The Meaning of Genesis 18:18 Explained

Genesis 18:18

KJV: Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

YLT: and Abraham certainly becometh a nation great and mighty, and blessed in him have been all nations of the earth?

Darby: Since Abraham shall indeed become a great and mighty nation; and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him.

ASV: seeing that Abraham had surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Seeing that Abraham  shall surely become a great  and mighty  nation,  and all the nations  of the earth  shall be blessed  in him? 

What does Genesis 18:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 18:16-33 - Abraham Pleads For Sodom
Christ had visited Abraham's tent, but He did more. He trusted him with His secrets, and led him almost unconsciously to a degree of faith and prayer that was far beyond what he had hitherto attained. Abraham seemed to be driving the Blessed One from point to point, but as a matter of fact, he was being drawn forward. It was so with the woman of Syrophenicia. God's love and willingness to bless far exceeded Abraham's faith, and when he had gone as far as he dared the divine love went farther and saved Lot from the overthrow. We can never go into the realms of love and compassion, without finding the footsteps of the Redeemer. See Hebrews 10:22. Amid all the mysteries of God's moral government we must always believe that He is just and righteous. His throne is encircled by the rainbow, but it is founded in unimpeachable integrity. How low Abraham lay in his self-estimate! They who know most of God do not presume on their knowledge, but esteem themselves the least of saints. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 18

1  The Lord appears to Abraham, who entertains angels
9  Sarah is reproved for laughing at the promise of a son
16  The destruction of Sodom is revealed to Abraham
23  Abraham makes intercession for its inhabitants

What do the individual words in Genesis 18:18 mean?

since Abraham surely shall become a nation great and mighty and shall be blessed in him all the nations of the earth
וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם הָי֧וֹ יִֽהְיֶ֛ה לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל וְעָצ֑וּם וְנִ֨בְרְכוּ ב֔וֹ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ

וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם  since  Abraham 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָהָם  
Sense: friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God’s elective covenant.
הָי֧וֹ  surely 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Infinitive absolute
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
יִֽהְיֶ֛ה  shall  become 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לְג֥וֹי  a  nation 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
גָּד֖וֹל  great 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
וְעָצ֑וּם  and  mighty 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עָצוּם  
Sense: mighty, vast, numerous.
וְנִ֨בְרְכוּ  and  shall  be  blessed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
ב֔וֹ  in  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
גּוֹיֵ֥י  the  nations 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
הָאָֽרֶץ  of  the  earth 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.