God’s Word Translation
Genesis 48:4
4He said to me, ‘I will make you fertile and increase the number of your descendants so that you will become a community of people. I will give this land to your descendants as a permanent possession.’
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 is here to see you,” Israel gathered his strength and sat up in bed. 3Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in Canaan and blessed me. He said to me, ‘I will make you fertile and increase the number of your descendants so that you will become a community of people. I will give this land to your descendants as a permanent possession.’ 5“So your two sons, who were born in Egypt before I came here, are my sons. Ephraim and Manasseh will be mine just as Reuben and Simeon are. 6Any other children you have after them will be yours. They will inherit the land listed under their brothers’ names.
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 a great nation, I will bless you. I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
- Genesis 13:15I will give all the land you see to you and to your descendants for an indefinite period of time.
- 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 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.
- 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 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 46:3“I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to go to Egypt, because I will make you a great nation there.
- Genesis 47:27So the Israelites settled in Egypt in the region of Goshen. They acquired property there and had many children.
- Exodus 1:7But the descendants of Israel had many children. They became so numerous and strong that the land was filled with them.
- Deuteronomy 32:8When the Most High gave nations their land, when he divided the descendants of Adam, he set up borders for the tribes corresponding to the number of the sons of Israel.
- Amos 9:14I will restore my people Israel. They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink the wine from them. They will plant gardens and eat their fruit.
- Genesis 17:8I am also giving this land where you are living—all of Canaan—to you and your descendants as your permanent possession. And I will be your 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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries