Genesis 13:17
in Genesis 13Get up and walk around the land, through its length and breadth, for I will give it to you.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for unto thee will I give it.
KJV
Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee.
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This verse in Genesis 13
Commentary
7 notes on this verseGod bade him walk through the land, that is, "Do not think of fixing in it, but expect to be always unsettled, and walking through it to a better Canaan:" in compliance with God's will herein, he removes his tent, confirming himself to the condition of a pilgrim.
This site's exposition
like the dust of the earth
on Genesis 13:16-17
The offspring are measured three times in Abraham's story, dust here, the stars at 15:5, and the sand on the seashore at 22:17. Then he is told to get up and walk the land through its length and breadth, which was how a man took possession of ground in that world. Hebrews 11:13 says the patriarchs died in faith without receiving what was promised. The land is given by word first.
This site's exposition
walk around the land, through its length and breadth
Henry reads the command to walk around the land in two ways, to see the land for himself and to live in it as one who has no fixed place there. Abram moved his tent at once. He walked the land through its length and breadth and owned none of it.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
To thee, that is, to thy seed. The granting of it to him and his for ever intimates that it was typical of the heavenly Canaan, which is given to the spiritual seed of Abram for ever, Heb. xi.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
Enter, and take possession, survey the parcels, and it will appear better than upon a distant prospect." Note, God is willing more abundantly to show to the heirs of promise the immutability of his covenant, and the inestimable worth of covenant blessings.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
Arise, walk through the land,....
God bade him walk through the land, that is, "Do not think of fixing in it, but expect to be always unsettled, and walking through it to a better Canaan:" in compliance with God's will herein, he removes his tent, confirming himself to the condition of a pilgrim.
The words behind it
8 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ק֚וּם | kum | arise | H6965 → | 628 times |
| הִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְ | hithalekh | walk about | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| בָּאָ֔רֶץ | baaretz | in the land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| לְאָרְכָּ֖הּ | learekah | to length its | H753 → | |
| וּלְרָחְבָּ֑הּ | ulerachebah | and to breadth its | H7341 → | |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לְךָ֖ | lekha | to <the> you | ||
| אֶתְּנֶֽנָּה׃ | ʾettenenah | I will give it | H5414 → | 2011 times |
ק֚וּםarise
kumH6965 →628 times
הִתְהַלֵּ֣ךְwalk about
hithalekhH1980 →1546 times
בָּאָ֔רֶץin the land
baaretzH776 →2504 times
לְאָרְכָּ֖הּto length its
learekahH753 →
וּלְרָחְבָּ֑הּand to breadth its
ulerachebahH7341 →
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
לְךָ֖to <the> you
lekha
אֶתְּנֶֽנָּה׃I will give it
ʾettenenahH5414 →2011 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 13:15for all the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever.
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 20:7
Our God, did You not drive out the inhabitants of this land before Your people Israel and give it forever to the descendants of Abraham Your friend?
- Genesis 15:18
On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—
- Genesis 12:7
Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your offspring.” So Abram built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
- Acts 7:5
He gave him no inheritance here, not even a foot of ground. But God promised to give possession of the land to Abraham and his descendants, even though he did not yet have a…
- Genesis 35:12
The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give this land to your descendants after you.”
- 2 Chronicles 20:7
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.