Verse 4

"As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You will be the father of a multitude of nations.

Other Translations

Referenced Verses

  • Gen 35:11 : 11 God said to him, "I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation, indeed a community of nations, will come from you, and kings will come from your own body."
  • Gen 12:2 : 2 And I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you, and I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
  • Gen 13:16 : 16 I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust of the earth, your descendants could also be counted.
  • Gen 16:10 : 10 The angel of the LORD also said, "I will greatly multiply your offspring so that they cannot be counted because of their great numbers."
  • Gen 22:17 : 17 I will surely bless you and will greatly multiply your offspring like the stars of the heavens and like the sand on the seashore, and your offspring will possess the gates of their enemies.
  • Gen 25:1-9 : 1 Abraham took another wife, and her name was Keturah. 2 She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. 3 Jokshan fathered Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were the Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. 4 The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the sons of Keturah. 5 Abraham gave everything he owned to Isaac. 6 But to the sons of his concubines, Abraham gave gifts, and while he was still alive, he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastward to the land of the east. 7 This is the length of Abraham’s life: 175 years. 8 Abraham breathed his last and died at a ripe old age, an old man full of years, and he was gathered to his people. 9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, near the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, which is near Mamre. 10 The field Abraham had purchased from the sons of Heth. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah. 11 After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who settled near Beer-lahai-roi. 12 This is the account of Ishmael, the son of Abraham, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham. 13 These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, listed in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael; then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, 14 Mishma, Dumah, and Massa, 15 Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. 16 These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names by their villages and encampments: twelve princes, according to their tribes. 17 These are the years of Ishmael's life: one hundred thirty-seven years. He breathed his last, died, and was gathered to his people. 18 Ishmael's descendants settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt as you go toward Assyria. He lived in hostility toward all his brothers.
  • Gen 32:12 : 12 Please deliver me from the hand of my brother, from Esau, for I am afraid of him. He might come and strike me, the mothers, and the children.
  • Gen 36:1-9 : 1 These are the descendants of Esau, who is Edom. 2 Esau took his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah, the daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah, the daughter of Zibeon the Hivite. 3 And Basemath, the daughter of Ishmael, the sister of Nebaioth. 4 Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau, and Basemath bore Reuel. 5 And Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan. 6 Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, along with his livestock, all his animals, and all the possessions he had acquired in the land of Canaan, and he moved to a land away from his brother Jacob. 7 Their possessions were too great for them to live together; the land where they stayed could not support them because of their livestock. 8 So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir. Esau is Edom. 9 These are the descendants of Esau, the father of the Edomites, in the hill country of Seir. 10 These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz, the son of Adah, the wife of Esau, and Reuel, the son of Basemath, the wife of Esau. 11 The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. 12 Timna was a concubine of Eliphaz, Esau’s son, and she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These are the descendants of Adah, Esau’s wife. 13 These are the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the descendants of Basemath, Esau’s wife. 14 These were the sons of Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah and granddaughter of Zibeon, Esau’s wife. She bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah to Esau. 15 These are the chiefs among Esau’s descendants: the sons of Eliphaz, the firstborn of Esau: Chief Teman, Chief Omar, Chief Zepho, Chief Kenaz, 16 Chief Korah, Chief Gatam, and Chief Amalek. These are the chiefs of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; these are the descendants of Adah. 17 These are the sons of Reuel, Esau’s son: Chief Nahath, Chief Zerah, Chief Shammah, Chief Mizzah. These are the chiefs of Reuel in the land of Edom; these are the descendants of Basemath, Esau’s wife. 18 These are the sons of Oholibamah, Esau’s wife: Chief Jeush, Chief Jalam, Chief Korah. These are the chiefs descended from Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah, Esau’s wife. 19 These are the sons of Esau (that is, Edom), and these are their chiefs. 20 These were the sons of Seir the Horite, who inhabited the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, and Anah, 21 and Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. These were the chiefs of the Horites, the descendants of Seir, in the land of Edom. 22 The sons of Lotan were Hori and Hemam, and Lotan's sister was Timna. 23 These are the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. 24 These are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. This is the Anah who discovered the hot springs in the wilderness while he was pasturing the donkeys of his father Zibeon. 25 These are the children of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah. 26 These are the sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Keran. 27 These are the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. 28 These are the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. 29 These are the chiefs of the Horites: Chief Lotan, Chief Shobal, Chief Zibeon, Chief Anah, 30 Chief Dishon, Chief Ezer, and Chief Dishan. These are the chiefs of the Horites, according to their clans in the land of Seir. 31 These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the Israelites: 32 Bela son of Beor reigned in Edom, and the name of his city was Dinhabah. 33 When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah succeeded him as king. 34 When Jobab died, Husham from the land of the Temanites succeeded him as king. 35 When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the field of Moab, succeeded him as king. The name of his city was Avith. 36 When Hadad died, Samlah from Masrekah succeeded him as king. 37 When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth on the river succeeded him as king. 38 When Shaul died, Baal-Hanan son of Achbor succeeded him as king. 39 When Baal-Hanan son of Achbor died, Hadar succeeded him as king. The name of his city was Pau, and his wife’s name was Mehetabel daughter of Matred, the daughter of Me-Zahab. 40 These are the names of Esau's chiefs according to their families and regions, by their names: Chief Timna, Chief Alvah, Chief Jetheth, 41 Chief Oholibamah, Chief Elah, Chief Pinon, 42 Chief Kenaz, Chief Teman, Chief Mibzar, 43 Chief Magdiel, and Chief Iram. These were the chiefs of Edom according to their settlements in the land they possessed. Esau was the father of the Edomites.
