The Meaning of Genesis 17:16 Explained

Genesis 17:16

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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.'

Darby: And I will bless her, and I will give thee a son also of her; and I will bless her, and she shall become nations: kings of peoples shall be of her.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Genesis 17:16 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 17:15-27 - Isaac Is Promised
There are two allusions to laughter in these chapters. Sarah's was the laugh of incredulity, see Genesis 18:12; but Abraham's was the laugh of happy confidence, which reckoned on God. As r.v. puts it, he looked his difficulties in the face, and then turned away to the promise of God, and wavered not, but waxed strong, giving glory to God. Ponder Romans 4:20-21. Therefore, he obtained promises for his wife, for Ishmael, and for the coming child, which was to bear the name of Laughter, partly because of that hour, and also because he would bring sunshine into the old man's life. His heart had entwined about Ishmael. As he had watched the masterful and clever youth, he had said to himself, "He will hold the camp together when I am gone." But the divine covenant could not be with one that had slave-blood in his veins and was not to abide in the house forever. See John 8:35; Galatians 4:22. The covenant is always with Isaac. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 17

1  God renews the covenant with Abram,
5  and changes his name to Abraham, in token of a greater blessing
9  Circumcision is instituted
15  Sarai's name is changed to Sarah, and she is blessed
17  Isaac is promised, and the time of his birth fixed
23  Abraham and Ishmael are circumcised

What do the individual words in Genesis 17:16 mean?

And I will bless her and also give by her you a son then I will bless her and she shall be [a mother] of nations kings of peoples from her shall come
וּבֵרַכְתִּ֣י אֹתָ֔הּ וְגַ֨ם נָתַ֧תִּי מִמֶּ֛נָּה לְךָ֖ בֵּ֑ן וּבֵֽרַכְתִּ֙יהָ֙ וְהָֽיְתָ֣ה לְגוֹיִ֔ם מַלְכֵ֥י עַמִּ֖ים מִמֶּ֥נָּה יִהְיֽוּ

וּבֵרַכְתִּ֣י  And  I  will  bless 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
אֹתָ֔הּ  her 
Parse: Direct object marker, third person feminine singular
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
וְגַ֨ם  and  also 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
נָתַ֧תִּי  give 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
מִמֶּ֛נָּה  by  her 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
בֵּ֑ן  a  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
וּבֵֽרַכְתִּ֙יהָ֙  then  I  will  bless  her 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular, third person feminine singular
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
וְהָֽיְתָ֣ה  and  she  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לְגוֹיִ֔ם  [a  mother]  of  nations 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
מַלְכֵ֥י  kings 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
עַמִּ֖ים  of  peoples 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
מִמֶּ֥נָּה  from  her 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
יִהְיֽוּ  shall  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.