The Meaning of Genesis 17:4 Explained

Genesis 17:4

KJV: As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

YLT: I -- lo, My covenant is with thee, and thou hast become father of a multitude of nations;

Darby: It is I: behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of a multitude of nations.

ASV: As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be the father of a multitude of nations.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

As for me,  behold, my covenant  [is] with thee, and thou shalt be a father  of many  nations. 

What does Genesis 17:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 17:1-14 - God's Covenant With Abraham
At least thirteen years had passed since the promise of Isaac was first made. Years of sorrow and discipline, but God had not forgotten. Always under such circumstances the Eternal voice bids us to walk before him and be perfect. Our surrender must be complete, our obedience absolute, our faith fixed steadfastly on the Promiser. So only can God fulfill His covenant, which includes fruitfulness, the salvation of our households, the inheritance and abundance of spiritual reproductiveness. These promises were made to Abram, being yet uncircumcised, when he was yet a Gentile, proving that they were irrespective of any mere Hebrew interpretation. See Romans 4:11. But the rite was the sign and seal of the national covenant with the Hebrew race. Spiritually it stands for the separation of the believer; and though the rite passed away with Judaism, its spiritual significance is permanent, see Colossians 2:11. [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 17:4 mean?

[As for] Me behold My covenant is with you and you shall be a father of many nations
אֲנִ֕י הִנֵּ֥ה בְרִיתִ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ וְהָיִ֕יתָ לְאַ֖ב הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִֽם

אֲנִ֕י  [As  for]  Me 
Parse: Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אֲנִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
הִנֵּ֥ה  behold 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
בְרִיתִ֖י  My  covenant  is 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
אִתָּ֑ךְ  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
וְהָיִ֕יתָ  and  you  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לְאַ֖ב  a  father 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
הֲמ֥וֹן  of  many 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: הָמֹון 
Sense: (Qal) murmur, roar, crowd, abundance, tumult, sound.
גּוֹיִֽם  nations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.