Genesis 17:6

6 I'll make you a father of fathers - I'll make nations from you, kings will issue from you.

Genesis 17:6 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 17:6

And I will make thee exceeding fruitful
In children, for he had not only a son by Sarai, from whom sprung a numerous offspring, but he had six sons by Keturah, who became the heads of large nations:

and I will make nations of thee;
as the nations of Israel and Judah, of the Midianites and Edomites, of the Arabs, Saracens, and Turks:

and kings shall come out of thee;
as the twelve princes of Ishmael, the kings of Edom and Midian, of the Arabs, Saracens, and Turks, and of Israel and Judah, and especially, as observed by Grotius, and others, the King Messiah: to which may be added, in a mystical sense, all Christian kings and princes of the same faith with him; nay, all believers, who are all kings and priests unto God.

Genesis 17:6 In-Context

4 "This is my covenant with you: You'll be the father of many nations.
5 Your name will no longer be Abram, but Abraham, meaning that 'I'm making you the father of many nations.'
6 I'll make you a father of fathers - I'll make nations from you, kings will issue from you.
7 I'm establishing my covenant between me and you, a covenant that includes your descendants, a covenant that goes on and on and on, a covenant that commits me to be your God and the God of your descendants.
8 And I'm giving you and your descendants this land where you're now just camping, this whole country of Canaan, to own forever. And I'll be their God."
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.