Genesis 17:2
New International Version
Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”

New Living Translation
I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”

English Standard Version
that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.”

Berean Standard Bible
I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.”

Berean Literal Bible
And I will make My covenant between Me and between you, and I will multiply you greatly, greatly.”

King James Bible
And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

New King James Version
And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”

New American Standard Bible
“I will make My covenant between Me and you, And I will multiply you exceedingly.”

NASB 1995
“I will establish My covenant between Me and you, And I will multiply you exceedingly.”

NASB 1977
“And I will establish My covenant between Me and you, And I will multiply you exceedingly.”

Legacy Standard Bible
so that I may confirm My covenant between Me and you, And that I may multiply you exceedingly.”

Amplified Bible
“I will establish My covenant (everlasting promise) between Me and you, And I will multiply you exceedingly [through your descendants].”

Berean Annotated Bible
I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.

Christian Standard Bible
I will set up my covenant between me and you, and I will multiply you greatly.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you greatly.”

American Standard Version
And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

Contemporary English Version
I will keep my solemn promise to you and give you more descendants than can be counted."

English Revised Version
And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
I will give you my promise, and I will give you very many descendants."

Good News Translation
I will make my covenant with you and give you many descendants."

International Standard Version
I'll establish my covenant between me and you, and I'll greatly increase your numbers."

NET Bible
Then I will confirm my covenant between me and you, and I will give you a multitude of descendants."

New Heart English Bible
I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you greatly."

Webster's Bible Translation
And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
Majority Text Translations
Majority Standard Bible
I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.”

World English Bible
I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and I give My covenant between Me and you, and multiply you very exceedingly.”

Berean Literal Bible
And I will make My covenant between Me and between you, and I will multiply you greatly, greatly.”

Young's Literal Translation
and I give My covenant between Me and thee, and multiply thee very exceedingly.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And I will give my covenant between me and between thee, and I will multiply thee with might exceedingly.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And I will make my covenant between me and thee: and I will multiply thee exceedingly.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And I will set my covenant between me and you. And I will multiply you very exceedingly.”

New American Bible
Between you and me I will establish my covenant, and I will multiply you exceedingly.

New Revised Standard Version
And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And I will make my covenant between me and you and will multiply you exceedingly.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Abram fell on his face and God spoke with him and said to him,
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And I will make My covenant between Me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and I will multiply thee exceedingly.

Additional Translations ...



Context
The Renaming of Abraham
1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless. 2I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.” 3Then Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,…

Cross References
I will establish My covenant between Me and you,

Genesis 15:18
On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land—from the river of Egypt to the great River Euphrates—

Exodus 6:4-5
I also established My covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land where they lived as foreigners. / Furthermore, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered My covenant.

Psalm 105:8-10
He remembers His covenant forever, the word He ordained for a thousand generations— / the covenant He made with Abraham, and the oath He swore to Isaac. / He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
and I will multiply you exceedingly.”

Genesis 16:10
Then the angel added, “I will greatly multiply your offspring so that they will be too numerous to count.”

Genesis 22:17
I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will possess the gates of their enemies.

Genesis 26:4
I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations of the earth will be blessed,
Genesis 12:2-3
I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. / I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”

Genesis 15:5-6
And the LORD took him outside and said, “Now look to the heavens and count the stars, if you are able.” Then He told him, “So shall your offspring be.” / Abram believed the LORD, and it was credited to him as righteousness.

Genesis 28:14
Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and east and north and south. All the families of the earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.

Exodus 6:7
I will take you as My own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.

Leviticus 26:9
I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will establish My covenant with you.

Deuteronomy 7:9
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.

2 Samuel 7:12-16
And when your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. / He will build a house for My Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. / I will be his Father, and he will be My son. When he does wrong, I will discipline him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. …

Isaiah 51:2
Look to Abraham your father, and to Sarah who gave you birth. When I called him, he was but one; then I blessed him and multiplied him.

Jeremiah 31:31-33
Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. / It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant they broke, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. / “But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD. I will put My law in their minds and inscribe it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they will be My people.

Ezekiel 37:26
And I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant. I will establish them and multiply them, and I will set My sanctuary among them forever.


Treasury of Scripture

And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.

And I.

Genesis 17:4-6
As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations…

Genesis 9:9
And I, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you;

Genesis 15:18
In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates:

multiply.

Genesis 12:2
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

Genesis 13:16
And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth: so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.

Genesis 22:17
That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

Jump to Previous
Agreement Confirm Covenant Establish Exceedingly Greatly Increase Increased Multiply Numbers Offspring
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Agreement Confirm Covenant Establish Exceedingly Greatly Increase Increased Multiply Numbers Offspring
Genesis 17
1. God renews the covenant with Abram,
5. and changes his name to Abraham, in token of a greater blessing.
9. Circumcision is instituted.
15. Sarai's name is changed to Sarah, and she is blessed.
17. Isaac is promised, and the time of his birth fixed.
23. Abraham and Ishmael are circumcised.












I will establish My covenant between Me and you,

God confirmed His binding promise and agreement to Abram, later Abraham, establishing a relationship marked by His sovereign purpose and faithfulness. The covenant expanded the promises already given: Abraham would become the father of a great people, receive a land for his descendants, and become a source of blessing to the nations. God initiated and guaranteed the covenant, while Abraham and his household were called to walk before Him in obedience.