  • Gen 48:19 : 19 But his father refused and said, 'I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations.'
  • Num 1:1-9 : 1 The LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the Tent of Meeting, on the first day of the second month in the second year after they came out of the land of Egypt, saying: 2 Take a census of the entire community of the Israelites, by their clans and their ancestral houses, counting the names of all the males, head by head. 3 You must count all those who are twenty years old or older, who are able to serve in the army of Israel, division by division—you and Aaron together. 4 A man from each tribe, the head of his ancestral house, will assist you. 5 These are the names of the men who will assist you: from the tribe of Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur; 6 from the tribe of Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai; 7 from the tribe of Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab; 8 from the tribe of Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar; 9 from the tribe of Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon; 10 from the descendants of Joseph: from the tribe of Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud; from the tribe of Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur; 11 from the tribe of Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni; 12 from the tribe of Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai; 13 from the tribe of Asher, Pagiel son of Ocran; 14 from the tribe of Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel; 15 from the tribe of Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan. 16 These were the appointed leaders of the congregation, the chiefs of their ancestral tribes; they were the heads of the clans of Israel. 17 Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name, 18 and they assembled the entire community on the first day of the second month. They recorded their lineage by their clans and ancestral houses, counting the names of those twenty years old or older, individually, 19 just as the LORD had commanded Moses. So they counted them in the wilderness of Sinai. 20 The descendants of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were recorded by their generations, families, and ancestral houses, by name, individually, all the males twenty years old or older, all who could serve in the army. 21 The number from the tribe of Reuben was 46,500. 22 The descendants of Simeon were recorded by their generations, by their families, and by their ancestral houses, all the males twenty years old or older, individually counted, all able to serve in the army. 23 The number from the tribe of Simeon was 59,300. 24 The descendants of Gad were recorded by their generations, by their families, and by their ancestral houses, all the males twenty years old or older, individually counted, all able to serve in the army. 25 The number from the tribe of Gad was 45,650. 26 The descendants of Judah were recorded by their generations, by their families, and by their ancestral houses, all the males twenty years old or older, individually counted, all able to serve in the army. 27 The number from the tribe of Judah was 74,600. 28 The descendants of Issachar were recorded by their generations, by their families, and by their ancestral houses, all the males twenty years old or older, individually counted, all able to serve in the army. 29 The number from the tribe of Issachar was 54,400. 30 The descendants of Zebulun were recorded by their generations, by their families, and by their ancestral houses, all the males twenty years old or older, individually counted, all able to serve in the army. 31 The number from the tribe of Zebulun was 57,400. 32 The descendants of Joseph, specifically the tribe of Ephraim, were recorded by their generations, by their families, and by their ancestral houses, all the males twenty years old or older, individually counted, all able to serve in the army. 33 The number from the tribe of Ephraim was 40,500. 34 The descendants of Manasseh were recorded by their generations, by their families, and by their ancestral houses, counting the names of all the males twenty years old or older, all able to serve in the army. 35 The number from the tribe of Manasseh was 32,200. 36 The descendants of Benjamin were recorded by their generations, by their families, and by their ancestral houses, counting the names of all the males twenty years old or older, all able to serve in the army. 37 The number from the tribe of Benjamin was 35,400. 38 The descendants of Dan were recorded by their generations, by their families, and by their ancestral houses, counting the names of all the males twenty years old or older, all able to serve in the army. 39 The number from the tribe of Dan was 62,700. 40 The descendants of Asher were recorded by their generations, by their families, and by their ancestral houses, counting the names of all the males twenty years old or older, all able to serve in the army. 41 The number from the tribe of Asher was 41,500. 42 The descendants of Naphtali were recorded by their generations, by their families, and by their ancestral houses, counting the names of all the males twenty years old or older, all able to serve in the army. 43 The number from the tribe of Naphtali was 53,400. 