God’s Word Translation
Genesis 22:17
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 22:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
- New International Version (NIV)I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,
- English Standard Version (ESV)I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies,
- New King James Version (NKJV)blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.
Context of Genesis 22:17
15Then the Messenger of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16and said, “I am taking an oath on my own name, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not refused to give me your son, your only son, I 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. 18Through your descendant all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.” 19Then Abraham returned to his servants, and together they left for Beersheba. Abraham remained in Beersheba.
Read all of Genesis 22Genesis 22:17 word by word
כִּֽי־בָרֵ֣ךְ אֲבָרֶכְךָ֗ וְהַרְבָּ֨ה אַרְבֶּ֤ה אֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֙ כְּכוֹכְבֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְכַח֕וֹל אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־שְׂפַ֣ת הַיָּ֑ם וְיִרַ֣שׁ זַרְעֲךָ֔ אֵ֖ת שַׁ֥עַר אֹיְבָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- That in blessingבָּרַךְbârak · to blessH1288
- thee, and in multiplyingרָבָהrâbâh · to multiplyH7235
- thy seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: childrenH2233
- as the starsכּוֹכָבkôkâb · starH3556
- of the heavenשָׁמַיִםshâmayim shâmeh · heavenH8064
- and as the sandחוֹלchôl · sandH2344
- upon the seaיָםyâm · seaH3220
- shoreשָׂפָהώâphâh ώepheth · lip: shoreH8193
- shall possessיָרַשׁyârash yârêsh · to possess: takeH3423
- the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
- of his enemiesאֹיֵב'ôyêb 'ôyêb · enemyH341
Cross-references for Genesis 22:17
- 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 27:28May God give you dew from the sky, fertile fields on the earth, and plenty of fresh grain and new wine.
- Genesis 28:3May God Almighty bless you, make you fertile, and increase the number of your descendants so that you will become a community of people.
- Genesis 49:25because of the God of your father who helps you, because of the Almighty who gives you blessings from the heavens above, blessings from the deep springs below the ground, blessings from breasts and womb.
- Deuteronomy 28:2These are all the blessings that will come to you and stay close to you because you obey the Lord your God:
- Ephesians 1:3Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! Through Christ, God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing that heaven has to offer.
- 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 15:5He took Abram outside and said, “Now look up at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” He also said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!”
- Genesis 17:6I will give you many descendants. Many nations and kings will come from you.
- Genesis 26:4I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and give all these lands to your descendants. Through your descendant all the nations of the earth will be blessed.
- Deuteronomy 1:10The Lord your God has made your population increase so that you are now as numerous as the stars in the sky.
- Jeremiah 33:22I will multiply the descendants of my servant David and the Levites who serve me like the stars of heaven that cannot be counted and the sand on the seashore that cannot be measured.”
- 1 Kings 9:26King Solomon also built a fleet near the Red Sea coast at Ezion Geber by Elath in Edom.
- Genesis 24:60They gave Rebekah a blessing: “May you, our sister, become the mother of many thousands of children. May your descendants take possession of their enemies’ cities.”
- Numbers 24:17I see someone who is not here now. I look at someone who is not nearby. A star will come from Jacob. A scepter will rise from Israel. He will crush the heads of the Moabites and destroy all the people of Sheth.
- Deuteronomy 21:19His father and mother must take him to the leaders of the city at the city gate.
Commentaries on Genesis 22:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Shall possess the gate of his enemies - Instead of gate the Septuagint have , cities; but as there is a very near resemblance between , cities, and , gates, the latter might have been the original reading in the Septuagint, though none of the MSS. now acknowledge it. By the gates may be meant all the strength, whether troops, counsels, or fortified cities of their enemies. So Matthew 16:18; : On this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-24Verses 1-24 - Abraham Was Tested 2. מריה morı̂yâh “Moriah”; Samaritan: מוראה môr'âh “Septuagint,” ̔́ hupsēlē Onkelos, “worship.” Some take the word to be a simple derivative, as the Septuagint and Onkelos, meaning “vision, high, worship.” It might mean “rebellious.” Others regard it as a compound of יה yâh “Jah, a name of God,” and מראה mı̂r'eh “shown,” מורה môreh “teacher,” or מורא môrā' “fear.” 14. יראה yı̂r'ēh “Jireh, will provide.” 16, נאם…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 15-19Verses 15-19 There are high declarations of God's favour to Abraham in this confirmation of the covenant with him, exceeding any he had yet been blessed with. Those that are willing to part with any thing for God, shall have it made up to them with unspeakable advantage. The promise, ver. #(18), doubtless points at the Messiah, and the grace of the gospel. Hereby we know the loving-kindness of God our Saviour towards sinful man, in that he hath not…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17Joshua and Old Testament Israel partially fulfilled the promise that Abraham’s descendants would conquer the cities (literally take possession of the gates) of God's enemies. The church will completely fulfill this promise (compare Matthew 16:18 and the study note there).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1913-19. Abraham lifted up his eyes ... and behold ... a ram, &c.--No method was more admirably calculated to give the patriarch a distinct idea of the purpose of grace than this scenic representation: and hence our Lord's allusion to it (Joh 8:56).Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 22:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 22
- 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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