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 your seed as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can count the dust of the earth, then shall your seed also be counted.
And Joseph gathered grain like the sand of the sea, very much, until he quit numbering it; for it was without number.
And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, of the giants. And we were in our own sight like grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
Where shall we go up? Our brothers have broken our heart, saying, We have seen there a people greater and taller than we are. The cities are great and walled up to the heavens, also the sons of the giants.
Hear, O, Israel! You are to pass over Jordan today, to go in to expel nations greater and mightier than you, cities great and fenced up to heaven,
It is not in Heaven, that you should say, Who shall go up for us to Heaven, and bring it to us, so that we may hear it and do it?
Jehovah, when You went out of Seir, when You marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled and the heavens dropped, the clouds also dropped water. The mountains quaked from before Jehovah, even that Sinai from before Jehovah, 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 without number, like the sand by the seaside for multitude.
Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided. They were 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 was torn with their sound.
I am weary in my groaning; all the night I make my bed swim; I melt my couch with my tears.
Man ate the food of the mighty; He sent them meat to the full.
They mount up to the heavens, they go down again to the depths; their soul is melted because of trouble.
With my lips I have declared all the judgments of Your mouth.
Their widows are more numerous about Me than the sand of the seas; I have brought on them, against a mother of a young man, a ravager at noonday; I have caused anguish and terror to fall on her suddenly.
And you, son of man, groan with the breaking of your loins; and groan with bitterness before their eyes.
And He answered and said to them, I tell you that if these should be silent, the stones would cry out.
And they will tear you down, and your children within you, and will not leave a stone on a stone because you did not know the time of your visitation.
And looking intently at him. all those sitting in the sanhedrin saw his face as if it were the face of an angel.
But the righteousness of faith says this: "Do not say in your heart, Who shall ascend into Heaven?" that is, to bring Christ down; or "Who shall descend into the deep?"; that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I have become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.
But even if we or an angel from Heaven preach a gospel to you beside what we preached to you, let him be accursed.
and you did not despise my temptation in my flesh, nor did you spurn it. But you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus.
Because of this came into being from one, and that of one having died, even as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.