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 made thy seed as the dust of the earth, that if a man shall be able to reckon up the dust of the earth, thy seed also shall be reckoned up.
And Joseph will gather grain as the sand of the sea, exceedingly much that he ceased to number; for there was no numbering.
And there we saw the giants, sons of Anak, from the giants: and we were in our eyes as the locusts, and so were we in their eyes.
Whither are we going up? our brethren melted our heart, saying, A people great and high above us; cities great and fortified to the heavens; and also, the sons of the Anakims, we saw there.
Hear, Israel: Thou passest this day over Jordan to go to possess nations great and strong above thee; cities great and fortified to the heavens:
It is not in the heavens to say, Who shall go up for us to the heavens to take it to us and cause us to hear it and do it?
Jehovah, in thy going forth from Seir, In thy ascending from the field of Edom, The earth trembled, the heavens also dropped, Also the clouds dropped water. The mountains flowed from before Jehovah, This Sinai from before Jehovah, the God of Israel
And Midain and Amalek, and all the sons of the east, encamping in the valley, as the locust for multiude; and to their camels no number, as the sand which is upon the lip of the sea for multitude.
Saul and Jonathan beloved and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not separated: they were swift above eagles, they were strong above lions.
And all the people will go up after him, and the people piping with pipes and rejoicing with great joy, and the earth will break forth with their voice.
I was wearied with my sighing all the night I shall make my bed to swim with my tears; I shall make my couch to flow.
Man ate the bread of the strong: he sent to them provision to fulness.
They will go up to the heavens, they will go down to the depths: their soul will be melted with evil.
With my lips I recounted all the judgments of thy mouth.
Their widows were many to me above the sand of the seas: I brought to them against the mother a young man laying waste at noon: I caused to fall upon her suddenly wrath and terror.
And thou son of man, sigh with the breaking of the loins; and with bitterness thou shalt sigh before their eyes.
And having answered, he said to them, I say to you that if these should be silent, the stones shall cry out.
And they shall level thee with the ground, and thy children in thee; they shall not leave in thee stone upon stone; because thou knewest not the time of thine inspection.
And all they sitting in the council, having looked intently upon him, saw his face as the face of a messenger.
And the justice of faith says thus, Thou shouldest not say in thy heart, Who shall go up to heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down:) Or, Who shall go down to the abyss? (that is, to bring up Christ from the dead.)
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I have been the brass of echoes, and the shouting cymbal.
But also if we, or a messenger from heaven, announce good news to you, more than what: we have announced to you, let him be anathema.
And my temptation in my flesh, ye counted not as nothing, nor spurned; but as an angel of God ye received me, as Christ Jesus.
Wherefore also from one were they born, and these of him having been dead, as the stars of heaven for multitude, and as the sand near the lip of the sea innumerable.