Genesis 28:14
in Genesis 28Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and east and north and south. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
and thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
KJV
And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
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This verse in Genesis 28
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThy seed shall be as the dust - The people that shall descend from thee shall be extremely numerous, and in thee and thy seed - the Lord Jesus descending from thee, according to the flesh, shall all the families of the earth - not only all of thy race, but all the other families or tribes of mankind which have not proceeded from any branch of the Abrahamic family, be blessed; for Jesus Christ by the grace of God tasted death For Every Man, Heb 2:9.
This site's exposition
the land on which you now lie
on Genesis 28:13-14
The LORD stands at the top and speaks the covenant to Jacob himself. Jacob is the third generation to hear the same three things: the land, descendants past counting, and all the families of the earth blessed through him. Abram heard it at 12:1 to 3 and Isaac at 26:3 and 4. No condition is attached.
This site's exposition
like the dust of the earth
The dust and the four directions both come from 13:14 to 16, spoken to Abram after Lot left. Adam Clarke reads all the families of the earth as reaching beyond Abraham's own line to every tribe, blessed through Christ, who descended from Jacob. Jacob is alone and landless as he hears it.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
In thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed - Christ is the great blessing of the world: all that are blessed, whatever family they are of, are blessed in him, and none of any family are excluded from blessedness in him, but those that exclude themselves.
And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth,....
In general, God intimated to him that he would be the same to him that he had been to Abraham and Isaac. Those that tread in the steps of their godly parents are interested in their covenant and entitled to their privileges.
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהָיָ֤ה | vehayah | and it will be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| זַרְעֲךָ֙ | zarakha | offspring your | H2233 → | 229 times |
| כַּעֲפַ֣ר | kaafar | like [the] dust of | H6083 → | 110 times |
| הָאָ֔רֶץ | haaretz | the earth | H776 → | 2504 times |
| וּפָרַצְתָּ֛ | ufaratzta | and you will spread out | H6555 → | 49 times |
| יָ֥מָּה | yamah | west -ward | H3220 → | 396 times |
| וָקֵ֖דְמָה | vakedemah | and east -ward | H6924 → | 87 times |
| וְצָפֹ֣נָה | vetzafonah | and north -ward | H6828 → | |
| וָנֶ֑גְבָּה | vanegbah | and south -ward | H5045 → | 112 times |
| וְנִבְרֲכ֥וּ | venivrakhu | and they will be blessed | H1288 → | 330 times |
| בְךָ֛ | vekha | by <the> you | ||
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת | mishpechot | [the] clans of | H4940 → | 303 times |
| הָאֲדָמָ֖ה | haadamah | the earth | H127 → | 225 times |
| וּבְזַרְעֶֽךָ׃ | uvezarekha | and by offspring your | H2233 → | 229 times |
וְהָיָ֤הand it will be
vehayahH1961 →3559 times
זַרְעֲךָ֙offspring your
zarakhaH2233 →229 times
כַּעֲפַ֣רlike [the] dust of
kaafarH6083 →110 times
הָאָ֔רֶץthe earth
haaretzH776 →2504 times
וּפָרַצְתָּ֛and you will spread out
ufaratztaH6555 →49 times
יָ֥מָּהwest -ward
yamahH3220 →396 times
וָקֵ֖דְמָהand east -ward
vakedemahH6924 →87 times
וְצָפֹ֣נָהand north -ward
vetzafonahH6828 →
וָנֶ֑גְבָּהand south -ward
vanegbahH5045 →112 times
וְנִבְרֲכ֥וּand they will be blessed
venivrakhuH1288 →330 times
בְךָ֛by <the> you
vekha
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת[the] clans of
mishpechotH4940 →303 times
הָאֲדָמָ֖הthe earth
haadamahH127 →225 times
וּבְזַרְעֶֽךָ׃and by offspring your
uvezarekhaH2233 →229 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 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 12:3I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
it leads to
- Galatians 3:8
The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 22:18
And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 27:29
May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you be the master of your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you…
- Acts 3:25–26
And you are sons of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers when He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.’
- Numbers 24:9
He crouches, he lies down like a lion; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you.”
- Galatians 3:8
Through
Genesis 22:18And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”
it leads to
- Acts 3:25
And you are sons of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers when He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.’
- Galatians 3:16
The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.
- Genesis 12:3
I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
- Acts 3:25
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
On this chapter
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Calvin, Commentary on Genesis; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.