Genesis 28:3

3 And God allmightie blesse the increase the and multiplie the that thou mayst be a nombre of people

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 Than Isaac called Iacob his sonne and blessed him ad charged him and sayde vnto him: se thou take not a wife of the doughters of Canaan

2 but aryse ad gett the to Mesopotamia to the house of Bethuel thy mothers father: and there take the a wife of the doughters of Laban thi mothers brother.

3 And God allmightie blesse the increase the and multiplie the that thou mayst be a nombre of people

4 and geue the the blessynge of Abraham: both to the and to thy seed with the that thou mayst possesse the lade (wherein thou art a strangere) which God gaue vnto Abraham.

5 Thus Isaac sent forth Iacob to goo to Mesopotamia vnto Laban sonne of Bethuel the Sirien and brother to Rebecca Iacobs and Esaus mother.