Genesis 28:3

3 "May the Mighty God bless you. May he give you children. May he increase your numbers until you become a community of nations.

Genesis 28:3 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 28:3

And God Almighty bless thee
This is not a new blessing, distinct from that in ( Genesis 28:1 ) , but the same; there it is expressed in general, here the particulars of it are given; and by which it appears, that Isaac's blessing Jacob was a prayer, wishing a blessing from God upon him, and was the prayer of faith, delivered out under the spirit of prophecy; and they are blessed indeed that are blessed of God, and they must needs be blessed who are blessed by the Almighty; for what is it he cannot do or give? The Targum of Jonathan adds,

``with much riches;''

but no doubt all kind of blessings are included, both temporal and spiritual: and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee;
with a numerous offspring: that thou mayest be a multitude of people;
or an "assembly" or "congregation" ^F7 of them; which may all unite in one body and make one nation, as the twelve tribes descending from Jacob did.

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FOOTNOTES:

F7 (lhql) "in Coetum", Pagninus, Montanus

Genesis 28:3 In-Context

1 So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. He commanded him, "Don't get married to a woman from Canaan.

2 Go at once to Paddan Aram. Go to the house of your mother's father Bethuel. Find a wife for yourself there. Take her from among the daughters of your mother's brother Laban.

3 "May the Mighty God bless you. May he give you children. May he increase your numbers until you become a community of nations.

4 May he give you and your children after you the blessing he gave to Abraham. Then you can take over the land where you now live as an outsider. It's the land God gave to Abraham."

5 Isaac sent Jacob on his way. Jacob went to Paddan Aram. He went to Laban, the son of Bethuel the Aramean. Laban was the brother of Rebekah. And Rebekah was the mother of Jacob and Esau.