Genesis 18:18

18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.[a]

Genesis 18:18 in Other Translations

KJV
18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
ESV
18 seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?
NLT
18 “For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him.
MSG
18 Abraham is going to become a large and strong nation; all the nations of the world are going to find themselves blessed through him.
CSB
18 Abraham is to become a great and powerful nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him.

Genesis 18:18 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 18:18

Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty
nation
Which was fulfilled in the nation of Israel, so called, not so much for the largeness of the place they dwelt in, and the number of its inhabitants, as for the law of God that was given them, and the worship of God kept up among them; on account of which there was no nation so great, ( Deuteronomy 4:8 ) ; and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him;
in his seed, the Messiah, in whom some of all nations are blessed with all spiritual blessings. Now, since God had promised, and would do such great things for him and his, he judged it right and proper not to hide from him what he was about to do at Sodom, and the rather, as he had a near relation that dwelt there.

Genesis 18:18 In-Context

16 When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way.
17 Then the LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?
18 Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.
19 For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”
20 Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous

Cross References 1

  • 1. S Genesis 12:2; Galatians 3:8*

Footnotes 1

  • [a]. Or "will use his name in blessings" (see 48:20)
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