The Meaning of Genesis 28:4 Explained

Genesis 28:4

KJV: And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.

YLT: and He doth give to thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee and to thy seed with thee, to cause thee to possess the land of thy sojournings, which God gave to Abraham.'

Darby: And may he give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee and to thy seed with thee, in order that thou mayest possess the land of thy sojourning, which God gave to Abraham!

ASV: And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee. That thou mayest inherit the land of thy sojournings, which God gave unto Abraham.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And give  thee the blessing  of Abraham,  to thee, and to thy seed  with thee; that thou mayest inherit  the land  wherein thou art a stranger,  which God  gave  unto Abraham. 

What does Genesis 28:4 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 28:4 mean?

And may He give you - the blessing of Abraham to you and your descendants with you that you may inherit the land of your sojournings which gave God to Abraham
וְיִֽתֶּן־ לְךָ֙ אֶת־ בִּרְכַּ֣ת אַבְרָהָ֔ם לְךָ֖ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֣ אִתָּ֑ךְ לְרִשְׁתְּךָ֙ אֶ֣רֶץ מְגֻרֶ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁר־ נָתַ֥ן אֱלֹהִ֖ים לְאַבְרָהָֽם

וְיִֽתֶּן־  And  may  He  give 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בִּרְכַּ֣ת  the  blessing 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בְּרָכָה  
Sense: blessing.
אַבְרָהָ֔ם  of  Abraham 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָהָם  
Sense: friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God’s elective covenant.
לְךָ֖  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֣  and  your  descendants 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
אִתָּ֑ךְ  with  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
לְרִשְׁתְּךָ֙  that  you  may  inherit 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person masculine singular
Root: יָרַשׁ  
Sense: to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir.
אֶ֣רֶץ  the  land 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מְגֻרֶ֔יךָ  of  your  sojournings 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: מָגֹור 
Sense: sojourning place, dwelling-place, sojourning.
נָתַ֥ן  gave 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֱלֹהִ֖ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
לְאַבְרָהָֽם  to  Abraham 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָהָם  
Sense: friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God’s elective covenant.