Genesis 17:16
Genesis 17:16 in Multiple Translations
And I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will descend from her.”
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.
And I will bless her, and moreover I will give thee a son of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be of her.
And I will give her a blessing so that you will have a son by her: truly my blessing will be on her, and she will be the mother of nations: kings of peoples will be her offspring.
I will bless her and I promise to give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will become the mother of nations, and kings will be among her descendants.”
And I will blesse her, and will also giue thee a sonne of her, yea, I will blesse her, and she shall be the mother of nations: Kings also of people shall come of her.
and I have blessed her, and have also given to thee a son from her; and I have blessed her, and she hath become nations — kings of peoples are from her.'
I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her.”
And I will bless her, and give thee a son also by her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall proceed from her.
And I will bless her, and of her I will give thee a son, whom I will bless, and he shall become nations, and kings of people shall spring from him.
I will bless her, and she will surely give birth to a son for you. And I will bless her so much that she will be the ancestor of people of many nations. Kings of some people-groups will be descended from her.”
And God said, “I will do a good thing for her too. She will have a son, and you will be his father. Yes, I will do that good thing for her. Lots of people will be born into her son’s family, and they will split up into lots of nations. And some of those people will be the big bosses of those nations.”
Berean Amplified Bible — Genesis 17:16
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Genesis 17:16 Interlinear (Deep Study)
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Hebrew Word Reference — Genesis 17:16
Study Notes — Genesis 17:16
- Context
- Cross References
- Genesis 17:16 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Genesis 17:16
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 17:16
- Trapp's Commentary on Genesis 17:16
- Ellicott's Commentary on Genesis 17:16
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Genesis 17:16
- Cambridge Bible on Genesis 17:16
- Whedon's Commentary on Genesis 17:16
- Sermons on Genesis 17:16
Context — The Covenant of Circumcision
16And I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will descend from her.”
17Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah give birth at the age of ninety?” 18And Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live under Your blessing!”Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 35:11 | And God told him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation—even a company of nations—shall come from you, and kings shall descend from you. |
| 2 | Genesis 17:6 | I will make you exceedingly fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you. |
| 3 | Isaiah 49:23 | Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow to you facedown and lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in Me will never be put to shame.” |
| 4 | 1 Peter 3:6 | just as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. And you are her children if you do what is right and refuse to give way to fear. |
| 5 | Galatians 4:26–31 | But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written: “Rejoice, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.” Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. At that time, however, the son born by the flesh persecuted the son born by the Spirit. It is the same now. But what does the Scripture say? “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman. |
| 6 | Genesis 18:10–14 | Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you at this time next year, and your wife Sarah will have a son!” Now Sarah was behind him, listening at the entrance to the tent. And Abraham and Sarah were already old and well along in years; Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. So she laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?” And the LORD asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Can I really bear a child when I am old?’ Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.” |
| 7 | Genesis 24:60 | And they blessed Rebekah and said to her, “Our sister, may you become the mother of thousands upon thousands. May your offspring possess the gates of their enemies.” |
| 8 | Genesis 1:28 | God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth.” |
| 9 | Romans 9:9 | For this is what the promise stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.” |
| 10 | Genesis 12:2 | I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. |
Genesis 17:16 Summary
[This verse is a promise from God to Abraham that his wife, Sarah, will have a son and become the mother of many nations. God is showing His power and love by giving them a child even when they are very old, just like He does for us when He gives us good things we don't deserve, as seen in Matthew 7:11. This promise is part of the special agreement God made with Abraham, as stated in Genesis 12:2-3 and Genesis 17:4-6. It reminds us that God is faithful and always keeps His promises, as seen in Hebrews 11:11.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for Sarah to be the mother of nations?
This promise from God indicates that Sarah will have a significant role in the lineage of many nations, as seen in the fulfillment of this promise in Genesis 17:16 and Romans 4:18, where her descendants become a multitude of nations.
How can God promise a son to Abraham and Sarah at their old age?
God's promise is not limited by human constraints, and as seen in Genesis 18:14, nothing is too wonderful or too difficult for the Lord, highlighting His power and sovereignty over all things, including the laws of nature and human biology.
What is the significance of God blessing Sarah?
The blessing of Sarah signifies God's favor and grace towards her, enabling her to fulfill her role as the mother of nations, as promised in Genesis 17:16, and is a testament to God's faithfulness and covenant with Abraham, as seen in Genesis 12:2-3 and reiterated in Genesis 17:16.
How does this promise relate to the covenant God made with Abraham?
The promise to Sarah is an integral part of the covenant God made with Abraham, as it ensures the continuation of Abraham's lineage and the fulfillment of God's plan to make him the father of many nations, as stated in Genesis 17:4-6 and reaffirmed in Genesis 17:16.
Reflection Questions
- What does this verse reveal about God's character and His relationship with His people?
- How does this promise to Sarah reflect God's power and sovereignty over human circumstances?
- In what ways can I apply the concept of God's blessing and promises in my own life, just as Sarah experienced?
- What does this verse teach me about the importance of faith and trust in God's plans and promises?
Gill's Exposition on Genesis 17:16
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 17:16
Trapp's Commentary on Genesis 17:16
Ellicott's Commentary on Genesis 17:16
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Genesis 17:16
Cambridge Bible on Genesis 17:16
Whedon's Commentary on Genesis 17:16
Sermons on Genesis 17:16
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
|
The Family by G.W. North | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the potential dangers of grouping people together in large crowds, using the example of universities where young people live together and can |
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I Am God Thy Father by Lloyd Wineberg | In this sermon, the preacher discusses various events and changes happening in the world, such as governments crumbling and the power to rule diminishing. The preacher emphasizes t |
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El-Shaddai by Thomas Brooks | Thomas Brooks preaches on the name 'El-Shaddai,' which means 'God Almighty' as stated in Genesis 35:11. He emphasizes that God embodies omnipotence and sufficiency, being an all-su |
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(Genesis) Genesis 48:4-6 by J. Vernon McGee | In this sermon, the speaker focuses on the promises made by God to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God promised to make them fruitful and multiply them, and to give them the land as an |
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K-529 Circumcision as Separation by Art Katz | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of worshiping the living God. He highlights that no religion or human effort can substitute for a genuine relationship with G |
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I. the Jewish Sign by Lewis Sperry Chafer | Lewis Sperry Chafer emphasizes the significance of Israel in God's plan for the earth, highlighting how all other nations are considered in relation to Israel in the Bible. He dist |
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Eternal Values - Seeking God's Kingdom First by Zac Poonen | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of learning to trust the Lord and standing on our own feet. He uses the analogy of being carried on a stretcher versus learnin |







