Genesis 28:14
New International Version
Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.

New Living Translation
Your descendants will be as numerous as the dust of the earth! They will spread out in all directions—to the west and the east, to the north and the south. And all the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants.

English Standard Version
Your offspring shall be like 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 your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

Berean Standard Bible
Your 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.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

New American Standard Bible
Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out 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.

NASB 1995
“Your descendants will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out 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.

NASB 1977
“Your descendants shall also be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread out 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.

Legacy Standard Bible
And your seed will also be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

Amplified Bible
Your descendants shall be as [countless as] the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and the east and the north and the south; and all the families (nations) of the earth shall be blessed through you and your descendants.

Christian Standard Bible
Your offspring will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out toward the west, the east, the north, and the south. All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Your offspring will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out toward the west, the east, the north, and the south. All the peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
Your descendants will spread over the earth in all directions and will become as numerous as the specks of dust. Your family will be a blessing to all people.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Your descendants will be like the dust on the earth. You will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. Through you and through your descendant every family on earth will be blessed.

Good News Translation
They will be as numerous as the specks of dust on the earth. They will extend their territory in all directions, and through you and your descendants I will bless all the nations.

International Standard Version
Your descendants are going to become like the dust of the earth and spread out to the west, east, north, and south. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your descendants.

Majority Standard Bible
Your 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.

NET Bible
Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west, east, north, and south. All the families of the earth will pronounce blessings on one another using your name and that of your descendants.

New Heart English Bible
Your descendants will be as the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. And through you and through your descendants will all the families of the earth be blessed.

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
Your offspring will be as the dust of the earth, and you will spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south. In you and in your offspring, all the families of the earth will be blessed.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and your seed has been as the dust of the land, and you have broken forth westward, and eastward, and northward, and southward, and all families of the ground have been blessed in you and in your seed.

Young's Literal Translation
and thy seed hath been as the dust of the land, and thou hast broken forth westward, and eastward, and northward, and southward, and all families of the ground have been blessed in thee and in thy seed.

Smith's Literal Translation
And thy seed was as the dust of the earth, And thou didst spread abroad to the sea and east, and north, and south: and in thee shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed, and in thy seed.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth: thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and IN THEE and thy seed all the tribes of the earth SHALL BE BLESSED.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And your offspring will be like the dust of the earth. You will spread abroad to the West, and to the East, and to the North, and to the Meridian. And in you and in your offspring, all the tribes of the earth shall be blessed.

New American Bible
Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and through them you will spread to the west and the east, to the north and the south. In you and your descendants all the families of the earth will find blessing.

New Revised Standard Version
and your offspring shall be like 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 all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And your descendants shall be as numerous as the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the east and to the west and to the north and to the south; and in you and through your descendants shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And your seed will be as the dust of the Earth and you will multiply to the East and to the West and to the North and to the South, and in you and in your seed all the generations of the Earth will be blessed.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And thy seed shall be as the sand of the earth; and it shall spread abroad to the sea, and the south, and the north, and to the east; and in thee and in thy seed shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jacob's Ladder
13And there at the top the LORD was standing and saying, “I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you now lie. 14Your 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. 15Look, I am with you, and I will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”…

Cross References
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.”

Genesis 22:17-18
I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies. / And through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.”

Genesis 26:4
I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed,

Genesis 35:11-12
And God told him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation—even a company of nations—shall come from you, and kings shall descend from you. / 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.”

Genesis 49:10
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his.

Exodus 32:13
Remember Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, to whom You swore by Your very self when You declared, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give your descendants all this land that I have promised, and it shall be their inheritance forever.’”

Deuteronomy 1:10
The LORD your God has multiplied you, so that today you are as numerous as the stars in the sky.

Deuteronomy 28:64
Then the LORD will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will worship other gods, gods of wood and stone, which neither you nor your fathers have known.

1 Kings 4:20
The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand on the seashore, and they were eating and drinking and rejoicing.

Psalm 72:17
May his name endure forever; may his name continue as long as the sun shines. In him may all nations be blessed; may they call him blessed.

Isaiah 2:2-3
In the last days the mountain of the house of the LORD will be established as the chief of the mountains; it will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. / And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

Isaiah 49:6
He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.”

Jeremiah 33:22
As the hosts of heaven cannot be counted and as the sand on the seashore cannot be measured, so too will I multiply the descendants of My servant David and the Levites who minister before Me.”

Hosea 1:10
Yet the number of the Israelites will be like the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or counted. And it will happen that in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’

Zechariah 8:13
As you have been a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid; let your hands be strong.”


Treasury of Scripture

And your seed 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 seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

thy seed.

Genesis 13:16
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.

Genesis 32:12
And thou saidst, I will surely do thee good, and make thy seed as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.

Genesis 35:11,12
And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; …

spread abroad.

Genesis 13:14
And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:

Deuteronomy 12:20
When the LORD thy God shall enlarge thy border, as he hath promised thee, and thou shalt say, I will eat flesh, because thy soul longeth to eat flesh; thou mayest eat flesh, whatsoever thy soul lusteth after.

Matthew 8:11
And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

and in thee.

