Genesis 13:16

KJV1611 – Modern English

And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also shall be numbered.

📖 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

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust of the earth, your descendants could also be counted.

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And I will make{H7760} thy seed{H2233} as the dust{H6083} of the earth:{H776} so that{H834} if a man{H376} can{H3201} number{H4487} the dust{H6083} of the earth,{H776} then may thy seed{H2233} also be numbered.{H4487}

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And I will make{H7760}{(H8804)} thy seed{H2233} as the dust{H6083} of the earth{H776}: so that{H834} if a man{H376} can{H3201}{(H8799)} number{H4487}{(H8800)} the dust{H6083} of the earth{H776}, then shall thy seed{H2233} also be numbered{H4487}{(H8735)}.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And I wyll make thy seed as the dust of the erth: so that yf a ma can nombre the dust of the erth than shall thy seed also be nombred.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  and wyll make thy sede as the dust of the earth: so that yf a man can nombre the dust of the earth, he shall nombre thy sede also.

• 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.

• 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.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  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.

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then your seed may also be numbered.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And I have set thy seed as dust of the earth, so that, if one is able to number the dust of the earth, even thy seed is numbered;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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 may thy seed also be numbered.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  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 may thy seed also be numbered.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And I will make your children like the dust of the earth, so that if the dust of the earth may be numbered, then will your children be numbered.

• World English Bible (2000)

  I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then your seed may also be numbered.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  And I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone is able to count the dust of the earth, then your descendants also can be counted.

