Genesis 17:18

Genesis 17:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!
• New International Version (NIV)And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Abraham said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before you!"
• New King James Version (NKJV)And Abraham said to God, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!”

Context of Genesis 17:18

16I will bless her and will give you a son through her. I will bless her and she will become a mother of nations. Kings of countries will come from her!” 17Then Abraham bowed down with his face to the ground and laughed as he said to himself, “Can a son be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live before you!” 19God said, “No, Sarah your wife is going to bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac. I will confirm my covenant with him as a perpetual covenant for his descendants after him. 20As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will indeed bless him, make him fruitful, and give him a multitude of descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes; I will make him into a great nation.

Genesis 17:18 word by word

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אַבְרָהָ֖ם אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים ל֥וּ יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל יִחְיֶ֥ה לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Abrahamאַבְרָהָם'abrâhâm · AbrahamH85
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• O thatלוּlû' lû' lû · ifH3863
• Ishmaelיִשְׁמָעֵאלyishmâ‛ê'l · IshmaelH3458
• might liveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
• before theeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440

Cross-references for Genesis 17:18

• Jeremiah 32:39I will give them a single-minded purpose to live in a way that always shows respect for me. They will want to do that for their own good and the good of the children who descend from them.
• Acts 2:39For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far away, as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”
• Genesis 4:12When you try to cultivate the ground it will no longer yield its best for you. You will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”
• Psalms 4:6Many say, “Who can show us anything good?” Smile upon us, Lord!
• Psalms 41:12As for me, you uphold me because of my integrity; you allow me permanent access to your presence.
• Isaiah 59:2But your sinful acts have alienated you from your God; your sins have caused him to reject you and not listen to your prayers.

Commentaries on Genesis 17:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18O that Ishmael might live before thee! - Abraham, finding that the covenant was to be established in another branch of his family, felt solicitous for his son Ishmael, whom he considered as necessarily excluded; on which God delivers that most remarkable prophecy which follows in Genesis 17:20, and which contains an answer to the prayer and wish of Abraham: And as for Ishmael I have heard thee; so that the object of Abraham's prayer was, that his son…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. 17-18he laughed (Hebrew yitskhaq): This was because the promise seemed unbelievable. He thought his family line would continue through Ishmael. But Abraham and Sarah would have their own son.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. O that Ishmael might live before thee--natural solicitude of a parent. But God's thoughts are not as man's thoughts [Is 55:8].Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 17:18

• Abraham
• Barrenness
• Children
• Covenant
• Isaac
• Ishmael
• Parents
• Sarah

In the dictionaries

• Abraham
• God
• Ishmael
• Abraham, Abram
• Ishmael, Ishmaelite
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Covenant
• Establish
• Everlasting
• Prayer

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