Genesis 12:3
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

Genesis 18:18
Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

Genesis 22:18
And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

Jump to Previous
Abroad Bless Blessed Blessing Broken Covering Descendants Dust Earth East Eastward Families Forth Ground North Northward Offspring Peoples Seed South Southward Spread Themselves West Westward
Jump to Next
Abroad Bless Blessed Blessing Broken Covering Descendants Dust Earth East Eastward Families Forth Ground North Northward Offspring Peoples Seed South Southward Spread Themselves West Westward
Genesis 28
1. Isaac blesses Jacob, and sends him to Padan-aram.
6. Esau marries Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael.
10. Jacob journeys, and has a vision of a ladder.
18. The stone of Bethel.
20. Jacob's vow.














Your descendants
The Hebrew word for "descendants" is "zera," which means seed. This term is often used in the Old Testament to denote not just physical offspring but also spiritual heirs. In the context of Jacob's dream, it signifies the continuation of God's covenant promise to Abraham, emphasizing the importance of lineage and the perpetuation of faith through generations.

will be like the dust of the earth
The imagery of "dust of the earth" is a powerful metaphor for innumerability and omnipresence. Dust is everywhere, and it is impossible to count. This phrase echoes God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 13:16, reinforcing the idea of a vast, uncountable multitude of descendants. It signifies not only numerical growth but also the pervasive influence of Jacob's lineage throughout the world.

and you will spread out
The Hebrew verb "parats" means to break through or burst forth. This suggests a dynamic expansion, indicating that Jacob's descendants will not be confined to one area but will grow and influence far beyond their initial boundaries. It implies a divine empowerment and blessing that enables growth and influence.

to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south
This phrase indicates a comprehensive expansion in all directions, symbolizing the universal scope of God's promise. It suggests that the influence of Jacob's descendants will be global, reaching every corner of the earth. This aligns with the Great Commission in the New Testament, where the message of Christ is to be spread to all nations.

All the families of the earth
The term "families" here is "mishpachot" in Hebrew, which can refer to clans or tribes. This phrase underscores the universal nature of the blessing promised to Jacob. It is not limited to a single nation or ethnic group but extends to all humanity, highlighting the inclusive nature of God's covenant.

will be blessed through you and your offspring
The blessing mentioned here is a continuation of the Abrahamic covenant, where God promised that through Abraham's seed, all nations would be blessed (Genesis 12:3). This is ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ, a descendant of Jacob, through whom salvation and blessing are offered to all people. It emphasizes the redemptive plan of God that transcends national and ethnic boundaries, offering hope and blessing to the entire world.

Verse 14. - And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, - promised to Abraham, Genesis 13:16; to Isaac, under a different emblem, Genesis 26:4 - and thou shalt spread abroad (literally, break forth) to the west, and to the east, to the north, and to the south: - (cf. Genesis 13:14; Deuteronomy 12:20). In its ultimate significance this points to the world-wide universality of the kingdom of Christ (Murphy) - and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed (vide Genesis 12:3; Genesis 18:18; Genesis 22:18 (Abraham); 26:4 (Isaac).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Your descendants
זַרְעֲךָ֙ (zar·‘ă·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2233: Seed, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity

will be
וְהָיָ֤ה (wə·hā·yāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1961: To fall out, come to pass, become, be

like the dust
כַּעֲפַ֣ר (ka·‘ă·p̄ar)
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6083: Dust, clay, earth, mud

of the earth,
הָאָ֔רֶץ (hā·’ā·reṣ)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 776: Earth, land

and you will spread out
וּפָרַצְתָּ֛ (ū·p̄ā·raṣ·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 6555: To break through

to the west
יָ֥מָּה (yām·māh)
Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 3220: A sea, the Mediterranean Sea, large river, an artifical basin

and east
וָקֵ֖דְמָה (wā·qê·ḏə·māh)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb | third person feminine singular
Strong's 6924: The front, of place, time

and north
וְצָפֹ֣נָה (wə·ṣā·p̄ō·nāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 6828: Hidden, dark, the north as a, quarter

and south.
וָנֶ֑גְבָּה (wā·neḡ·bāh)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 5045: South country, the Negeb, south

All
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

the families
מִשְׁפְּחֹ֥ת (miš·pə·ḥōṯ)
Noun - feminine plural construct
Strong's 4940: A family, circle of relatives, a class, a species, sort, a tribe, people

of the earth
הָאֲדָמָ֖ה (hā·’ă·ḏā·māh)
Article | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 127: Ground, land

will be blessed
וְנִבְרֲכ֥וּ (wə·niḇ·ră·ḵū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 1288: To kneel, to bless God, man, to curse

through you
בְךָ֛ (ḇə·ḵā)
Preposition | second person masculine singular
Strong's Hebrew

and your offspring.
וּבְזַרְעֶֽךָ׃ (ū·ḇə·zar·‘e·ḵā)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 2233: Seed, fruit, plant, sowing-time, posterity


Links
Genesis 28:14 NIV
Genesis 28:14 NLT
Genesis 28:14 ESV
Genesis 28:14 NASB
Genesis 28:14 KJV

Genesis 28:14 BibleApps.com
Genesis 28:14 Biblia Paralela
Genesis 28:14 Chinese Bible
Genesis 28:14 French Bible
Genesis 28:14 Catholic Bible

OT Law: Genesis 28:14 Your seed will be as the dust (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 28:13
Top of Page
Top of Page