44 These were the ones who were numbered, whom Moses and Aaron counted, along with the leaders of Israel, twelve men, each the head of his ancestral house. 45 So all the Israelites who were twenty years old or older and able to serve in the army were counted according to their ancestral houses. 46 The total number of those counted was 603,550. 47 However, the Levites, by their ancestral tribe, were not included in the census among them. 48 The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 49 Do not include the tribe of Levi or take a census of them among the Israelites. 50 Instead, appoint the Levites to be in charge of the tabernacle of the covenant, all its furnishings, and everything that belongs to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings, serve it, and camp around it. 51 Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites must take it down, and whenever it is to be set up, the Levites must set it up. Any outsider who comes near it must be put to death. 52 The Israelites are to camp by their divisions, each man by his own banner, near his own family’s camp. 53 But the Levites are to camp around the tabernacle of the covenant to protect the Israelites from wrath. The Levites are to carry out the responsibilities of the tabernacle of the covenant. 54 Thus the Israelites did everything the LORD had commanded Moses, just as the LORD instructed them.
  • Num 26:1-9 : 1 The Lord said to Moses and Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, 2 “Take a census of the entire assembly of the Israelites, from twenty years old and upward, according to their ancestral families, all who are able to serve in Israel’s army. 3 So Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke to them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan River near Jericho, saying, 4 ‘Count all men twenty years old and above, as the Lord commanded Moses and the Israelites who had come out of the land of Egypt.’ 5 The descendants of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn: The family of Hanoch from Hanoch; the family of the Hanochites. The family of Pallu from Pallu; the family of the Palluites. 6 The family of Hezron from Hezron; the family of the Hezronites. The family of Carmi from Carmi; the family of the Carmites. 7 These were the families of the Reubenites, and the total number of those counted was 43,730. 8 The descendants of Pallu: Eliab. 9 The sons of Eliab: Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These were the same Dathan and Abiram, community leaders who opposed Moses and Aaron as part of Korah’s assembly, inciting rebellion against the Lord. 10 The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, along with Korah, when that assembly died, as the fire consumed 250 men, serving as a warning sign. 11 However, the sons of Korah did not die. 12 The descendants of Simeon by their families: The family of Nemuel from Nemuel; the family of the Nemuelites. The family of Jamin from Jamin; the family of the Jaminites. 13 The family of Zerah from Zerah; the family of the Zerahites. The family of Shaul from Shaul; the family of the Shaulites. 14 These were the families of the Simeonites, totaling 22,200. 15 The descendants of Gad by their families: The family of Zephon from Zephon; the family of the Zephonites. The family of Haggi from Haggi; the family of the Haggites. 16 The family of Shuni from Shuni; the family of the Shunites. The family of Ozni from Ozni; the family of the Oznites. The family of Eri from Eri; the family of the Erites. 17 The family of Arod from Arod; the family of the Arodites. The family of Areli from Areli; the family of the Arelites. 18 These were the families of the descendants of Gad, and those counted totaled 40,500. 19 The sons of Judah were Er and Onan, but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. 20 The descendants of Judah by their families: The family of Shelah from Shelah; the family of the Shelanites. The family of Perez from Perez; the family of the Perezites. The family of Zerah from Zerah; the family of the Zerahites. 21 The descendants of Perez: From Hezron, the family of the Hezronites; from Hamul, the family of the Hamulites. 22 These were the families of Judah according to those registered by their census: 76,500. 23 The descendants of Issachar by their families: From Tola, the family of the Tolaites; from Puvah, the family of the Punites. 24 From Jashub, the family of the Jashubites; from Shimron, the family of the Shimronites. 25 These were the families of Issachar according to those registered by their census: 64,300. 26 The descendants of Zebulun by their families: From Sered, the family of the Seredites; from Elon, the family of the Elonites; from Jahleel, the family of the Jahleelites. 27 These were the families of Zebulun according to those registered by their census: 60,500. 28 The descendants of Joseph by their families: Manasseh and Ephraim. 29 The descendants of Manasseh: From Machir, the family of the Machirites (Machir fathered Gilead); from Gilead, the family of the Gileadites. 30 These were the descendants of Gilead: From Iezer, the family of the Iezerites; from Helek, the family of the Helekites. 31 From Asriel, the family of the Asrielites; from Shechem, the family of the Shechemites. 