The Meaning of Genesis 28:3 Explained

Genesis 28:3

KJV: And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;

YLT: and God Almighty doth bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and thou hast become an assembly of peoples;

Darby: And the Almighty God bless thee, and make thee fruitful and multiply thee, that thou mayest become a company of peoples.

ASV: And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a company of peoples.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And God  Almighty  bless  thee, and make thee fruitful,  and multiply  thee, that thou mayest be a multitude  of people; 

What does Genesis 28:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 28:1-9 - Jacob Sent Away From Home
Esau deferred the execution of his murderous purpose, because of the near approach, as he supposed, of his father's death. But Isaac lived for forty years after this. His secret purpose, however, became known to Rebekah. See Proverbs 29:11. The ostensible reason for Jacob's expatriation which Rebekah gave her husband was not the real one. He was sent to Haran, not primarily for a wife, but to escape his brother. Does not this constant duplicity explain the reason of Rebekah's heart-weariness? It seems probable that she never saw her favorite son again. The benediction already pronounced on Jacob was repeated with greater amplitude and tenderness as he left his father's tent. Sad as he was in the inevitable wrench, the star of hope shone in the sky, beckoning him onward. It was necessary that he should be taken from under his mother's influence into that greater world, where, through pain and disappointment, he should become a prince with God. Often our nest is broken up that we may learn to fly. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 28

1  Isaac blesses Jacob, and sends him to Padan-aram
6  Esau marries Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael
10  Jacob journeys, and has a vision of a ladder
18  The stone of Bethel
20  Jacob's vow

What do the individual words in Genesis 28:3 mean?

And May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you that you may be an assembly of peoples
וְאֵ֤ל שַׁדַּי֙ יְבָרֵ֣ךְ אֹֽתְךָ֔ וְיַפְרְךָ֖ וְיַרְבֶּ֑ךָ וְהָיִ֖יתָ לִקְהַ֥ל עַמִּֽים

וְאֵ֤ל  And  May  God 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
שַׁדַּי֙  Almighty 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: שַׁדַּי  
Sense: almighty, most powerful.
יְבָרֵ֣ךְ  bless 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
וְיַפְרְךָ֖  and  make  you  fruitful 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: פָּרָה 
Sense: to bear fruit, be fruitful, branch off.
וְיַרְבֶּ֑ךָ  and  multiply  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular, second person masculine singular
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.
וְהָיִ֖יתָ  that  you  may  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.
לִקְהַ֥ל  an  assembly 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: קָהָל  
Sense: assembly, company, congregation, convocation.
עַמִּֽים  of  peoples 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.