Genesis

Genesis 17:15–21

¹⁵Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, do not call her Sarai, for her name is to be Sarah.^e ¹⁶And I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will descend from her.”

¹⁷Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah give birth at the age of ninety?” ¹⁸And Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live under Your blessing!”

¹⁹But God replied, “Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac.^f I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. ²⁰As for Ishmael, I have heard you, and I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He will become the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. ²¹But I will establish My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.”

Footnotes

e 17:15 Both Sarai and Sarah mean princess; the change in spelling may reflect the difference in dialect between Ur and Canaan.
f 17:19 Isaac means he laughs.

Read all of Genesis 17

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Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 17:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then God	אֱלֹהִים֙	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
said	וַיֹּ֤אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Abraham	אַבְרָהָ֔ם	’aḇ·rā·hām	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H85 Abraham
As for Sarai	שָׂרַ֣י	śā·ray	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H8297 Sarai
your wife	אִשְׁתְּךָ֔	’iš·tə·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
do not	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
call	תִקְרָ֥א	ṯiq·rā	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
her	שְׁמָ֖הּ	šə·māh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H8034 name
Sarai	שָׂרָ֑י	śā·rāy	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H8297 Sarai
for	כִּ֥י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
her name	שְׁמָֽהּ׃	šə·māh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H8034 name
Sarah	שָׂרָ֖ה	śā·rāh	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H8283 Sarah

Genesis 17:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And I will bless her	וּבֵרַכְתִּ֣י	ū·ḇê·raḵ·tî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H1288 kneel, bless
and will surely	וְגַ֨ם	wə·ḡam	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
give	נָתַ֧תִּי	nā·ṯat·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H5414 give, put, set
you	לְךָ֖	lə·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular
a son	בֵּ֑ן	bên	Noun - masculine singular	H1121 son
by her	מִמֶּ֛נָּה	mim·men·nāh	Preposition; third person feminine singular	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
I will bless her	וּבֵֽרַכְתִּ֙יהָ֙	ū·ḇê·raḵ·tî·hā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular; third person feminine singular	H1288 kneel, bless
and she will be	וְהָֽיְתָ֣ה	wə·hā·yə·ṯāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
of nations	לְגוֹיִ֔ם	lə·ḡō·w·yim	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural	H1471 nation, people
kings	מַלְכֵ֥י	mal·ḵê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H4428 king
of peoples	עַמִּ֖ים	‘am·mîm	Noun - masculine plural	H5971 people
will descend	יִהְיֽוּ׃	yih·yū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
from her	מִמֶּ֥נָּה	mim·men·nāh	Preposition; third person feminine singular	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not

Genesis 17:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Abraham	אַבְרָהָ֛ם	’aḇ·rā·hām	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H85 Abraham
fell facedown	וַיִּפֹּ֧ל	way·yip·pōl	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5307 fall, lie
Then he laughed	וַיִּצְחָ֑ק	way·yiṣ·ḥāq	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H6711 laugh
and said	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to himself	בְּלִבּ֗וֹ	bə·lib·bōw	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
Can a child be born	יִוָּלֵ֔ד	yiw·wā·lêḏ	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
to a man who is	הַלְּבֶ֤ן	hal·lə·ḇen	Article, Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1121 son
a hundred	מֵאָֽה־	mê·’āh-	Number - feminine singular	H3967 hundred
years old	שָׁנָה֙	šā·nāh	Noun - feminine singular	H8141 year
Can Sarah	שָׂרָ֔ה	śā·rāh	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H8283 Sarah
give birth	תֵּלֵֽד׃	tê·lêḏ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
at the age of ninety	תִּשְׁעִ֥ים	tiš·‘îm	Number - common plural	H8673 ninety

Genesis 17:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And Abraham	אַבְרָהָ֖ם	’aḇ·rā·hām	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H85 Abraham
said	וַיֹּ֥אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
God	הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים	hā·’ĕ·lō·hîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
O that	ל֥וּ	lū	Preposition	H3863 if
Ishmael	יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל	yiš·mā·‘êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3458 Jishmael
might live	יִחְיֶ֥ה	yiḥ·yeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H2421 live
under Your	לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃	lə·p̄ā·ne·ḵā	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct; second person masculine singular	H6440 face, before

