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
"I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered.
Thus Joseph stored up grain in great abundance like the sand of the sea, until he stopped measuring it, for it was beyond measure.
"There also we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak are part of the Nephilim); and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight."
'Where can we go up? Our brethren have made our hearts melt, saying, "The people are bigger and taller than we; the cities are large and fortified to heaven. And besides, we saw the sons of the Anakim there."'
"Hear, O Israel! You are crossing over the Jordan today to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than you, great cities fortified to heaven,
"It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will go up to heaven for us to get it for us and make us hear it, that we may observe it?'
"LORD, when You went out from Seir, When You marched from the field of Edom, The earth quaked, the heavens also dripped, Even the clouds dripped water. "The mountains quaked at the presence of the LORD, This Sinai, at the presence of the LORD, the God of Israel.
Now the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the sons of the east were lying in the valley as numerous as locusts; and their camels were without number, as numerous as the sand on the seashore.
"Saul and Jonathan, beloved and pleasant in their life, And in their death they were not parted; They were swifter than eagles, They were stronger than lions.
All the people went up after him, and the people were playing on flutes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth shook at their noise.
I am weary with my sighing; Every night I make my bed swim, I dissolve my couch with my tears.
They rose up to the heavens, they went down to the depths; Their soul melted away in their misery.
"Their widows will be more numerous before Me Than the sand of the seas; I will bring against them, against the mother of a young man, A destroyer at noonday; I will suddenly bring down on her Anguish and dismay.
"As for you, son of man, groan with breaking heart and bitter grief, groan in their sight.
But Jesus answered, "I tell you, if these become silent, the stones will cry out!"
and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation."
And fixing their gaze on him, all who were sitting in the Council saw his face like the face of an angel.
But the righteousness based on faith speaks as follows: "DO NOT SAY IN YOUR 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 angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!
and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.
Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants AS THE STARS OF HEAVEN IN NUMBER, AND INNUMERABLE AS THE SAND WHICH IS BY THE SEASHORE.