The Meaning of Genesis 26:4 Explained

Genesis 26:4

KJV: And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;

YLT: and I have multiplied thy seed as stars of the heavens, and I have given to thy seed all these lands; and blessed themselves in thy seed have all nations of the earth;

Darby: And I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and unto thy seed will I give all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves --

ASV: And I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these lands. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And I will make  thy seed  to multiply  as the stars  of heaven,  and will give  unto thy seed  all these  countries;  and in thy seed  shall all the nations  of the earth  be blessed; 

What does Genesis 26:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 26:1-17 - Isaac Is Blessed And Grows Rich
There was no harm in Isaac's going to Gerar, as he had a distinct command to that effect, Genesis 26:2-3. But he does not seem to have been strong enough to stand the test of residence there. He might have received into his soul that sufficient grace which is always within the reach of tempted men; but, like so many of us, he looked down and not up. What could have been more reassuring than the promises of the divine presence and blessing! But he was guilty of incredible meanness to the woman who had come so far to be his wife, and of deceit to Abimelech. Notice how the sins of the fathers repeat themselves in the children! It was a disappointing lapse from the glorious height on which he had stood when he yielded himself to God's call on Mount Moriah! But we have experienced the same contrasts within ourselves. Now on the mount of transfiguration, asking to live there, and then in the valley, quarreling for pre-eminence. But, notwithstanding all, God's loving-kindness does not fail. See Genesis 26:12. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 26

1  Isaac, because of famine, sojourns in Gerar, and the Lord blesses him
7  He is reproved by Abimelech for denying his wife
12  He grows rich, and the Philistines envy his prosperity
18  He digs wells
23  God appears to him at Beersheba, and blesses him;
26  and Abimelech makes a covenant with him
34  Esau's wives

What do the individual words in Genesis 26:4 mean?

And I will make multiply - your descendants as the stars in the sky and I will give to your descendants - all lands these and shall be blessed in your seed all the nations of the earth
וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֤י אֶֽת־ זַרְעֲךָ֙ כְּכוֹכְבֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְנָתַתִּ֣י לְזַרְעֲךָ֔ אֵ֥ת כָּל־ הָאֲרָצֹ֖ת הָאֵ֑ל וְהִתְבָּרֲכ֣וּ בְזַרְעֲךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֥י הָאָֽרֶץ

וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֤י  And  I  will  make  multiply 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.
אֶֽת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
זַרְעֲךָ֙  your  descendants 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
כְּכוֹכְבֵ֣י  as  the  stars 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: כֹּוכָב  
Sense: star.
הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם  in  the  sky 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
וְנָתַתִּ֣י  and  I  will  give 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
לְזַרְעֲךָ֔  to  your  descendants 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
אֵ֥ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָאֲרָצֹ֖ת  lands 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine plural
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
הָאֵ֑ל  these 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵל  
Sense: these, those.
וְהִתְבָּרֲכ֣וּ  and  shall  be  blessed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
בְזַרְעֲךָ֔  in  your  seed 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
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.