Genesis 13:16

Geneva Bible (1560)

And I will make thy seede, as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seede 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 shall be as the dust of the earth, & thou shalt spread abroad to the West, and to the East, & to the North, & to the South, and in thee and in thy seede shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
• Num 23:10 : 10 Who can tell the dust of Iaakob, and the nomber of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last ende be like his.
• Gen 32:12 : 12 For thou saydest; I will surely doe thee good, and make thy seede as the sande of the sea, which can not be nombred for multitude.
• Gen 15:5 : 5 Moreouer he brought him forth and said, Looke vp nowe vnto heauen, and tell ye starres, if thou be able to number them: and he said vnto him, So shall thy seede be.
• Gen 22:17 : 17 Therefore will I surely blesse thee, and will greatly multiplie thy seede, as the starres of the heauen, and as the sand which is vpon the sea shore, and thy seede shall possesse the gate of his enemies.
• 1 Kgs 3:8 : 8 And thy seruant is in the mids of thy people, which thou hast chosen, euen a great people which cannot be told nor nobred for multitude.
• 1 Kgs 4:20 : 20 Iudah and Israel were many, as the sand of the sea in number, eating, drinking, and making merry.
• 1 Chr 21:5 : 5 And Ioab gaue the nomber and summe of the people vnto Dauid: and all Israel were eleuen hundreth thousande men that drewe sword: and Iudah was foure hundreth and seuentie thousande men that drewe sword.
• 1 Chr 27:23 : 23 But Dauid tooke not the nober of them from twentie yeere olde and vnder, because the Lord had sayde that he would increase Israel like vnto the starres of the heauens.
• 2 Chr 17:14-18 : 14 And these are the nombers of them after the house of their fathers, In Iudah were captaines of thousands, Adnah the captaine, & with him of valiant men three hundreth thousande. 15 And at his hande Iehohanan a captaine, and with him two hundreth and fourescore thousande. 16 And at his hande Amasiah the sonne of Zichri, which willingly offered him selfe vnto the Lorde, and with him two hundreth thousand valiant men. 17 And of Beniamin, Eliada a valiant man, and with him armed men with bowe and shielde two hundreth thousand. 18 And at his hand Iehozabad, and with him an hundreth and fourescore thousand armed to the warre.
• Isa 48:18-19 : 18 Oh that thou haddest hearkened to my commaundements! then had thy prosperitie bene as the floude, and thy righteousnesse as the waues of the sea. 19 Thy seede also had beene as the sande, and the fruite of thy body like the grauell thereof: his name should not haue bene cut off nor destroied before me.
• Jer 33:22 : 22 As the army of heauen can not be nombred, neither the sand of the sea measured: so wil I multiplie the seede of Dauid my seruant, and the Leuites, that minister vnto me.
• Rom 4:16-18 : 16 Therefore it is by faith, that it might come by grace, and the promise might be sure to all the seede, not to that onely which is of the Lawe: but also to that which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of vs all, 17 (As it is written, I haue made thee a father of many nations) euen before God whom he beleeued, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those thinges which be not, as though they were. 18 Which Abraham aboue hope, beleeued vnder hope, that he should be the father of many nations: according to that which was spoken to him, So shall thy seede be.
• Heb 11:12 : 12 And therefore sprang there of one, euen of one which was dead, so many as the starres of the skie in multitude, and as the land of the sea shore which is innumerable.
• Rev 7:9 : 9 After these thinges I behelde, and loe a great multitude, which no man coulde number, of all nations and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stoode before the throne, and before the Lambe, clothed with long white robes, and palmes in their hands.
