Genesis 17:20

Likewise, concerning Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I will bless and enlarge him, and I will multiply him greatly. He will produce twelve leaders, and I will make him into a great nation.

Catholic Public Domain Version

In The King James Version

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.

In Context

19And God said to Abraham: “Your wife Sarah shall give birth to a son, and you shall call his name Isaac, and I will establish my covenant with him as a perpetual covenant, and with his offspring after him.

21Yet in truth, I will establish my covenant with Isaac, to whom Sarah will give birth for you at this time next year.”

Read all of Genesis 17

Cross References

Genesis 16:10And again he said, “I will multiply your offspring continuously, and they will not be numbered because of their multitude.”

Genesis 21:18Rise up. Take the boy and hold him by the hand. For I will make of him a great nation.”

Genesis 25:13And these are the names of his sons according to their language and generations. The firstborn of Ishmael was Nebaioth, then Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,

Matthew Henry on Genesis 17:16-23

15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. 16 And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. 17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? 18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 17:20