Questions on the Literal Meaning of Prophecy

1. Were Promises of becoming a great multitude literary hyperbole?

1. Question: Were Promises of becoming a great multitude literary hyperbole?

One of the signs claimed by "Ephraimites" concerning the Lost Ten Tribes involves the promise that descendants of Israel would be exceeding numerous. Perhaps Scripture was merely using expressions of exaggeration for large numbers of people in a relative sense? i.e. compare the following criticism of "Brit-Am Ephramite" type beliefs:

'Another major cornerstone of this teaching is that social-historical Israel, as it is traditionally perceived, cannot possibly fulfill the promises of physical multiplicity that was to equal "the sand of the sea," "the dust of the earth," or the "stars of the sky." Such a hyper-literalist reading of these phrases, which rules out their common-sense interpretation, ignores the scriptural record. For 2 Chron 1:9 states clearly that the people over whom King Solomon reigned [Israel] were "a people as numerous as the dust of the earth." Isa 10:22 also refers to the people of Israel being "as the sand of the sea" in number.'

Are these and similar expressions merely "rhetorical conventions used by the biblical writers". Is the promise of a great multitude merely Biblical hyperbole?

Answer: An Immense multitude by universal standards of Israelites was Prophesied and Literally Intended!

The protagonists are trying to say here that the promises to the Patriarchs that their seed would be "the sand of the sea," "the dust of the earth," or the "stars of the sky" could be fulfilled through the present-day Jews (whom they refer to as "social-historical Israel, as it is traditionally perceived") who number at present around 13 million which in the eyes of the Patriarchs would have been considered an immense number. 
Two verses are selected also as examples of hyperbole (exaggeration) as if to show us that other prophecies referring to the multiplicity of Israelites in the future do not have to be taken literally. Even if the verses chosen as exaggerations were pertinent it would not necessarily prove anything. First (a) we will look at the verses in question.
AFTER THAT (b) we will look below at the at the question "How Many Israelites Will There Be?", and the relevant verses that predict a great multitude. We will see that the simple meaning of the verses DOES REQUIRE an immense number of people by existing world standards. This is taking the verses on their own. When however the verses concerning multitude are taken together with other verses predicting that Israel will be the most powerful, richest, and far-reaching of all the nations of the world then the simple straightforward understanding that an immense multitude by world-wide standards is intended becomes even more obvious. The same applies concerning all other Biblical proofs used to determine the present-day identity of the Lost Tribes of Israel.

(a) Concerning the verses that were chosen to represent "hyperbole":

Solomon prayed for help from the Almighty mentioning that he ruled over a people as numerous as the "dust of the earth"

[2-Chronicles 1:8] AND SOLOMON SAID UNTO GOD, THOU HAST SHEWED GREAT MERCY UNTO DAVID MY FATHER, AND HAST MADE ME TO REIGN IN HIS STEAD.
[2-Chronicles 1:9] NOW, O LORD GOD, LET THY PROMISE UNTO DAVID MY FATHER BE ESTABLISHED: FOR THOU HAST MADE ME KING OVER A PEOPLE LIKE THE DUST OF THE EARTH IN MULTITUDE.

It may well be that the Israelites whom Solomon ruled over really did number several millions which would have been considered an enormous number at the time.

Isaiah prophesied a calamity that would come on Israel leaving only a comparatively few survivors out of the multitude that once existed:

[Isaiah 10:22] FOR THOUGH YOUR PEOPLE ISRAEL BE AS THE SAND OF THE SEA, ONLY A REMNANT OF THEM WILL RETURN. DESTRUCTION IS DECREED, OVERFLOWING WITH RIGHTEOUSNESS.
[Isaiah 10:23] FOR THE LORD, THE LORD OF HOSTS, WILL MAKE A FULL END, AS DECREED, IN THE MIDST OF ALL THE EARTH.
 [Isaiah 10:24] THEREFORE THUS SAYS THE LORD, THE LORD OF HOSTS: O MY PEOPLE, WHO DWELL IN ZION, BE NOT AFRAID OF THE ASSYRIANS WHEN THEY SMITE WITH THE ROD AND LIFT UP THEIR STAFF AGAINST YOU AS THE EGYPTIANS DID.

The Brit-Am Commentary explained these verses as saying:
BE AS THE SAND OF THE SEA they will be exceedingly numerous towards the end times.
DESTRUCTION- a great calamity may take place. Only a few may survive. Our survival or the survival of our descendants is dependent on our deeds and intentions. We should endeavor to improve ourselves and influence for good those we can.

It is true that the simple meaning of the verse in Isaiah concerns the nation of Israel prior to the depredations of Assyria that occurred by conventional reckoning ca. 730-720 BCE.
This however was the style of Isaiah who (similarly to the other prophets) took contemporary events and used them as prototypes concerning the distant future. See our note on Protypical Prophecy. Scripture itself suggests this explanation and it is consistent with the view of the Rabbinical Sages.

(b) In Regards to other verses of Scripture about an immense multitude, the intention was that these verses should be taken literally!

See the question How Many Israelites Will There Be?

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