• Gen 12:2-3 : 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and will blesse thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing. 3 I will also blesse them that blesse thee, and curse them that curse thee, and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
• Gen 25:1-9 : 1 Nowe Abraham had taken him another wife called Keturah, 2 Which bare him Zimran, and Iokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. 3 And Iokshan begate Sheba, and Dedan: And the sonnes of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim. 4 Also the sonnes of Midian were Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, & Eldaah all these were the sonnes of Keturah. 5 And Abraham gaue all his goods to Izhak, 6 But vnto the sonnes of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gaue giftes, and sent them away from Izhak his sonne (while he yet liued) Eastward to the East countrey. 7 And this is the age of Abrahams life, which he liued, an hundreth seuentie & fiue yeere. 8 Then Abraham yeelded the spirit, and died in a good age, an olde man, and of great yeeres, & was gathered to his people. 9 And his sonnes, Izhak and Ishmael buryed him in the caue of Machpelah, in the fielde of Ephron sonne of Zohar the Hittite, before Mamre. 10 Which fielde Abraham bought of the Hittites, where Abraham was buryed with Sarah his wife. 11 And after the death of Abraham God blessed Izhak his sonne, and Izhak dwelt by Beer-lahai-roi. 12 Nowe these are the generations of Ishmael Abrahams sonne, whome Hagar the Egyptian Sarahs handmayde bare vnto Abraham. 13 And these are the names of the sonnes of Ishmael, name by name, according to their kinreds; the eldest sonne of Ishmael was Nebaioth, then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, 14 And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, 15 Hadar, and Tema, Ietur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16 These are the sonnes of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their townes and by their castles: to wit, twelue princes of their nations. 17 (And these are the yeeres of the life of Ishmael, an hundreth thirtie and seuen yeere, and he yeelded the spirit, and dyed, and was gathered vnto his people) 18 And they dwelt from Hauilah vnto Shur, that is towardes Egypt, as thou goest to Asshur. Ishmael dwelt in the presence of all his brethren. 19 Likewise these are the generations of Izhak Abrahams sonne Abraham begate Izhak, 20 And Izhak was fourtie yeere olde, when he tooke Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramite of Padan Aram, and sister to Laban the Aramite. 21 And Izhak prayed vuto the Lorde for his wife, because she was barren: and the Lord was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceiued, 22 But the children stroue together within her: therefore shee sayde, Seeing it is so, why am I thus? wherefore she went to aske the Lord. 23 And the Lord sayd to her, Two nations are in thy wombe, and two maner of people shalbe diuided out of thy bowels, and the one people shall be mightier then the other, and the elder shall serue the yonger. 24 Therefore when her time of deliuerance was fulfilled, behold, twinnes were in her wombe. 25 So he that came out first was red, and he was all ouer as a rough garment, and they called his name Esau. 26 And afterward came his brother out, and his hande helde Esau by the heele: therefore his name was called Iaakob. Nowe Izhak was threescore yeere olde when Rebekah bare them. 27 And the boyes grew, and Esau was a cunning hunter, and liued in the fields: but Iaakob was a plaine man, and dwelt in tentes. 28 And Izhak loued Esau, for venison was his meate, but Rebekah loued Iaakob. 29 Nowe Iaakob sod pottage, and Esau came from the fielde and was wearie. 30 Then Esau sayd to Iaakob, Let me eate, I pray thee, of that pottage so red, for I am wearie. Therefore was his name called Edom. 31 And Iaakob sayd, Sell me euen nowe thy birthright. 32 And Esau sayd, Lo, I am almost dead, what is then this birthright to me? 33 Iaakob then said, Sweare to me euen now; he sware to him, and solde his birthright vnto Iaakob. 34 Then Iaakob gaue Esau bread and pottage of lentiles: and he did eate and drinke, and rose vp, and went his way: So Esau contemned his birthright.
• Gen 26:4 : 4 Also I wil cause thy seede to multiply as the starres of heauen, and will giue vnto thy seede all these countreys: and in thy seede shall all the nanations of the earth be blessed,
• Gen 28:3 : 3 And God all sufficient blesse thee, and make thee to encrease, and multiplie thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people,
• Gen 17:6 : 6 Also I will make thee exceeding fruitfull, and will make nations of thee: yea, Kings shall proceede of thee.
• Gen 17:16 : 16 And I will blesse her, & will also giue thee a sonne of her, yea, I will blesse her, and she shall be the mother of nations: Kings also of people shall come of her.
• Gen 17:20 : 20 And as concerning Ishmael, I haue heard thee: loe, I haue blessed him, and will make him fruitfull, and will multiplie him exceedingly: twelue princes shall he beget, and I will make a great nation of him.
• Gen 18:18 : 18 Seeing that Abraham shalbe in deede a great and a mightie nation, and all the nations of the earth shalbe blessed in him?
• Gen 21:13 : 13 As for the sonne of the bond woman, I will make him a nation also, because he is thy seede.
• Gen 35:11 : 11 Againe God said vnto him, I am God all sufficient. growe, and multiplie. a nation and a multitude of nations shall spring of thee, and Kings shall come out of thy loynes.
