Genesis 35:11

And God told him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation—even a company of nations—shall come from you, and kings shall descend from you.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — God speaks to Jacob, who has just been renamed Israel, at Bethel following his return from Paddan-aram and the establishment of a household altar.

The words — אֵל שַׁדַּי (El Shaddai) translates literally to God Almighty, while גּוֹי (goy) denotes a single nation.

The thread — The divine title appears in Genesis 17:1, and the fertility command echoes the blessing in Genesis 9:1.

Why it lands — The text establishes God’s covenantal identity, commands population growth, and guarantees that Jacob’s lineage will produce both a nation and a royal line.

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

וַיֹּאמֶר֩va/i.yo.Merand/ he saidל֨וֹl/oto <the>/ himאֱלֹהִ֜ים'E.lo.HimGod אֲנִ֨י'a.NiI אֵ֤ל'el[am] God שַׁדַּי֙sha.DaiAlmighty פְּרֵ֣הpe.Rehbe fruitful וּרְבֵ֔הu./re.Vehand/ multiply גּ֛וֹיGoya nation וּקְהַ֥לu./ke.Haland/ a company of גּוֹיִ֖םgo.Yimnations יִהְיֶ֣הyih.Yehit will be מִמֶּ֑ךָּmi.Me./kafrom/ you וּמְלָכִ֖יםu./me.la.Khimand/ kings מֵחֲלָצֶ֥יךָme./cha.la.Tzei./khafrom/ loins/ your יֵצֵֽאוּ׃ye.Tze.'uthey will come out

King James Version

And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins;

Cross-references

Genesis 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless.
Genesis 9:1 And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.
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.
Genesis 17:5 No longer will you be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.
Exodus 6:3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by My name the LORD I did not make Myself known to them.
2 Corinthians 6:18 And: “I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
Genesis 17:16 And I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will descend from her.”
Genesis 28:3 May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, so that you may become a company of peoples.
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.”