Reference: HYPERBOLE
Watsons
HYPERBOLE. This figure, in its representation of things or objects, either magnifies or diminishes them beyond or below their proper limits: it is common in all languages, and is of frequent occurrence in the Scriptures. Thus, things which are lofty are said to reach up to heaven, De 1:28; 9:1; Ps 107:26. So things which are beyond the reach or capacity of man are said to be in "heaven," in the "deep," or "beyond the sea," De 30:12; Ro 10:6-7. So a great quantity or number is commonly expressed by the "sand of the sea," the "dust of the earth," and the "stars of heaven," Ge 13:16; 41:49; Jg 7:12; 1Sa 13:5; 1Ki 4:29; 2Ch 1:9; Jer 15:8; Heb 11:12. In like manner we meet with "smaller than grasshoppers," Nu 13:33, to denote extreme diminutiveness; "swifter than eagles," 2Sa 1:23, to intimate extreme celerity; the "earth trembled," the "mountains melted," Jg 5:4-5; the "earth rent," 1Ki 1:40. "I make my bed to swim;" "rivers of tears run down mine eyes." So we read of "angels' food," Ps 6:6; 119:136; 78:25; the "face of an angel," Ac 6:15; and the "tongue of an angel," 1Co 13:1. See also Ga 1:8; 4:14. We read "sigh with the breaking of thy loins," Eze 21:6, that is, most deeply. So we read that "the stones would cry out," and "they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another," Lu 19:40,44; that is, there shall be a total desolation.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
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.
And Joseph laid up grain as the sand of the sea, very much, until he left off numbering, for it was without number.
And we saw there the Nephilim, the sons of Anak, who come of the Nephilim. And we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
Where are we going up? Our brothers have made our heart to melt, saying, The people are greater and taller than we. The cities are great and fortified up to heaven, and moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakim there.
Hear, O Israel: Thou are to pass over the Jordan this day, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than thyself, cities great and fortified up to heaven,
It is not in heaven, that thou should say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it to us, and make us to hear it, that we may do it?
LORD, when thou went forth out of Seir, when thou marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the heavens also dropped, yea, the clouds dropped water. The mountains quaked at the presence of LORD, even yon Sinai at the presence of LORD, the God of Israel.
And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons of the east lay along in the valley like locusts for multitude, and their camels were without number, as the sand which is upon the sea-shore for multitude.
Saul and Jonathan, men who were loved and pleasant, undivided; comely in their lives, and undivided in their death; swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
And all the people came up after him, and the people piped with pipes, and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth rent with the sound of them.
I am weary with my groaning. Every night I make my bed to swim. I water my couch with my tears.
Man ate the bread of the mighty. He sent them food to the full.
They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths. Their soul melts away because of trouble.
With my lips I have declared all the ordinances of thy mouth.
Their widows have increased to me above the sand of the seas. I have brought upon them, against the mother of the young men, a destroyer at noonday. I have caused anguish and terrors to fall upon her suddenly.
Sigh therefore, thou son of man. With the breaking of thy loins and with bitterness thou shall sigh before their eyes.
And having answered, he said to them, I tell you that if these were silent, the stones would cry out.
And they will raze thee and thy children within thee. And they will not leave in thee a stone upon a stone, because thou knew not the time of thy visitation.
And all who sat in the council, having gazed upon him, saw his face like a face of a heavenly agent.
But the righteousness from faith says thus: Thou should not say in thy heart, Who will ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down) or, Who will descend into the abyss? (That is, to bring Christ up from the dead).
If I speak with the tongues of men and of heavenly agents, but have not love, I have become sounding brass, or a clashing cymbal.
But even if we, or an agent from heaven, should preach a good-news to you contrary to what we preached to you, let him be accursed.
And ye did not disdain, nor did ye reject my trial in my flesh, but ye received me as an agent of God, as Christ Jesus.
And therefore from one man, and these things having become deadened, were begotten as the stars of the heaven for multitude, and as the sand of the seashore, countless.