Genesis 18:18 kjv
Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
Genesis 18:18 nkjv
since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
Genesis 18:18 niv
Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.
Genesis 18:18 esv
seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
Genesis 18:18 nlt
"For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him.
Genesis 18 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:2-3 | "I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great... and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." | Initial promise to Abraham of nationhood and universal blessing. |
| Gen 17:5-6 | "No longer shall your name be called Abram, but Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations... Kings shall come from you." | God renames Abram to Abraham, signifying his destiny for many nations. |
| Gen 22:18 | "And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice." | Promise reiterated to Abraham after the binding of Isaac, specifying "offspring" (singular, referring to Christ). |
| Gen 26:4 | "I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven... and in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed." | Promise reaffirmed to Isaac, reinforcing its universal reach. |
| Gen 28:14 | "Your offspring shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring all the families of the earth shall be blessed." | Promise extended to Jacob (Israel), emphasizing worldwide impact. |
| Ex 19:5-6 | "Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession... a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." | Israel's call to be a priestly nation, blessing to others. |
| Deut 4:6-8 | "Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who will hear all these statutes and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’" | Israel's laws and wisdom were meant to attract and bless other nations. |
| Isa 2:2-4 | "In the latter days the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains... and all the nations shall stream to it." | Prophetic vision of nations turning to Jerusalem for divine instruction. |
| Isa 49:6 | "I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." | Prophetic description of God's Servant (Messiah/Israel) as a universal light. |
| Zech 8:20-23 | "Thus says the Lord of hosts: Peoples shall yet come... from many cities, and the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the Lord’... Ten men from the nations of every tongue will take hold of the cloak of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’" | Future ingathering of nations to seek the Lord in Jerusalem through His people. |
| Mal 1:11 | "For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name." | Prophecy of universal worship of God among all nations. |
| Lk 1:68-79 | Zechariah's prophecy, the Benedictus, references God's covenant with Abraham, emphasizing salvation and light for those in darkness. | Connects the Abrahamic covenant to the advent of Christ's salvation. |
| Acts 3:25 | "You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’" | Peter's sermon to Jews in Jerusalem, linking their lineage and Abrahamic promise directly to Christ. |
| Gal 3:8 | "And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, 'In you shall all the nations be blessed.'" | Paul's theological interpretation, identifying the Abrahamic promise as the "gospel" for Gentiles, fulfilled in Christ. |
| Gal 3:16 | "Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, ‘And to offsprings,’ referring to many, but referring to one, ‘And to your offspring,’ who is Christ." | Paul clarifies the singular "offspring" points to Christ as the fulfillment. |
| Rom 4:13-17 | Paul explains Abraham is "father of many nations" through faith, becoming an example of justification for all, both Jew and Gentile. | Abraham's role as the father of all believers, uniting people from all nations through faith. |
| Rom 15:8-12 | Paul speaks of Christ serving Jews to confirm God’s promises, and Gentiles glorifying God for His mercy, referencing prophetic scripture about nations praising God. | The extension of God's mercy and salvation through Christ to Gentiles, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies. |
| Matt 28:19-20 | "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." | Jesus' Great Commission, commanding His followers to extend the Abrahamic blessing of salvation to all nations. |
| Acts 13:47 | "For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’" | Paul and Barnabas's application of Isa 49:6 to their missionary work among Gentiles. |
| Eph 3:6 | "This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel." | The inclusion of Gentiles into the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant through Christ. |
| Heb 11:8-19 | Describes Abraham's faith journey and his understanding that he was looking for a "city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God." | Highlights Abraham's faith not just in earthly promises, but in a heavenly inheritance that impacts eternity. |
| Rev 7:9-10 | "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb." | Vision of the ultimate fulfillment: a multitude of redeemed from every nation worshipping God. |
Genesis 18 verses
Genesis 18 18 Meaning
Genesis 18:18 reveals God's eternal purpose for Abraham: that he would undoubtedly become the patriarch of a great and powerful nation, and through him—specifically, through his spiritual lineage culminating in the Messiah—all the families and nations of the earth would receive a divine blessing. This verse underscores the universal scope of God's redemptive plan, initially channeled through one man and his descendants to bring spiritual benefit to all humanity.
Genesis 18 18 Context
Genesis 18 takes place at the oaks of Mamre, following the covenant renewal in Genesis 17 where God established circumcision as a sign and promised Abraham and Sarah a son. In this chapter, God appears to Abraham in the form of three men (often understood as the Lord and two angels), reiterating the promise of a son through Sarah. The discussion of Genesis 18:18 directly precedes God's revelation to Abraham concerning the impending judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah. God rhetorically asks Himself, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?" (Gen 18:17), leading into verse 18 and subsequent verses that emphasize Abraham's unique role as a friend of God and a guardian of righteousness, through whom the divine will is revealed and transmitted to his descendants. This highlights Abraham's intimate relationship with God and the significance of his household in God's broader plan for humanity. The context shows that Abraham's national destiny is not an end in itself but is intertwined with his spiritual mission to uphold justice and bring blessing to all nations.
Genesis 18 18 Word analysis
- Seeing (וְאַבְרָהָם - v’avraham - "and Abraham" / הָאֶפֶס אברהם - ha’epes Avraham - "as for Abraham"): The Masoretic Text actually reads simply "And Abraham," typically followed by a disjunctive accent indicating it's the subject of a new clause. Some translations, like the KJV's "Seeing that," interpret this in light of the preceding divine deliberation (Gen 18:17) and what follows. It emphasizes God's settled intention and perspective regarding Abraham.
