Genesis 28:3

Genesis 28:3

And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;

a. NLT: May God Almighty bless you and give you many children. And may your descendants multiply and become many nations! [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. ASV: And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a company of peoples; [Thomas Nelson & Sons first published the American Standard Version in 1901. This translation of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. YLT: And God Almighty doth bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and thou hast become an assembly of peoples; [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Classic Amplified:  May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you until you become a group of peoples. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Septuagint: And may my God bless thee, and increase thee, and multiply thee, and thou shalt become gatherings of nations.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/ Writings: And may El Shaddai bless you and make you fruitful and make numerous, and may you be a congregation of peoples. [The Artscroll Series/Stone Edition, THE TANACH--STUDENT SIZE EDITION Copyright 1996, 1998 by Mesorah Publications, Ldt.]

1. “And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee…”

a. [And] God [Strong: 410 'el ale shortened from 352; strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity):--God (god), X goodly, X great, idol, might(-y one), power, strong.]

b. Almighty [Strong: 7706 Shadday shad-dah'-ee from 7703; the Almighty:--Almighty.

1). [Scofield Reference Bible, Note 1.] The etymological signification of Almighty God (El Shaddai) is both interesting and touching. God (El) signifies the “Strong One”. The qualifying word “Shaddai” is formed from the Hebrew word “shad”, the breast, invariably used in Scripture for a woman’s breast; e.g. Genesis 49:25; Job 3:12; Psalm 22:9, etc.. Shaddai therefore means primarily “the breasted”. God is “Shaddai”, because He is the Nourisher, the Strength-giver, and so, in a secondary sense, the Satisfier, who pours Himself into believing lives. As a fretful unsatisfied babe is not only strengthened and nourished from the mother’s breast, but is also quieted, rested, satisfied, so El Shaddai is that name God which sets Him forth as the Strength-giver and Satisfier of His people.

 

2). Dr. W. A. Criswell:  El Shaddai…is a further enrichment of the supreme name YAHWEH. “El” is the singular from of Elohim, and Shaddai is literally, “sufficient”; therefore, it is rendered “Almighty”. The “Almightiness” and “self-sufficiency” of YAHWEH are adequate for Him to deal victoriously and even destructively with His enemies.”

 

3). Significant examples of the use of El Shaddai.

 

a). We know that God appeared to Isaac by the name of El Shaddai, because God said He did: Exodus 6:2, 3 “And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty,…”

 

b). Isaac used the name El Shaddai to believe God to fulfill the Covenant to Jacob. 

(1) Genesis 28:1-4 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan. 

28:2 Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother’s father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother’s brother. 

28:3 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people; 

28:4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.

 

(2) Genesis 35:9-12 “And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came out of Padanaram, and blessed him. And God said unto him, Thy name is Jacob: thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name: and he called his name Israel. And God said unto him, I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall be of thee, and kings shall come out of thy loins; And the land which I gave Abraham and Isaac, to thee I will give it, and to thy seed after thee will I give the land.”

 

c). Jacob used the name El Shaddai to believe God for protection and restoration of his family. 

(1) Genesis 43:14 And God Almighty give you mercy before the man, that he may send away your other brother, and Benjamin. If I be bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.

c. bless [Strong: 1288 barak baw-rak' a primitive root; to kneel; by implication to bless God (as an act of adoration), and (vice-versa) man (as a benefit); also (by euphemism) to curse (God or the king, as treason):--X abundantly, X altogether, X at all, blaspheme, bless, congratulate, curse, X greatly, X indeed, kneel (down), praise, salute, X still, thank.]

d. thee [Strong: 853 'eth ayth apparent contracted from 226 in the demonstrative sense of entity; properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely):--(as such unrepresented in English).]

e. [and make thee] fruitful [Strong: 6509 parah paw-raw' a primitive root; to bear fruit (literally or figuratively):--bear, bring forth (fruit), (be, cause to be, make) fruitful, grow, increase.]

f. [and] multiply [thee] [Strong: 7235 rabah raw-baw' a primitive root; to increase (in whatever respect):--(bring in) abundance (X -antly), + archer (by mistake for 7232), be in authority, bring up, X continue, enlarge, excel, exceeding(-ly), be full of, (be, make) great(-er, -ly, X -ness), grow up, heap, increase, be long, (be, give, have, make, use) many (a time), (any, be, give, give the, have) more (in number), (ask, be, be so, gather, over, take, yield) much (greater, more), (make to) multiply, nourish, plenty(-eous), X process (of time), sore, store, thoroughly, very.]

2. “...that thou mayest be a multitude of people;”

a. [that thou mayest] be [Strong: 1961 hayah haw-yaw a primitive root (Compare 1933); to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary):--beacon, X altogether, be(-come), accomplished, committed, like), break, cause, come (to pass), do, faint, fall, + follow, happen, X have, last, pertain, quit (one-)self, require, X use.]

b. [a] multitude [Strong: 6951 qahal kaw-hawl' from 6950; assemblage (usually concretely):--assembly, company, congregation, multitude.]

c. [of] people [Strong: 5971 `am am from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation, people.]

1). Benson Commentary Two great promises Abraham was blessed with, and Isaac here entails them both upon Jacob. 1st, The promise of heirs; God make thee fruitful and multiply thee. Through his loins that people should descend from Abraham which should be numerous as the stars of heaven; and through his loins should descend from Abraham that person in whom all the families of the earth should be blessed. 2d, The promise of an inheritance for those heirs, Genesis 28:4. That thou mayest inherit the land of thy sojournings — (So the Hebrew.) Canaan was hereby entailed upon the seed of Jacob, exclusive of the seed of Esau. Isaac was now sending Jacob away into a distant country to settle there for some time; and lest this should look like disinheriting him, he here confirms the settlement of it upon him.

a). Genesis 28:1-4 And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan.

28:2 Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother.

28:3 And God Almighty bless thee, and make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, that thou mayest be a multitude of people;

28:4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.