Gen 15:18 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram…
Exo 6:4-5 I also established My covenant with them to give…
Psa 105:8-10 He remembers His covenant forever, the word…

and I will multiply you exceedingly.”

God promised Abraham an abundant line of descendants despite his and Sarah’s old age and long childlessness. The birth of Isaac would begin the direct line through which the promised nation of Israel would grow. Abraham’s descendants would become numerous, including the nations that came through Isaac and Jacob, fulfilling God’s promise by His power rather than human ability.

Gen 16:10 Then the angel added, “I will greatly multiply…”…
Gen 22:17 I will surely bless you, and I will multiply…
Gen 26:4 I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars…

Persons / Places / Events
1. God (Yahweh)
The Almighty God who initiates the covenant with Abram, demonstrating His sovereign will and purpose.

2. Abram (later Abraham)
The recipient of God's covenant, chosen to be the father of many nations.

3. Covenant
A divine promise and agreement initiated by God, signifying a profound relationship between God and Abram.

4. Multiplication
The promise of numerous descendants, indicating God's blessing and fulfillment of His promises.

5. Exceedingly
Emphasizes the abundance and greatness of God's promise to Abram.
Teaching Points
The Nature of God's Promises
God's promises are initiated by His will and are not dependent on human merit. This teaches us about the grace and sovereignty of God.

Faith and Obedience
Abram's response to God's covenant is marked by faith and obedience. Believers are called to trust in God's promises and live in obedience to His word.

Covenant Relationship
The covenant signifies a deep, personal relationship with God. As believers, we are invited into a covenant relationship through Jesus Christ.

God's Faithfulness
The fulfillment of God's promises to Abram over time demonstrates His faithfulness. We can trust that God will fulfill His promises to us.

Spiritual Multiplication
While the promise to Abram involved physical descendants, believers are called to spiritual multiplication through discipleship and evangelism.
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1. What is the meaning of Genesis 17:2?

2. How does Genesis 17:2 demonstrate God's commitment to His covenant with Abraham?

3. What does "multiply you exceedingly" reveal about God's promises to Abraham's descendants?

4. How can believers today trust in God's promises like in Genesis 17:2?

5. What connections exist between Genesis 17:2 and God's covenant with Noah?

6. How should Genesis 17:2 influence our understanding of God's faithfulness in our lives?

7. What does Genesis 17:2 reveal about God's covenant with Abraham?

8. How does Genesis 17:2 influence the understanding of divine promises?

9. Why is the covenant in Genesis 17:2 significant for biblical history?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Genesis 17?


(2) I will make my covenant.--In Genesis 15:18 the Heb. word for "make" is cut, and refers to the severing of the victims; here it is "give," "place," and implies that it was an act of grace on God's part (comp. Note on Genesis 9:9). Abram had now waited twenty-five years after leaving Ur-Chasdim, and fourteen or fifteen years since the ratification of the solemn covenant between him and Jehovah (Genesis 15:17); but the time had at length arrived for the fulfilment of the promise, and in token thereof Abram and Sarai were to change their names, and all the males be brought near to God by a solemn sacrament.

Verse 2. - And I will make my covenant between me and thee. Literally, I will give (cf. Genesis 9:9, 11, 12). Neither an additional covenant to that described in Genesis 15. (Rosenmüller), nor a different traditional account of the transaction contained in Genesis 15. (Tuch, Bleek), nor the original Elohistic narrative of which that in Genesis 15. was a later imitation (Knobel); but an intimation that the covenant already concluded was about to be carried into execution, and the promise of a son to be more specifically determined as the offspring of Sarai (Keil). And will multiply thee exceedingly (vide Genesis 12:2; Genesis 13:16; Genesis 15:5).

Genesis 17:2 answers Abram’s doubts with an unshakeable, God-initiated covenant. The LORD personally establishes a binding relationship, declares it His own, directs it toward Abram, and guarantees explosive, incalculable growth. The verse invites us to trust the same faithful God who keeps every promise, establishes every covenant He makes, and multiplies blessings far beyond our expectations.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
I will establish
וְאֶתְּנָ֥ה (wə·’et·tə·nāh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

My covenant
בְרִיתִ֖י (ḇə·rî·ṯî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1285: A covenant

between Me and you,
בֵּינִ֣י (bê·nî)
Preposition | first person common singular
Strong's 996: An interval, space between

and I will multiply
וְאַרְבֶּ֥ה (wə·’ar·beh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular
Strong's 7235: To be or become much, many or great

you
אוֹתְךָ֖ (’ō·wṯ·ḵā)
Direct object marker | second person masculine singular
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

exceedingly.”
בִּמְאֹ֥ד (bim·’ōḏ)
Preposition-b | Adverb
Strong's 3966: Vehemence, vehemently, wholly, speedily


Additonal Resources
Genesis 17:2 Blue Letter Bible
Genesis 17:2 Bible Gateway
Genesis 17:2 Bible.com

Genesis 17:2 NIV
Genesis 17:2 NLT
Genesis 17:2 ESV
Genesis 17:2 NASB
Genesis 17:2 KJV

Genesis 17:2 Study Bible
Genesis 17:2 Biblia Paralela
Genesis 17:2 Chinese Bible
Genesis 17:2 French Bible
Genesis 17:2 Catholic Bible

OT Law: Genesis 17:2 I will make my covenant between me (Gen. Ge Gn)

Genesis 17:1
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