Genesis 22:17

So I will do really good things for you. And I will give you a really big family. You see, lots of people will be born into your son’s family later on, and they will become a really big mob of people. There will be lots and lots of them, just like there are lots of stars in the sky, and lots of little bits of sand at the beaches beside the sea. And when other nations get up to fight against them, your family will win, and they will take the towns from those other nations.

Plain English Version

In The King James Version

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;

In Context

16He said, “This is what God wants to tell you, Abraham. God says, ‘I am making this really strong promise to you. You can know that I will keep this promise, because I am God. My name is Yahweh. You listened to me, and you were ready to give me your only son.

18And I will use your family to do good things for all the nations in the world. I will do all this because you listened to me, and you did what I told you to do.’”

Read all of Genesis 22

Cross References

Genesis 13:16Look at the ground you are standing on, it has lots of little bits of dirt. Nobody can count all those little bits of dirt on the ground, and just like that, nobody will be able to count all the people that will be in your family later on.

Genesis 17:6I will give you a real big family later on, and they will split up into lots of nations. And some of your people will be the big bosses of those nations.

Genesis 27:29I’m asking God to make you boss over other nations, so that those other nations will work for you and show you respect. I’m asking God to make you boss over your relatives, so that they will show you respect. If anyone makes trouble for you, I’m asking God to curse them, but if anyone is good to you, I’m asking God to be good to them.”

Genesis 28:14Lots of people will be born into your family, and they will become a really big mob of people. There will be lots and lots of them, just like there are lots of little bits of dirt on the ground. And those people in your family, they will spread out a long way, and they will live in lots of different places. Some of them will go west, some of them will go east, some of them will go north, and some of them will go south. And I will use your family to do good things for all the families in the world.

Genesis 32:13Jacob stayed in that place that night. He wanted to give his brother Esau a present, so he picked some of his animals to give to Esau.

Matthew Henry on Genesis 22:16-20

Abraham's Blessing Confirmed. ( b. c. 1872.) 15 And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16 And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord , for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17 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; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Genesis 22:17