Christian Standard Bible
Genesis 48:4
4He said to me, ‘I will make you fruitful and numerous; I will make many nations come from you, and I will give this land as a permanent possession to your future descendants.’
Genesis 48:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.
- New International Version (NIV)and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)and said to me, 'Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples and will give this land to your offspring after you for an everlasting possession.'
- New King James Version (NKJV)and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will make of you a multitude of people, and give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’
Context of Genesis 48:4
2When Jacob was told, “Your son Joseph has come to you,” Israel summoned his strength and sat up in bed. 3Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me. He said to me, ‘I will make you fruitful and numerous; I will make many nations come from you, and I will give this land as a permanent possession to your future descendants.’ 5Your two sons born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt are now mine. Ephraim and Manasseh belong to me just as Reuben and Simeon do. 6Children born to you after them will be yours and will be recorded under the names of their brothers with regard to their inheritance.
Read all of Genesis 48Genesis 48:4 word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֗י הִנְנִ֤י מַפְרְךָ֙ וְהִרְבִּיתִ֔ךָ וּנְתַתִּ֖יךָ לִקְהַ֣ל עַמִּ֑ים וְנָ֨תַתִּ֜י אֶת־הָאָ֧רֶץ הַזֹּ֛את לְזַרְעֲךָ֥ אַחֲרֶ֖יךָ אֲחֻזַּ֥ת עוֹלָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitfulפָּרָהpârâh · be fruitfulH6509
- and multiplyרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
- thee, and I will makeנָתַןnâthan · to give: makeH5414
- of thee a multitudeקָהָלqâhâl · assemblyH6951
- of peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- and will giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- this landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- to thy seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: childrenH2233
- after theeאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- an everlastingעוֹלָם‛ôlâm ‛ôlâm · forever: enduringH5769
- possessionאֲחֻזָּה'ăchûzzâh · possessionH272
Cross-references for Genesis 48:4
- 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 13:15for I will give you and your offspring forever all the land that you see.
- 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 26:4I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky, I will give your offspring all these lands, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring,
- Genesis 28:3May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you so that you become an assembly of peoples.
- 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 46:3God said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there.
- Genesis 47:27Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen. They acquired property in it and became fruitful and very numerous.
- Exodus 1:7But the Israelites were fruitful, increased rapidly, multiplied, and became extremely numerous so that the land was filled with them.
- Deuteronomy 32:8When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance and divided the human race, he set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the people of Israel.
- Amos 9:14I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel. They will rebuild and occupy ruined cities, plant vineyards and drink their wine, make gardens and eat their produce.
- Genesis 17:8And to you and your future offspring I will give the land where you are residing — all the land of Canaan — as a permanent possession, and I will be their God.”
Commentaries on Genesis 48:4
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-22Verses 1-22 - Joseph Visits His Sick Father The right of primogeniture has been forfeited by Reuben. The double portion in the inheritance is now transferred to Joseph. He is the first-born of her who was intended by Jacob to be his first and only wife. He has also been the means of saving all his father‘s house, even after he had been sold into slavery by his brethren. He has therefore, undeniable claims to this part of the first-born‘s rights. Genesis…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4Jacob remembered how God Almighty appeared to him and promised him Abraham's blessing: countless descendants living in the land … as an everlasting possession (compare 28:10–22).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-43-4. God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz--The object of Jacob, in thus reverting to the memorable vision at Beth-el [Ge 28:10-15]--one of the great landmarks in his history--was to point out the splendid promises in reserve for his posterity--to engage Joseph's interest and preserve his continued connection with the people of God, rather than with the Egyptians.Read the comment
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 48
- 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
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