Genesis 26:4

I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed,

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God addresses Isaac while he resides in Gerar, reaffirming the covenant oath previously sworn to Abraham.

The words — הִרְבֵּיתִי (hir.bei.Ti) translates literally as "I will multiply," and נָתַתִּי (na.ta.Ti) translates as "I will give," structuring the promise around population growth and land transfer.

The thread — The same covenant framework appears in Genesis 12:2, Genesis 15:5, and Acts 3:25, tracing the lineage and blessing motif across the biblical narrative.

Why it lands — The text declares that descendants will multiply like stars, land will be granted, and nations will be blessed through that offspring, requiring the reader to accept divine promise as the basis for future reality rather than present circumstances.

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

וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֤יve./hir.bei.Tiand/ I will multiply אֶֽת־'et-<obj.>זַרְעֲךָ֙zar.'a./Khaoffspring/ your כְּכוֹכְבֵ֣יke./chokh.Veilike/ [the] stars of הַשָּׁמַ֔יִםha./sha.Ma.yimthe/ heavens וְנָתַתִּ֣יve./na.ta.Tiand/ I will give לְזַרְעֲךָ֔le./zar.'a./Khato/ offspring/ your אֵ֥ת'et<obj.>כָּל־kol-all הָאֲרָצֹ֖תha./'a.ra.Tzotthe/ lands הָאֵ֑לha./'El<the>/ these וְהִתְבָּרֲכ֣וּve./hit.ba.ra.Khuand/ they will bless themselves בְזַרְעֲךָ֔ve./zar.'a./Khaby/ offspring/ your כֹּ֖לkolall גּוֹיֵ֥יgo.Yei[the] nations of הָאָֽרֶץ׃ha./'A.retzthe/ earth

King James Version

And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

Cross-references

Acts 3:25 And you are sons of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers when He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all the families of the earth will be blessed.’
Genesis 12:2 I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.
Genesis 15:5 And the LORD took him outside and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.”
Genesis 13:16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if one could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted.
Genesis 22:17 I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies.
Galatians 3:8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”
Exodus 32:13 Remember Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, to whom You swore by Your very self when You declared, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give your descendants all this land that I have promised, and it shall be their inheritance forever.’”
Psalms 72:17 May his name endure forever; may his name continue as long as the sun shines. In him may all nations be blessed; may they call him blessed.
Galatians 3:16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.
Genesis 17:4 “As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.