The Meaning of Genesis 22:17 Explained

Genesis 22:17

KJV: 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;

YLT: that blessing I bless thee, and multiplying I multiply thy seed as stars of the heavens, and as sand which is on the sea-shore; and thy seed doth possess the gate of his enemies;

Darby: I will richly bless thee, and greatly multiply thy seed, as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that is on the sea-shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

ASV: that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore. And thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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; 

What does Genesis 22:17 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 22:14-24 - The Promise Sealed With An Oath
It was only at the last moment that the ram was shown and substituted. It is when we get to the mount of sacrifice that God's deliverance is seen. It was when Pharaoh had almost overtaken Israel that their way was cleft through the Red Sea. It was in the early dawn that Jesus came walking on the water. The angel delivered Peter just before the time of his execution. God is never a moment too soon, or too late. What an outburst of blessing! It was a perfect cloudburst! When we have obeyed God to the uttermost and glorified Him in the fires, there is no limit to the fruit-fullness or increase with which we shall become enriched. God puts His key into the hands of the faith that absolutely trusts Him, saying, "Take what you will." Let us not forget that, as the children of Abraham by faith, we are His heirs, and may reverently lay claim to a share in these glorious promises. See Galatians 3:9. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 22

1  Abraham is tested with the command to offer Isaac
3  He gives proof of his faith and obedience
11  The angel prevents him
13  Isaac is exchanged for a ram
14  The place is called Jehovah-jireh
15  Abraham is again blessed
20  The generations of Nahor unto Rebekah

What do the individual words in Genesis 22:17 mean?

that blessing I will bless you and multiplying I will multiply - your descendants as the stars of the heaven and as the sand which [is] on the shore [of] the sea and shall possess your descendants - the gate of their enemies
כִּֽי־ בָרֵ֣ךְ אֲבָרֶכְךָ֗ וְהַרְבָּ֨ה אַרְבֶּ֤ה אֶֽת־ זַרְעֲךָ֙ כְּכוֹכְבֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְכַח֕וֹל אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־ שְׂפַ֣ת הַיָּ֑ם וְיִרַ֣שׁ זַרְעֲךָ֔ אֵ֖ת שַׁ֥עַר אֹיְבָֽיו

כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
בָרֵ֣ךְ  blessing 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Infinitive absolute
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
אֲבָרֶכְךָ֗  I  will  bless  you 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common singular, second person masculine singular
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
וְהַרְבָּ֨ה  and  multiplying 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.
אַרְבֶּ֤ה  I  will  multiply 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: הַרְבָּה 
Sense: be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.
אֶֽת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
זַרְעֲךָ֙  your  descendants 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
כְּכוֹכְבֵ֣י  as  the  stars 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: כֹּוכָב  
Sense: star.
הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם  of  the  heaven 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
וְכַח֕וֹל  and  as  the  sand 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹול 
Sense: sand.
אֲשֶׁ֖ר  which  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
שְׂפַ֣ת  the  shore 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שָׂפָה  
Sense: lip, language, speech, shore, bank, brink, brim, side, edge, border, binding.
הַיָּ֑ם  [of]  the  sea 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יָם  
Sense: sea.
וְיִרַ֣שׁ  and  shall  possess 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַשׁ  
Sense: to seize, dispossess, take possession off, inherit, disinherit, occupy, impoverish, be an heir.
זַרְעֲךָ֔  your  descendants 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.
אֵ֖ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שַׁ֥עַר  the  gate 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שַׁעַר  
Sense: gate.
אֹיְבָֽיו  of  their  enemies 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹיֵב  
Sense: (Qal) enemy.