Genesis 17:20

You asked me to do good to Ishmael. Yes, I heard you. I will do good to him also, I will give him many people. He will have 12 sons. They will become important bosses. Their descendants will become many.

Nyangumarta (portions)

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

19In reply God said to him, “Truly your wife Sarah, she will give birth to a child. You will name him Isaac. I will look after him, in accord with my word, him and his descendants. They will be my people forever.

21That Isaac, he is the one who will be mine forever. I will be Father to him. Sarah will give birth to him about this time in one year.” In that way God spoke to Abraham.

Read all of Genesis 17

Cross References

Genesis 16:10I will give you very many grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them, you won't be able to count [lit 'name'] them, they will be very many.

Genesis 21:18I will look after him. I will give him many grandchildren's grandchildren and those who come after them. Now go to him, take him by the hand, make him stand up.” Like that God spoke to her.

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