
• Deut 1:10 : 10 For the Lorde your God hath multiplied you: so that you be this day as the starres of heauen in number.
• Judg 6:3 : 3 And when Israel had sowen, then came vp the Madianites, the Amalechites, and they of the east, and came vp agaynst them,
• Judg 6:5 : 5 For they went vp, they and their cattel, and came with their tentes as a multitude of grasshopers, so that both they and also their camels were without number: And they entred into the land to destroy it.