Genesis 17:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But God	אֱלֹהִ֗ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
replied	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Your wife	אִשְׁתְּךָ֗	’iš·tə·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H802 woman, wife, female
Sarah	שָׂרָ֣ה	śā·rāh	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H8283 Sarah
indeed	אֲבָל֙	’ă·ḇāl	Adverb	H61 verily, of a truth
bear	יֹלֶ֤דֶת	yō·le·ḏeṯ	Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
you	לְךָ֙	lə·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular
a son	בֵּ֔ן	bên	Noun - masculine singular	H1121 son
and you are to name	וְקָרָ֥אתָ	wə·qā·rā·ṯā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
him	שְׁמ֖וֹ	šə·mōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H8034 name
Isaac	יִצְחָ֑ק	yiṣ·ḥāq	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3327 Isaac
I will establish	וַהֲקִמֹתִ֨י	wa·hă·qi·mō·ṯî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
My covenant	בְּרִיתִ֥י	bə·rî·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H1285 covenant
with him	אִתּ֛וֹ	’it·tōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H854 with
as an everlasting	עוֹלָ֖ם	‘ō·w·lām	Noun - masculine singular	H5769 long duration, antiquity, futurity
covenant	לִבְרִ֥ית	liḇ·rîṯ	Preposition-l; Noun - feminine singular construct	H1285 covenant
for his descendants	לְזַרְע֥וֹ	lə·zar·‘ōw	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H2233 sowing, seed, offspring
after him	אַחֲרָֽיו׃	’a·ḥă·rāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H310 behind

Genesis 17:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
As for Ishmael	וּֽלְיִשְׁמָעֵ֘אל	ū·lə·yiš·må̄·ʿēl	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3458 Jishmael
I have heard you	שְׁמַעְתִּיךָ֒	šə·ma‘·tî·ḵā	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular; second person masculine singular	H8085 hear
I will surely	הִנֵּ֣ה׀	hin·nêh	Interjection	H2009 lo! behold!
bless	בֵּרַ֣כְתִּי	bê·raḵ·tî	Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular	H1288 kneel, bless
him	אֹת֗וֹ	’ō·ṯōw	Direct object marker; third person masculine singular	H853 mark of the accusative
I will make him fruitful	וְהִפְרֵיתִ֥י	wə·hip̄·rê·ṯî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H6509 bear fruit, be fruitful
and multiply	וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֥י	wə·hir·bê·ṯî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H7235 be, or become, much, many, great
him	אֹת֖וֹ	’ō·ṯōw	Direct object marker; third person masculine singular	H853 mark of the accusative
greatly	בִּמְאֹ֣ד	bim·’ōḏ	Preposition-b; Adverb	H3966 muchness, force, abundance, exceedingly
He will become the father	יוֹלִ֔יד	yō·w·lîḏ	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
of twelve	שְׁנֵים־	šə·nêm-	Number - md	H8147 two
rulers	נְשִׂיאִם֙	nə·śî·’im	Noun - masculine plural	H5387 one lifted up
and I will make him	וּנְתַתִּ֖יו	ū·nə·ṯat·tîw	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular; third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
into a great	גָּדֽוֹל׃	gā·ḏō·wl	Adjective - masculine singular	H1419 great
nation	לְג֥וֹי	lə·ḡō·w	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H1471 nation, people

Genesis 17:21

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But	וְאֶת־	wə·’eṯ-	Conjunctive waw; Direct object marker	H853 mark of the accusative
I will establish	אָקִ֣ים	’ā·qîm	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular	H6965 arise, stand up, stand
My covenant	בְּרִיתִ֖י	bə·rî·ṯî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H1285 covenant
with	אֶת־	’eṯ-	Preposition	H854 with
Isaac	יִצְחָ֑ק	yiṣ·ḥāq	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3327 Isaac
whom	אֲשֶׁר֩	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
Sarah	שָׂרָה֙	śā·rāh	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H8283 Sarah
will bear	תֵּלֵ֨ד	tê·lêḏ	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
to you	לְךָ֤	lə·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular
at this	הַזֶּ֔ה	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
time	לַמּוֹעֵ֣ד	lam·mō·w·‘êḏ	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4150 appointed time, place, meeting
next	הָאַחֶֽרֶת׃	hā·’a·ḥe·reṯ	Article; Adjective - feminine singular	H312 another
year	בַּשָּׁנָ֖ה	baš·šā·nāh	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - feminine singular	H8141 year