32 From Shemida, the family of the Shemidaites; from Hepher, the family of the Hepherites. 33 Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons, but only daughters. The names of Zelophehad’s daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. 34 These were the families of Manasseh according to those registered by their census: 52,700. 35 These were the descendants of Ephraim by their families: From Shuthelah, the family of the Shuthelahites; from Becher, the family of the Becherites; from Tahan, the family of the Tahanites. 36 These were the descendants of Shuthelah: From Eran, the family of the Eranites. 37 These were the families of the descendants of Ephraim according to those registered by their census: 32,500. These were the descendants of Joseph by their families. 38 The descendants of Benjamin by their families: From Bela, the family of the Belaites; from Ashbel, the family of the Ashbelites; from Ahiram, the family of the Ahiramites. 39 From Shephupham, the family of the Shuphamites; from Hupham, the family of the Huphamites. 40 The sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: The family of the Ardites from Ard, and the family of the Naamites from Naaman. 41 These were the descendants of Benjamin according to their families, and their registered men were 45,600. 42 These were the descendants of Dan by their families: From Shuham, the family of the Shuhamites. These were the families of Dan by their clans. 43 The total number of the Shuhamite families, according to their registration, was 64,400. 44 The descendants of Asher by their families: From Imnah, the family of the Imnites; from Ishvi, the family of the Ishvites; from Beriah, the family of the Beriites. 45 From the descendants of Beriah: From Heber, the family of the Heberites; from Malchiel, the family of the Malchielites. 46 The name of Asher’s daughter was Serah. 47 These were the families of the descendants of Asher, according to their registration: 53,400. 48 The descendants of Naphtali by their families: From Jahzeel, the family of the Jahzeelites; from Guni, the family of the Gunites. 49 From Jezer, the family of the Jezerites; from Shillem, the family of the Shillemites. 50 These were the families of Naphtali, by their clans, and their registered men were 45,400. 51 The total number of the Israelites registered was 601,730. 52 The Lord spoke to Moses, 53 “Divide the land as an inheritance among these people, based on the number of names in each group. 54 Increase the inheritance for a larger group and decrease it for a smaller group; each person’s inheritance is to be given according to the number of those registered in his group. 55 But the division of the land is to be determined by lot; they will receive their inheritance based on the names of their ancestral tribes. 56 Each inheritance is to be divided by lot among the larger and smaller groups alike. 57 These are the families of the Levites by their clans: The clan of the Gershonites from Gershon, the clan of the Kohathites from Kohath, and the clan of the Merarites from Merari. 58 These are the clans of Levi: the Libnite clan, the Hebronite clan, the Mahlite clan, the Mushite clan, and the Korahite clan. Kohath was the father of Amram. 59 The name of Amram's wife was Jochebed, a daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt. Jochebed bore to Amram: Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam. 60 Aaron was the father of Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 61 But Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unauthorized fire before the Lord. 62 The total number of the Levites registered, all the males a month old or older, was 23,000. They were not counted among the Israelites because they were not given an inheritance among them. 63 These were the numbers recorded by Moses and Eleazar the priest when they counted the Israelites in the plains of Moab by the Jordan across from Jericho. 64 But among them, there was not one man who had been included in the census Moses and Aaron the priest conducted when they counted the Israelites in the Wilderness of Sinai. 65 For the Lord had said of them, 'They will surely die in the wilderness.' Not one of them survived except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.
  • Rom 4:11-18 : 11 And he received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. So that he might be the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness might also be credited to them, 12 and to be the father of the circumcised who are not only circumcised but also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. 13 For the promise to Abraham or his descendants that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if those who are of the law inherit, faith is made void, and the promise is nullified. 15 For the law brings wrath, and where there is no law, there is no transgression. 16 Therefore, the promise comes by faith, that it may be according to grace, so that it might be guaranteed to all the offspring—not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all. 17 As it is written: 'I have made you a father of many nations.' He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. 18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.'
  • Gal 3:28-29 : 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.