Genesis 22:17 kjv

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;

Genesis 22:17 nkjv

blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies.

Genesis 22:17 niv

I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,

Genesis 22:17 esv

I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies,

Genesis 22:17 nlt

I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies.

Genesis 22 verses

Genesis 22 17 Meaning

Genesis 22:17 articulates God's solemn, divinely sworn reaffirmation of His covenant promises to Abraham, a declaration delivered immediately following Abraham's unparalleled act of faith and obedience in offering Isaac. The verse promises Abraham immense, multifaceted blessing, the exponential growth of his descendants into an innumerable multitude akin to the stars in the sky and sand on the seashore, and the ultimate triumph of his offspring, granting them decisive victory and dominion over their adversaries.

Genesis 22 17 Context

Genesis chapter 22 recounts one of the most significant and profound narratives in the Bible: God's command to Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac, known as the "Aqedah" (the Binding). This test of faith demanded Abraham to surrender the very son through whom all God's promises of innumerable descendants were to be fulfilled. Abraham's profound obedience, even to the point of raising the knife, demonstrated his complete trust in God's faithfulness and ability to even raise Isaac from the dead (Heb 11:19). Verse 17 follows immediately after God's intervention, preventing Isaac's sacrifice and providing a ram instead. The Lord's oath here is a direct, strong reaffirmation of His covenant promises to Abraham because of his perfect obedience, highlighting divine provision and unwavering commitment to His word in response to human faith.

Genesis 22 17 Word analysis

• "Indeed I will greatly bless you," (Hebrew: barakh avarekhkha - בָּרֵךְ אֲבָרֶכְךָ): This is an intensive and emphatic infinitive absolute construction in Hebrew, meaning "blessing, I will bless you" or "I will truly and surely bless you." It conveys absolute divine certainty and intensity regarding the promised blessing. It signifies that the blessing will be comprehensive and abundant, flowing directly from God's character.
• "and I will greatly multiply your seed" (Hebrew: harbah arbeh zarakha - הַרְבָּה אַרְבֶּה זַרְעֲךָ): mirroring the previous phrase, this also uses the emphatic infinitive absolute. It emphasizes the extraordinary, exponential, and divine nature of the promised increase in Abraham's descendants. The multiplication will be vast beyond human measure.
• "your seed" (Hebrew: zaraha - זַרְעֲךָ): This singular collective noun refers to Abraham's offspring or descendants. While initially encompassing his physical progeny (the nation of Israel), the New Testament (specifically Gal 3:16) reveals its ultimate prophetic fulfillment in the singular "Seed," Jesus Christ, through whom all who believe become spiritual descendants of Abraham, regardless of ethnicity.
• "as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore;" (Hebrew: kekokhvei hashamayim vekhahol asher al-sefath hayyam - כְּכוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וְכַחוֹל אֲשֶׁר עַל־שְׂפַת הַיָּם): These are two powerful and complementary similes illustrating the immeasurable magnitude of Abraham's future descendants. "Stars of the heavens" evokes a countless multitude with a celestial or spiritual dimension, suggesting divine order and perhaps heavenly blessing. "Sand which is on the seashore" signifies a multitude physically widespread and beyond counting on earth. Combined, they assure both heavenly and earthly innumerable progeny.
• "and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies." (Hebrew: veyerash zaraha eth shaar oyevav - וְיֵרַשׁ זַרְעֲךָ אֵת שַׁעַר אֹיְבָיו): "Possess" (yerash) denotes to inherit, conquer, or take control. The "gate" (shaar) in ancient Near Eastern cities was the strategic hub – the place of defense, judicial decisions, commerce, and public life. To "possess the gate" therefore symbolizes complete victory, military conquest, strategic dominance, and exercising authority over adversaries. This promise assures the seed of Abraham not merely defense, but offensive triumph and ultimate dominion over all who would oppose them, culminating in Christ's definitive victory over sin, death, and spiritual powers (Col 2:15).

Genesis 22 17 Bonus section

The Aqedah in Genesis 22 functions typologically as a profound prefigurement of God's own sacrifice. Just as Abraham did not withhold his only son, so God would not spare His only Son (John 3:16). The ram provided by God "instead of Isaac" powerfully anticipates God providing Himself, in Christ, as the perfect sacrifice for sin. The oath in Genesis 22:16-18, specifically using God's own name for swearing (Heb 6:13), renders the promise unchangeable and absolute, underscoring God's veracity and the surety of His redemptive plan. The comprehensive nature of the promised blessing and victory ensures the perpetuation and eventual dominion of the seed of Abraham, extending its spiritual reach to encompass all who embrace the faith of Abraham.

Genesis 22 17 Commentary

Genesis 22:17 serves as an unwavering divine oath, confirming and amplifying God's promises to Abraham post-Aqedah. The repeated emphatic declarations of "greatly bless" and "greatly multiply" underscore God's unwavering commitment and the superabundant nature of His faithfulness. The double simile of "stars" and "sand" powerfully communicates a progeny of astronomical and terrestrial countlessness. Critically, the promise to "possess the gate of their enemies" extends beyond numerical growth to ensure ultimate dominion and triumph. This prophetic promise finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ, the singular "Seed" (Gal 3:16), through whom all believers, Jew and Gentile, inherit Abraham's blessing. Christ's work on the cross and resurrection constitute the ultimate act of "possessing the gate" of death and spiritual foes (Col 2:15; Heb 2:14-15), extending this victory and authority to His church (Rom 16:20). This verse exemplifies God's covenant faithfulness and how human obedience can precede a divine oath that reaffirms grace.