Referenced Verses

• Gen 28:14 : 14 And your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in you and in your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
• Num 23:10 : 10 Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of one-fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my end be like his!
• Gen 32:12 : 12 And you said, I will surely do you good, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.
• Gen 15:5 : 5 And 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 offspring be.
• Gen 22:17 : 17 That in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies;
• 1 Kgs 3:8 : 8 And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered or counted for multitude.
• 1 Kgs 4:20 : 20 Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea in numbers, eating and drinking and rejoicing.
• 1 Chr 21:5 : 5 And Joab gave the total of the people to David. And all Israel were a million one hundred thousand men who drew sword: and Judah was four hundred and seventy thousand men who drew sword.
• 1 Chr 27:23 : 23 But David did not count those twenty years old and under, because the LORD had said he would increase Israel like the stars of the heavens.
• 2 Chr 17:14-18 : 14 And these are their numbers according to the houses of their fathers: Of Judah, the captains of thousands; Adnah the chief, and with him mighty men of valor three hundred thousand. 15 And next to him was Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and eighty thousand. 16 And beside him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself to the LORD; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valor. 17 And of Benjamin; Eliada a mighty man of valor, and with him two hundred thousand armed men with bows and shields. 18 And beside him was Jehozabad, and with him one hundred and eighty thousand ready prepared for war.
• Isa 48:18-19 : 18 Oh that you had listened to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea. 19 Your descendants also would have been like the sand, and the offspring of your body like its gravel; his name would not have been cut off nor destroyed from before me.
• Jer 33:22 : 22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the descendants of David my servant, and the Levites that minister to me.
• Rom 4:16-18 : 16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end that the promise might be sure to all the descendants; not to those only who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, 17 As it is written, I have made you a father of many nations, before him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead, and calls those things which do not exist as though they did. 18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, So shall your descendants be.
• Heb 11:12 : 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the seashore innumerable.
• Rev 7:9 : 9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could number, of all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and languages, stood before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palm branches in their hands;
• Gen 12:2-3 : 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing: 3 And I will bless those who bless you, and curse him who curses you: and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed.
• Gen 25:1-9 : 1 Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah. 2 And she bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3 And Jokshan begot Sheba and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4 And the sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. 5 And Abraham gave all that he had to Isaac. 6 But to the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts and sent them away from his son Isaac, while he yet lived, eastward, to the east country. 7 These are the days of the years of Abraham's life which he lived: a hundred and seventy-five years. 8 Then Abraham gave up the spirit and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. 9 And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre; 10 The field which Abraham purchased from the sons of Heth. There Abraham was buried, and Sarah his wife. 11 And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac, and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahai Roi. 12 Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bore to Abraham: 13 And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; then Kedar, Adbeel, and Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, and Massa, 15 Hadar, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations. 17 These are the years of the life of Ishmael: a hundred and thirty-seven years. He gave up the spirit and died, and was gathered to his people. 18 And they dwelt from Havilah to Shur, which is before Egypt, as you go toward Assyria; and he died in the presence of all his brothers. 19 And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son. Abraham begot Isaac. 20 Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah to wife, the daughter of Bethuel the Syrian from Padan Aram, the sister to Laban the Syrian. 21 And Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And the LORD was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it is so, why am I this way? So she went to inquire of the LORD. 23 And the LORD said to her, Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples shall be separated from your body; and one people shall be stronger than the other, and the older shall serve the younger. 24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 And the first came out red, all over like a hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. 26 And after that his brother came out, and his hand took hold of Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob. And Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them. 27 And the boys grew; and Esau was a skilled hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a simple man, dwelling in tents. 28 And Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29 And Jacob boiled stew, and Esau came from the field, and he was faint. 30 And Esau said to Jacob, Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am faint. Therefore his name was called Edom. 31 And Jacob said, Sell me your birthright as of this day. 32 And Esau said, Behold, I am about to die; and what profit shall this birthright be to me? 33 And Jacob said, Swear to me as of this day; and he swore unto him, and he sold his birthright to Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew; and he ate and drank, and rose up and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.
• Gen 26:4 : 4 And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give to your descendants all these countries; and in your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;
• Gen 28:3 : 3 And God Almighty bless you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, that you may be a multitude of people;
• Gen 17:6 : 6 And I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.
• Gen 17:16 : 16 And I will bless her and give you a son also by her; yes, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall come from her.
• Gen 17:20 : 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes he shall beget, and I will make him a great nation.
• Gen 18:18 : 18 Since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
• Gen 21:13 : 13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is your seed.
• Gen 35:11 : 11 And God said to him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be from you, and kings shall come from your body;
• Gen 36:1-9 : 1 Now these are the descendants of Esau, who is Edom. 2 Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite; 3 And Basemath, Ishmael's daughter, sister of Nebajoth. 4 And Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau; and Basemath bore Reuel; 5 And Aholibamah bore Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah: these are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan. 6 And Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, all the persons of his house, and his livestock, all his animals, and all his possessions, which he had obtained in the land of Canaan; and he went into another land away from his brother Jacob. 7 For their riches were too great for them to live together; and the land where they were strangers could not support them because of their livestock. 8 Thus Esau dwelt in the mountain of Seir. Esau is Edom. 9 These are the descendants of Esau, the father of the Edomites in the mountain of Seir: 10 These are the names of Esau's sons: Eliphaz the son of Adah, the wife of Esau, and Reuel the son of Basemath, the wife of Esau. 11 The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 And Timna was a concubine to Eliphaz, Esau's son; and she bore Amalek to Eliphaz: these are the sons of Adah, Esau's wife. 13 These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah: these are the sons of Basemath, Esau's wife. 14 These are the sons of Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon, Esau's wife: and she bore to Esau Jeush, Jaalam, and Korah. 15 These were the chiefs of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn of Esau: chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz, 16 Chief Korah, chief Gatam, and chief Amalek: these are the chiefs that came from Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Adah. 17 These are the sons of Reuel, Esau's son: chief Nahath, chief Zerah, chief Shammah, chief Mizzah: these are the chiefs that came from Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the sons of Basemath, Esau's wife. 18 These are the sons of Aholibamah, Esau's wife: chief Jeush, chief Jaalam, chief Korah: these are the chiefs that came from Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah, Esau's wife. 19 These are the sons of Esau, who is Edom, and these are their chiefs. 20 These are the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, 21 And Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan: these are the chiefs of the Horites, the children of Seir in the land of Edom. 22 The children of Lotan were Hori and Hemam; Lotan's sister was Timna. 23 The children of Shobal were these: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. 24 These are the children of Zibeon: both Ajah and Anah. This is the Anah who found the waters in the wilderness as he shepherded the donkeys of Zibeon his father. 25 The children of Anah were these: Dishon and Aholibamah, the daughter of Anah. 26 These are the children of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. 27 The children of Ezer are these: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. 28 The children of Dishan are these: Uz and Aran. 29 These are the chiefs that came from the Horites: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah, 30 Chief Dishon, chief Ezer, chief Dishan: these are the chiefs that came from the Horites, among their chiefs in the land of Seir. 31 These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the children of Israel. 32 Bela the son of Beor reigned in Edom, and the name of his city was Dinhabah. 33 And Bela died, and Jobab the son of Zerah from Bozrah reigned in his place. 34 And Jobab died, and Husham from the land of the Temanites reigned in his place. 35 And Husham died, and Hadad the son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his place: and the name of his city was Avith. 36 And Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his place. 37 And Samlah died, and Shaul from Rehoboth by the river reigned in his place. 38 And Shaul died, and Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor reigned in his place. 39 And Baal-Hanan the son of Achbor died, and Hadar reigned in his place, and the name of his city was Pau; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab. 40 These are the names of the chiefs that came from Esau, according to their families, after their places, by their names: chief Timnah, chief Alvah, chief Jetheth, 41 Chief Aholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, 42 Chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, 43 Chief Magdiel, chief Iram: these are the chiefs of Edom, according to their settlements in the land of their possession: Esau is the father of the Edomites.
• Gen 46:3 : 3 And He said, I am God, the God of your father; do not fear to go down into Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there.
• Exod 1:7 : 7 And the children of Israel were fruitful and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and became exceedingly mighty; and the land was filled with them.
• Exod 32:13 : 13 Remember 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 will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.'"
• Deut 1:10 : 10 The LORD your God has multiplied you, and, behold, you are today as the stars of heaven in multitude.
• Judg 6:3 : 3 And so it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites came up, and the Amalekites, and the children of the east, even they came up against them;
• Judg 6:5 : 5 For they came up with their cattle and their tents, and they came as locusts in multitude; for both they and their camels were without number, and they entered into the land to destroy it.