Bible Strands

Genesis 17:6

I will make you exceedingly fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God addresses Abraham immediately after renaming him, framing the promise within the establishment of an everlasting covenant with his descendants.

The words — The verb הִפְרֵתִי (hif.re.Ti) literally means "I will make fruitful," while the noun גוֹיִם (go.Yim) translates directly to "nations." The text states God will multiply Abraham's offspring and establish royal lineage from him.

The thread — The promise echoes in Genesis 17:4 and 35:11 regarding fruitfulness and nations, while Matthew 1:6 traces the royal line through David.

Why it lands — It requires the reader to acknowledge that divine promises of multiplication and leadership originate from God's declaration, not human effort.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וְהִפְרֵתִ֤יve./hif.re.Tiand/ I will make fruitfulאֹֽתְךָ֙'o.te./Kha<obj.>/ youבִּמְאֹ֣דbi/m.'Odwith/ muchnessמְאֹ֔דme.'Odmuchnessוּנְתַתִּ֖יךָu./ne.ta.Ti./khaand/ I will make/ youלְגוֹיִ֑םle./go.Yiminto/ nationsוּמְלָכִ֖יםu./me.la.Khimand/ kingsמִמְּךָ֥mime./Khafrom/ youיֵצֵֽאוּ׃ye.Tze.'uthey will come out

King James Version

And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

Cross-references