Genesis 17:4

Genesis 17:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
• New International Version (NIV)“As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.
• English Standard Version (ESV)"Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations.
• New King James Version (NKJV)“As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations.

Context of Genesis 17:4

2I will set up my covenant between me and you, and I will multiply you greatly.” 3Then Abram fell facedown and God spoke with him: “As for me, here is my covenant with you: You will become the father of many nations. 5Your name will no longer be Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I will make you the father of many nations. 6I will make you extremely fruitful and will make nations and kings come from you.

Genesis 17:4 word by word

אֲנִ֕י הִנֵּ֥ה בְרִיתִ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ וְהָיִ֕יתָ לְאַ֖ב הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִֽם׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• As for meאֲנִי'ănîy · IH589
• behold, my covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
• with thee, and thou shalt be a fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
• of manyהָמוֹןhâmôn hâmôn · crowdH1995
• nationsגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471

Cross-references for Genesis 17:4

• Genesis 12:2I will make you into a great nation, I will bless you, I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
• Genesis 13:16I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted.
• Genesis 16:10The angel of the Lord said to her, “I will greatly multiply your offspring, and they will be too many to count.”
• Genesis 22:17I will indeed bless you and make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the city gates of their enemies.
• Genesis 25:1Abraham had taken another wife, whose name was Keturah,
• Genesis 32:12You have said, ‘I will cause you to prosper, and I will make your offspring like the sand of the sea, too numerous to be counted.’”
• Genesis 35:11God also said to him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation, indeed an assembly of nations, will come from you, and kings will descend from you.
• Genesis 36:1These are the family records of Esau (that is, Edom).
• Numbers 1:1The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Wilderness of Sinai, on the first day of the second month of the second year after Israel’s departure from the land of Egypt:
• Numbers 26:1After the plague, the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar son of Aaron the priest,
• Romans 4:11And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while still uncircumcised. This was to make him the father of all who believe but are not circumcised, so that righteousness may be credited to them also.
• Galatians 3:28There is no Jew or Greek, slave or free, male and female; since you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Commentaries on Genesis 17:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-27Verses 1-27 - The Sealing of the Covenant 1. שׁדי shaday Shaddai, “Irresistible, able to destroy, and by inference to make, Almighty.” שׁדד shādad “be strong, destroy.” This name is found six times in Genesis, and thirty-one times in Job. 5. אברהם 'abrâhām Abraham, from אברם 'abrām “high-father,” and הם hām the radical part of המין hāmôn a “multitude,” is obtained by a euphonic abbreviation אברהם 'abrâhām “father of a multitude.” The root רהם rhm…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-5God guaranteed his promise by changing Abram’s name. Abram means “exalted father.” This referred to his father Terah and his noble lineage (11:27). His new name, Abraham (Hebrew ’ab hamon), means "father of a multitude." This was a wordplay on the promise of his countless descendants (see also John 8:31–59; Romans 4:16–17; Galatians 3:7, 15–19, 29). Whenever the new name was used, he and his household would remember that a multitude of nations would come…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. my covenant is with thee--Renewed mention is made of it as the foundation of the communication that follows. It is the covenant of grace made with all who believe in the Saviour.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 17:4

• Abraham
• Circumcision
• Covenant

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• Covenant
• Establish
• Everlasting
• Prophecy
• Works, Covenant of
• Agrarian Laws
• Atonement, Day of
• Circumcision
• Covenant, in the Old Testament

Commentaries on Genesis 17

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings