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 give you my promise, and I will give you very many descendants.” 3Immediately, Abram bowed with his face touching the ground, and again God spoke to him, “My promise is still with you. You will become the father of many nations. 5So your name will no longer be Abram [Exalted Father], but Abraham [Father of Many] because I have made you a father of many nations. 6I will give you many descendants. Many nations and kings will 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 a great nation, I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
• Genesis 13:16I will also give you as many descendants as the dust of the earth. If anyone could count the dust of the earth, then he could also count your descendants.
• Genesis 16:10The Messenger of the Lord also said to her, “I will give you many descendants. No one will be able to count them because there will be so many.”
• Genesis 22:17I will certainly bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of their enemies’ cities.
• Genesis 25:1Abraham married again, and his wife’s name was Keturah.
• Genesis 32:12But you did say, ‘I will make sure that you are prosperous and that your descendants will be as many as the grains of sand on the seashore. No one will be able to count them because there are so many.’ ”
• Genesis 35:11God also said to him, “I am God Almighty. Be fertile, and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from you.
• Genesis 36:1This is the account of Esau (that is, Edom) and his descendants.
• Numbers 1:1The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Desert of Sinai. It was the first day of the second month in the second year after leaving Egypt. He said,
• Numbers 26:1After the plague the Lord said to Moses and Eleazar, son of the priest Aaron,
• Romans 4:11Abraham’s faith was the basis of his approval by God while he was still uncircumcised. The mark of circumcision is the seal of that approval. Therefore, he is the father of every believer who is not circumcised, and their faith, too, is regarded as the basis of their approval by God.
• Galatians 3:28There are neither Jews nor Greeks, slaves nor free people, males nor females. You are all the same 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