Genesis 17:16

16 I will bless her, and I will also give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will become [a mother of] nations, and kings will come from her."

Genesis 17:16 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 17:16

And I will bless her
The Targum of Jonathan adds, "in her body", with fruitfulness, who before was barren, and in her soul with spiritual blessings, and in both with the blessing of eternal life:

and give thee a son also of her;
as he had given him one of Hagar: God had before promised Abraham a son that should be his heir, but he had not till now told him that he should be born of Sarah his wife:

yea, I will bless her;
which is repeated for the confirmation of it, and for the greater strengthening Abraham's faith in it:

and she shall be [a mother] of nations;
of the twelve tribes of Israel; of the two nations of Israel and Judah;

kings of people shall be of her;
as David, Solomon, and others, and especially the King Messiah.

Genesis 17:16 In-Context

14 Any uncircumcised male must be excluded from his people because he has rejected my promise."
15 God said to Abraham, "Don't call your wife by the name Sarai anymore. Instead, her name is Sarah [Princess].
16 I will bless her, and I will also give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will become [a mother of] nations, and kings will come from her."
17 Immediately, Abraham bowed with his face touching the ground. He laughed as he thought to himself, "Can a son be born to a hundred-year-old man? Can Sarah, a ninety-year-old woman, have a child?"
18 Then Abraham said to God, "Why not let Ishmael be my heir?"
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