God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.’

And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.”

God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.

So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them ‘Mankind’ when they were created.

Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them Man when they were created.

Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.

And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.

He also said,

‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of Shem!
May Canaan be the slave of Shem.

He also said,

“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem;
and let Canaan be his servant.

‘I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.

And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.

I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.’

I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

And when Pharaoh’s officials saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh, and she was taken into his palace.

And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.

and he blessed Abram, saying,

‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Creator of heaven and earth.

And he blessed him and said,

“Blessed be Abram by God Most High,
Possessor of heaven and earth;

And praise be to God Most High,
who delivered your enemies into your hand.’
Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”

And Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.’

I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.”

And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.

As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation.

Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him.

seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?

I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,

I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies,

and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.’

and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”

Abraham was now very old, and the Lord had blessed him in every way.

Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the Lord had blessed Abraham in all things.

He made the camels kneel down near the well outside the town; it was towards evening, the time the women go out to draw water.

And he made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water at the time of evening, the time when women go out to draw water.

saying, ‘Praise be to the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives.’

and said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness toward my master. As for me, the Lord has led me in the way to the house of my master’s kinsmen.”

‘Come, you who are blessed by the Lord,’ he said. ‘Why are you standing out here? I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.’

He said, “Come in, O blessed of the Lord. Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house and a place for the camels.”

The Lord has blessed my master abundantly, and he has become wealthy. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys.

The Lord has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys.

and I bowed down and worshipped the Lord. I praised the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me on the right road to get the granddaughter of my master’s brother for his son.

Then I bowed my head and worshiped the Lord and blessed the Lord the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to take the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son.

And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,

‘Our sister, may you increase
to thousands upon thousands;
may your offspring possess
the cities of their enemies.’

And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,

“Our sister, may you become
thousands of ten thousands,
and may your offspring possess
the gate of those who hate him!”

After Abraham’s death, God blessed his son Isaac, who then lived near Beer Lahai Roi.

After the death of Abraham, God blessed Isaac his son. And Isaac settled at Beer-lahai-roi.

Stay in this land for a while, and I will be with you and will bless you. For to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm the oath I swore to your father Abraham.

Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and will bless you, for to you and to your offspring I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath that I swore to Abraham your father.

I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these lands, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed,

I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and will give to your offspring all these lands. And in your offspring all the nations of the earth shall be blessed,

Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the Lord blessed him.

And Isaac sowed in that land and reaped in the same year a hundredfold. The Lord blessed him,

That night the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bless you and will increase the number of your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.’

And the Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Fear not, for I am with you and will bless you and multiply your offspring for my servant Abraham’s sake.”

that you will do us no harm, just as we did not harm you but always treated you well and sent you away peacefully. And now you are blessed by the Lord.’

that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the Lord.”

Prepare me the kind of tasty food I like and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my blessing before I die.’

and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.”

“Bring me some game and prepare me some tasty food to eat, so that I may give you my blessing in the presence of the Lord before I die.”

‘Bring me game and prepare for me delicious food, that I may eat it and bless you before the Lord before I die.’

Then take it to your father to eat, so that he may give you his blessing before he dies.’

And you shall bring it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.”

Jacob said to his father, ‘I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing.’

Jacob said to his father, “I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me.”

He did not recognise him, for his hands were hairy like those of his brother Esau; so he proceeded to bless him.

And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands. So he blessed him.

Then he said, ‘My son, bring me some of your game to eat, so that I may give you my blessing.’

Jacob brought it to him and he ate; and he brought some wine and he drank.

Then he said, “Bring it near to me, that I may eat of my son’s game and bless you.” So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank.

So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said,

‘Ah, the smell of my son
is like the smell of a field
that the Lord has blessed.

So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said,

“See, the smell of my son
is as the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed!

May nations serve you
and peoples bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers,
and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.
May those who curse you be cursed
and those who bless you be blessed.’

Let peoples serve you,
and nations bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers,
and may your mother’s sons bow down to you.
Cursed be everyone who curses you,
and blessed be everyone who blesses you!”

After Isaac finished blessing him, and Jacob had scarcely left his father’s presence, his brother Esau came in from hunting.

As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of Isaac his father, Esau his brother came in from his hunting.

He too prepared some tasty food and brought it to his father. Then he said to him, ‘My father, please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your blessing.’

He also prepared delicious food and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, “Let my father arise and eat of his son’s game, that you may bless me.”

Isaac trembled violently and said, ‘Who was it, then, that hunted game and brought it to me? I ate it just before you came and I blessed him – and indeed he will be blessed!’

Then Isaac trembled very violently and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.”

When Esau heard his father’s words, he burst out with a loud and bitter cry and said to his father, ‘Bless me – me too, my father!’

As soon as Esau heard the words of his father, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry and said to his father, “Bless me, even me also, O my father!”

Esau said to his father, ‘Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me too, my father!’ Then Esau wept aloud.

Esau said to his father, “Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father.” And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.

Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, ‘The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.’

Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”

When your brother is no longer angry with you and forgets what you did to him, I’ll send word for you to come back from there. Why should I lose both of you in one day?’

until your brother’s anger turns away from you, and he forgets what you have done to him. Then I will send and bring you from there. Why should I be bereft of you both in one day?”

So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he commanded him: ‘Do not marry a Canaanite woman.

Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him and directed him, “You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women.

May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and increase your numbers until you become a community of peoples.

God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples.

Now Esau learned that Isaac had blessed Jacob and had sent him to Paddan Aram to take a wife from there, and that when he blessed him he commanded him, ‘Do not marry a Canaanite woman,’

Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan-aram to take a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he directed him, “You must not take a wife from the Canaanite women,”

Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.

Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.

She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, ‘This time I will praise the Lord.’ So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children.

And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord.” Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.

But Laban said to him, ‘If I have found favour in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you.’

But Laban said to him, “If I have found favor in your sight, I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you.

The little you had before I came has increased greatly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I have been. But now, when may I do something for my own household?’

For you had little before I came, and it has increased abundantly, and the Lord has blessed you wherever I turned. But now when shall I provide for my own household also?”

Jacob heard that Laban’s sons were saying, ‘Jacob has taken everything our father owned and has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.’

Now Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, “Jacob has taken all that was our father’s, and from what was our father’s he has gained all this wealth.”

Early the next morning Laban kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then he left and returned home.

Early in the morning Laban arose and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them. Then Laban departed and returned home.

Then the man said, ‘Let me go, for it is daybreak.’

But Jacob replied, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.’

Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”

Jacob said, ‘Please tell me your name.’

But he replied, ‘Why do you ask my name?’ Then he blessed him there.

Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him.

After Jacob returned from Paddan Aram, God appeared to him again and blessed him.

God appeared to Jacob again, when he came from Paddan-aram, and blessed him.

From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field.

From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the Lord was on all that he had, in house and field.

The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him.

Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

but seven years of famine will follow them. Then all the abundance in Egypt will be forgotten, and the famine will ravage the land.

but after them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt. The famine will consume the land,

Tell my father about all the honour accorded me in Egypt and about everything you have seen. And bring my father down here quickly.’

You must tell my father of all my honor in Egypt, and of all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.”