English Standard Version
Genesis 17:20
20As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation.
Genesis 17:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
- New International Version (NIV)And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.
- New Living Translation (NLT)As for Ishmael, I will bless him also, just as you have asked. I will make him extremely fruitful and multiply his descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.
Context of Genesis 17:20
18And Abraham said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before you!" 19God said, "No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. 21But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year." 22When he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.
Read all of Genesis 17Genesis 17:20 word by word
וּֽלְיִשְׁמָעֵ֘אל שְׁמַעְתִּיךָ֒ הִנֵּ֣ה׀ בֵּרַ֣כְתִּי אֹת֗וֹ וְהִפְרֵיתִ֥י אֹת֛וֹ וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֥י אֹת֖וֹ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֤ר נְשִׂיאִם֙ יוֹלִ֔יד וּנְתַתִּ֖יו לְג֥וֹי גָּדֽוֹל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And as for Ishmaelיִשְׁמָעֵאלyishmâ‛ê'l · IshmaelH3458
- I have heard theeשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- Behold, I have blessedבָּרַךְbârak · to blessH1288
- him, and will make him fruitfulפָּרָהpârâh · be fruitfulH6509
- and will multiplyרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
- him exceedinglyמְאֹדme'ôd · muchH3966
- twelveשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- twelveעָשָׂר‛âώâr · tenH6240
- princesנָשִׂיאnâώîy' nâώi' · leaderH5387
- shall he begetיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
- and I will make himנָתַןnâthan · to give: makeH5414
- a greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- nationגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
Cross-references for Genesis 17:20
- Genesis 16:10The angel of the Lord also said to her, "I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude."
- Genesis 25:12These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's servant, bore to Abraham.
- Genesis 21:13And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring."
Commentaries on Genesis 17:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Twelve princes shall he beget, etc. - See the names of these twelve princes, Genesis 25:12-16. From Ishmael proceeded the various tribes of the Arabs, called also Saracens by Christian writers. They were anciently, and still continue to be, a very numerous and powerful people. "It was somewhat wonderful, and not to be foreseen by human sagacity," says Bishop Newton, "that a man's whole posterity should so nearly resemble him, and retain the same…Read the comment
- 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
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-22Verses 15-22 Here is the promise made to Abraham of a son by Sarai, in whom the promise made to him should be fulfilled. The assurance of this promise was the change of Sarai's name into Sarah. Sarai signifies my princess, as if her honour were confined to one family only; Sarah signifies a princess. The more favours God confers upon us, the more low we should be in our own eyes. Abraham showed great joy; he laughed, it was a laughter of delight, not of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-21God would not abandon Ishmael. His family would prosper (see 25:13–16). But the covenant promises were for Isaac.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-2019-20. The blessings of the covenant are reserved for Isaac, but common blessings were abundantly promised to Ishmael; and though the visible Church did not descend from his family, yet personally he might, and it is to be hoped did, enjoy its benefits.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 17:20
In the dictionaries
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
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