Gen 17:4-8 | NET2full | STEP | “As for me , this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of a multitude of nations .

‏ Genesis 17:4-8

4 “As for me, ^{▼▼tn Heb “I.”} this ^{▼▼tn Heb “is” (הִנֵּה, hinneh).} is my covenant with you: You will be the father of a multitude of nations. 5 No longer will your name be ^{▼▼tn Heb “will your name be called.”} Abram. Instead, your name will be Abraham ^{▼▼sn Your name will be Abraham. The renaming of Abram was a sign of confirmation to the patriarch. Every time the name was used it would be a reminder of God’s promise. “Abram” means “exalted father,” probably referring to Abram’s father Terah. The name looks to the past; Abram came from noble lineage. The name “Abraham” is a dialectical variant of the name Abram. But its significance is in the wordplay with אַב־הֲמוֹן (ʾav hamon, “the father of a multitude,” which sounds like אַבְרָהָם, ʾavraham, “Abraham”). The new name would be a reminder of God’s intention to make Abraham the father of a multitude. For a general discussion of renaming, see O. Eissfeldt, “Renaming in the Old Testament,” Words and Meanings, 70-83.} because I will make you ^{▼▼tn The perfect verbal form is used here in a rhetorical manner to emphasize God’s intention.} the father of a multitude of nations. 6 I will make you ^{▼▼tn This verb starts a series of perfect verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive to express God’s intentions.} extremely ^{▼▼tn Heb “exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.} fruitful. I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you. ^{▼▼tn Heb “and I will make you into nations, and kings will come out from you.”} 7 I will confirm ^{▼▼tn The verb קוּם (qum, “to arise, to stand up”) in the Hiphil verbal stem means “to confirm, to give effect to, to carry out” (i.e., a covenant or oath; see BDB 878-79 s.v. קוּם).} my covenant as a perpetual ^{▼▼tn Or “as an eternal.”} covenant between me and you. It will extend to your descendants after you throughout their generations. I will be your God and the God of your descendants after you. ^{▼▼tn Heb “to be to you for God and to your descendants after you.”} 8 I will give the whole land of Canaan—the land where you are now residing ^{▼▼tn The verbal root is גּוּר (gur, “to sojourn, to reside temporarily,” i.e., as a resident foreigner). It is the land in which Abram resides, but does not yet possess as his very own.} —to you and your descendants after you as a permanent ^{▼▼tn Or “as an eternal.”} possession. I will be their God.”