- that Abraham: The very name Abraham (אברהם - Avraham) means "father of a multitude." His original name, Abram, meant "exalted father." The name change in Gen 17:5 reflects God's pre-ordained destiny for him to be the patriarch not just of one nation, but of countless nations, highlighting God's faithfulness and the global scope of His covenant.
- shall surely become (הָיֹה יִהְיֶה - hayoh yihyeh): This is a powerful Hebrew infinitive absolute construction. The verb hayah means "to be" or "to become." The repetition "being, he shall be" or "becoming, he shall become" signifies absolute certainty, an emphatic statement of divine decree and inevitability. There is no doubt that this will happen.
- a great and mighty nation (לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל וְעָצוּם - l'goy gadol v'atsum):
- גוֹי (goy): The Hebrew word for "nation" or "people." While sometimes used pejoratively for Gentiles, here it refers to a distinct people group. In Abraham's case, it specifically refers to Israel, but with broader implications beyond national identity.
- גָּדוֹל (gadol): "Great," indicating significant size, prominence, or importance.
- וְעָצוּם (v'atsum): "Mighty," "numerous," "powerful," or "strong." This suggests both demographic strength and political/spiritual influence.
- and all the nations of the earth (וְנִבְרְכוּ־בוֹ כֹּל גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ - v'nivrekheku-vo kol goyei ha'aretz):
- כֹּל גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ (kol goyei ha'aretz): "All the nations of the earth." This phrase definitively demonstrates the universal, global intent of God's blessing. It is not limited to Abraham's immediate descendants or geographical region.
- shall be blessed in him (וְהִתְבָּרְכוּ־בוֹ - v'hitbarkhu-vo):
- The verb hitbarkhu is in the Hithpael (reflexive-passive) stem of the root barak ("to bless"). This can be interpreted in a few ways:
- "Shall bless themselves by him/through him": People seeing Abraham's blessed state will desire a similar blessing and use his name or faith as an example.
- "Shall be blessed through him/in him": They will receive blessing because of their connection to him, particularly his "seed" (offspring) which is Christ. The New Testament's interpretation (especially Gal 3:8, 16) strongly supports this meaning, identifying the ultimate "him" or "seed" as Christ, through whom all nations receive the blessings of salvation and righteousness by faith.
- This phrase clarifies that the blessing is not just on Abraham, but extends through him to the rest of the world. He is the channel.
- The verb hitbarkhu is in the Hithpael (reflexive-passive) stem of the root barak ("to bless"). This can be interpreted in a few ways:
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation": This phrase reiterates and confirms earlier promises made to Abram/Abraham (Gen 12:2, 17:6). The emphatic Hebrew structure hayoh yihyeh underscores the divine certainty and power behind this prophecy, a direct counter to any human doubt, especially regarding Abraham's advanced age or Sarah's barrenness. It signifies the miraculous nature of God's nation-building.
- "and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him": This is the universal climax of the Abrahamic covenant. It expands the scope from Abraham's individual blessing and national destiny to a worldwide impact. The blessing isn't just prosperity, but includes the spiritual blessings of righteousness and salvation, ultimately mediated through Abraham's most prominent "seed," Jesus Christ, as the New Testament clearly expounds. It speaks to God's heart for all humanity, showing Israel was chosen not for its own sake alone, but to be a light and conduit for God's blessings to others. This concept serves as a polemic against ethnocentricity or nationalistic pride that might claim God's favor for only one group.
Genesis 18 18 Bonus section
- The phrasing of this verse as a divine rhetorical question in Gen 18:17-19 (preceded by "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?") reveals the intimacy of God's relationship with Abraham. It demonstrates God's respect for Abraham's unique role as His chosen representative, affirming that Abraham is someone God can trust with His plans, even sensitive matters like the destruction of Sodom. This intimate communion further strengthens the veracity and certainty of the promises declared in verse 18.
- This verse subtly introduces the concept of mediatorial blessing: Abraham is not blessed for his own sake alone, but to be a channel. This principle resonates throughout biblical theology, as God often blesses individuals or groups to become agents of blessing to others, from Israel's calling to the Church's Great Commission.
- The "mighty nation" aspect hints at a future influence and power, not merely numerical strength. While partially fulfilled in ancient Israel, the full spiritual power and influence truly emerge with the kingdom of God initiated by Christ, expanding into every corner of the world, transforming hearts and societies.
Genesis 18 18 Commentary
Genesis 18:18 stands as a profound summary of the Abrahamic covenant's dual nature: particular and universal. It reaffirms God's unconditional promise for Abraham to be the father of a powerful nation (Israel), dispelling any doubt that could arise from human weakness or circumstances. More importantly, it highlights that this particular calling of one nation has a universal redemptive purpose: through Abraham, all nations would ultimately be blessed. This verse serves as a foundational declaration of God's global missionary intent long before the advent of Christ.
The blessing received "in him" points ultimately to the Messiah, Abraham's "seed" (Gal 3:16), through whom salvation, forgiveness of sins, and righteousness by faith become accessible to all who believe, regardless of their ethnic background (Rom 4:13-17). The covenant with Abraham was effectively "good news" preached beforehand, showing God's plan to justify Gentiles through faith. Thus, Israel's existence was always for a greater purpose—to bring forth the one who would bridge the chasm between God and all humankind, inviting them into a family beyond mere national ties. This verse underlines that God's plan is comprehensive, touching individual lives, establishing nations, and encompassing the entire earth with His grace.