• Gen 36:1-9 : 1 Nowe these are the generations of Esau, which is Edom. 2 Esau tooke his wiues of the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon an Hittite, & Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon an Hiuite, 3 And tooke Basemath Ishmaels daughter, sister of Nebaioth. 4 And Adah bare vnto Esau, Eliphaz: and Basemath bare Reuel. 5 Also Aholibamah bare Ieush, and Iaalam, and Korah: these are the sonnes of Esau which were borne to him in the land of Canaan. 6 So Esau tooke his wiues and his sonnes, and his daughters, & all the soules of his house, & his flocks, & all his cattell, & all his substance, which he had gotten in the land of Canaan, and went into an other countrey from his brother Iaakob. 7 For their riches were so great, that they could not dwell together, and the lande, wherein they were strangers, coulde not receiue them because of their flockes. 8 Therefore dwelt Esau in mount Seir: this Esau is Edom. 9 So these are the generations of Esau father of Edom in mount Seir. 10 These are the names of Esaus sonnes: Eliphaz, the sonne of Adah, the wife of Esau, & Reuel the sonne of Bashemath, the wife of Esau. 11 And the sonnes of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 And Timna was concubine to Eliphaz Esaus sonne, and bare vnto Eliphaz, Amalek: these be the sonnes of Adah Esaus wife. 13 And these are the sonnes of Reuel: Nahath, and Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah: these were the sonnes of Bashemath Esaus wife. 14 And these were the sonnes of Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, daughter of Zibeon Esaus wife: for she bare vnto Esau, Ieush, and Iaalam, and Korah. 15 These were Dukes of the sonnes of Esau: the sonnes of Eliphaz, the first borne of Esau: Duke Teman, Duke Omar, Duke Zepho, Duke Kenaz, 16 Duke Korah, Duke Gatam, Duke Amalek: these are the Dukes that came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom: these were the sonnes of Adah. 17 And these are the sonnes of Reuel Esaus sonne: Duke Nahath, Duke Zerah, Duke Shammah, Duke Mizzah: these are the Dukes that came of Reuel in the land of Edom: these are the sonnes of Bashemath Esaus wife. 18 Likewise these were the sonnes of Aholibamah Esaus wife: Duke Ieush, Duke Iaalam, Duke Korah: these Dukes came of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah Esaus wife. 19 These are the children of Esau, and these are the Dukes of them: This Esau is Edom. 20 These are the sonnes of Seir the Horite, which inhabited the lande before, Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah. 21 And Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan: these are the Dukes of the Horites, the sonnes of Seir in the land of Edom. 22 And the sonnes of Lotan were, Hori and Hemam, and Lotans sister was Timna. 23 And the sonnes of Shobal were these: Aluan, and Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. 24 And these are the sonnes of Zibeon: Both Aiah, and Anah: this was Anah that founde mules in the wildernesse, as he fedde his father Zibeons asses. 25 And the children of Anah were these: Dishon and Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah. 26 Also these are the sonnes of Dishan: Hemdan, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran. 27 The sonnes of Ezer are these: Bilhan, and Zaauan, and Akan. 28 The sonnes of Dishan are these: Vz, and Aran. 29 These are the Dukes of the Horites: Duke Lotan, Duke Shobal, Duke Zibeon, Duke Anah, 30 Duke Dishon, Duke Ezer, Duke Dishan: these bee the Dukes of the Horites, after their Dukedomes in the land of Seir. 31 And these are the Kings that reigned in the lande of Edom, before there reigned any King ouer the children of Israel. 32 Then Bela the sonne of Beor reigned in Edom, & the name of his citie was Dinhabah. 33 And when Bela dyed, Iobab the sonne of Zerah of Bozra reigned in his steade. 34 When Iobab also was dead, Husham of the land of Temani reigned in his steade. 35 And after the death of Husham, Hadad the sonne of Bedad, which slewe Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his steade, and the name of his citie was Auith. 36 When Hadad was dead, then Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his steade. 37 When Samlah was dead, Shaul of Rehoboth by the riuer, reigned in his steade. 38 When Shaul dyed, Baal-hanan the sonne of Achbor reigned in his steade. 39 And after the death of Baal-hanan the sonne of Achbor, Hadad reigned in his stead, and the name of his citie was Pau: and his wiues name Mehetabel the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. 40 Then these are the names of the Dukes of Esau according to their families, their places and by their names: Duke Timna, Duke Aluah, Duke Ietheth, 41 Duke Aholibamah, Duke Elah, Duke Pinon, 42 Duke Kenaz, Duke Teman, Duke Mibzar, 43 Duke Magdiel, Duke Iram: these bee the Dukes of Edom, according to their habitations, in the lande of their inheritance. This Esau is the father of Edom.
• Gen 46:3 : 3 Then hee sayde, I am God, the God of thy father, feare not to goe downe into Egypt: for I will there make of thee a great nation.
• Exod 1:7 : 7 And the children of Israel brought foorth fruite and encreased in aboundance, and were multiplied, and were exceeding mightie, so that the land was full of them.
• Exod 32:13 : 13 Remember Abraham, Izhak, and Israel thy seruants, to whom thou swarest by thine owne selfe, and saydest vnto them, I wil multiply your seede, as the starres of the heauen, & all this land, that I haue spoken of, wil I giue vnto your seede, and they shal inherit it for euer.
• Deut 1:10 : 10 The Lord your God hath multiplied you: and beholde, ye are this day as the starres of heauen in nomber:
• Judg 6:3 : 3 When Israel had sowen, then came vp the Midianites, the Amalekites, & they of the East, and came vpon them,
• Judg 6:5 : 5 For they went vp, and their cattel, & came with their tentes as grashoppers in multitude: so that they & their camels were without number: and they came into the land to destroy it.