Genesis 17:4

4 "I make this covenant with you: I promise that you will be the ancestor of many nations.

Genesis 17:4 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 17:4

As for me, behold, my covenant [is] with thee
Who was gracious to make it, faithful to keep it, and immutable in it, though Abram was but a man, and sinful:

and thou shalt be a father of many nations:
as he was of many Arabian nations, and of the Turks in the line of Ishmael; and of the Midianites, and others, in the line of his sons by Keturah; and of the Israelites in the line of Isaac, as well as of the Edomites in the line of Esau; and in a spiritual sense the father of all that believe, in all the nations of the world, circumcised or uncircumcised, as the apostle explains it, ( Romans 4:11 Romans 4:12 Romans 4:16-18 ) .

Genesis 17:4 In-Context

2 I will make my covenant with you and give you many descendants."
3 Abram bowed down with his face touching the ground, and God said,
4 "I make this covenant with you: I promise that you will be the ancestor of many nations.
5 Your name will no longer be Abram, but Abraham, because I am making you the ancestor of many nations.
6 I will give you many descendants, and some of them will be kings. You will have so many descendants that they will become nations.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.