Genesis 48:4
Genesis 48:4 in Multiple Translations
and told me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you; I will make you a multitude of peoples, and will give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’
And said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.
and said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a company of peoples, and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.
And said to me, Truly, I will make you fertile and give you increase and will make of you a great family of nations: and I will give this land to your seed after you to be their heritage for ever.
He told me, ‘Listen! I will make you prosperous and make your descendants so numerous that you will become the ancestor of many nations, and I will give this land to your descendants to own forever.’
And he sayde vnto me, Behold, I wil make thee fruitefull, and will multiplie thee, and will make a great number of people of thee, and will giue this lande vnto thy seede after thee for an euerlasting possession.
and saith unto me, Lo, I am making thee fruitful, and have multiplied thee, and given thee for an assembly of peoples, and given this land to thy seed after thee, a possession age-during.
and said to me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful, and multiply you, and I will make of you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your offspring after you for an everlasting possession.’
And said to me, Behold I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a multitude of people; and will give this land to thy seed after thee, for an everlasting possession.
And he said: I will cause thee to increase and multiply, and I will make of thee a multitude of people: and I will give this land to thee, and to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.
and said to me, ‘I am going to enable you to become the father of many children. You will have many descendants, and they will become the ancestors of many people-groups. And I will give this land to your descendants to possess forever.’
He said to me, ‘I will give you lots of kids and grand-kids, so that your family will grow into lots of different tribes. And I will give them all of this country, called Canaan. They will have this country for ever.’”
Berean Amplified Bible — Genesis 48:4
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Genesis 48:4 Interlinear (Deep Study)
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Hebrew Word Reference — Genesis 48:4
Study Notes — Genesis 48:4
Context — Jacob Blesses Ephraim and Manasseh
4and told me, ‘Behold, I will make you fruitful and multiply you; I will make you a multitude of peoples, and will give this land to your descendants after you as an everlasting possession.’
5And now your two sons born to you in Egypt before I came to you here shall be reckoned as mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are mine. 6Any children born to you after them shall be yours, and they shall be called by the names of their brothers in the territory they inherit.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Genesis 17:8 | And to you and your descendants I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as an eternal possession; and I will be their God.” |
| 2 | Genesis 35:11 | And God told him, “I am God Almighty. Be fruitful and multiply. A nation—even a company of nations—shall come from you, and kings shall descend from you. |
| 3 | 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, |
| 4 | Genesis 28:3 | May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, so that you may become a company of peoples. |
| 5 | Exodus 1:7 | but the Israelites were fruitful and increased rapidly; they multiplied and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them. |
| 6 | Genesis 46:3 | “I am God,” He said, “the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. |
| 7 | Genesis 17:13 | Whether they are born in your household or purchased, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh will be an everlasting covenant. |
| 8 | Deuteronomy 32:8 | When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when He divided the sons of man, He set the boundaries of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God. |
| 9 | Genesis 32:12 | But You have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper, and I will make your offspring like the sand of the sea, too numerous to count.’” |
| 10 | Genesis 13:15–16 | for all the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever. I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if one could count the dust of the earth, then your offspring could be counted. |
Genesis 48:4 Summary
In Genesis 48:4, God promises to bless Jacob and his family, making them fruitful and giving them a special land to live in forever. This promise is part of God's big plan to love and take care of His people, as we also see in Jeremiah 31:3 where it says God loves us with an everlasting love. Just like Jacob, we can trust God to take care of us and give us good things, even when we can't see what's coming next (Romans 8:28). This promise reminds us that God is always with us and wants to bless us and make us a part of His family.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for God to make someone 'fruitful and multiply' them?
In Genesis 48:4, God promises to make Jacob fruitful and multiply him, meaning He will bless him with many descendants and increase his family, as also seen in Genesis 1:28 where God blesses Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply.
What is the significance of the 'everlasting possession' mentioned in this verse?
The 'everlasting possession' refers to the land of Canaan, which God promises to give to Jacob's descendants as a permanent inheritance, a promise also reiterated in Genesis 17:8.
How does this verse relate to God's overall plan of salvation?
This verse is part of God's larger plan to establish a chosen people through whom He would bring salvation to the world, as seen in Galatians 3:8 where it is written that God would justify the Gentiles by faith.
Is the promise in Genesis 48:4 still relevant today?
While the specific promise of the land is for Jacob's physical descendants, the spiritual inheritance and blessing of being part of God's family is still relevant for believers today, as seen in Romans 8:17 where believers are called heirs of God.
Reflection Questions
- What does it mean for me to trust in God's promise of blessing and inheritance in my own life?
- How can I, like Jacob, recognize and respond to God's presence and promises in my life?
- In what ways can I be a part of God's plan to bring salvation and blessing to others?
- What does it mean to live as a part of God's 'multitude of peoples' and how does that impact my daily life?
Gill's Exposition on Genesis 48:4
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 48:4
Trapp's Commentary on Genesis 48:4
Ellicott's Commentary on Genesis 48:4
Whedon's Commentary on Genesis 48:4
Sermons on Genesis 48:4
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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(Genesis) Genesis 48:1-3 by J. Vernon McGee | In this sermon, the preacher shares a story about a young couple who came forward every Sunday seeking all that God had for them. However, they were expecting a sensational and mom |
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Childlike Faith (4 of 4) by Paul Washer | In this sermon, the preacher shares a personal experience of facing disruptions while preaching. He talks about being tested by a group of people and feeling uncertain about how to |
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(Genesis) Genesis 17:8 by J. Vernon McGee | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the 17th chapter of the Book of Genesis, which is considered a key chapter in the Bible. The main theme of this chapter is the covenant that |
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The Battle for Israel Pt 2 by Billy Strachan | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the theme of the end times and its relevance to all professing Christians. He refers to Matthew 24, where Jesus talks about the signs of the e |
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The True Meaning of the Promised Land by David Wilkerson | David Wilkerson explains that the Promised Land given to Abraham was not merely a physical territory but a symbol of a greater spiritual reality. He emphasizes that Abraham underst |
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The New State of Israel by John F. Walvoord | John F. Walvoord delves into the rich history of Israel in the Old Testament, tracing their journey from the divine call to Abraham, through the conquest of Palestine, periods of o |
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I Am God Thy Father by Lloyd Wineberg | In this sermon, the preacher discusses various events and changes happening in the world, such as governments crumbling and the power to rule diminishing. The preacher emphasizes t |






