Genesis 12:2

“And I will make of thee a great nation, and I wil blesse thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt bee a blessing.”

1611 King James Version (KJV)




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Other Translations

And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
- King James Version

And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing;
- New American Standard Version (1995)

and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make they name great; and be thou a blessing;
- American Standard Version (1901)

And I will make of you a great nation, blessing you and making your name great; and you will be a blessing:
- Basic English Bible

And I will make of thee a great nation, and bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.
- Darby Bible

And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
- Webster's Bible

I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing.
- World English Bible

And I make thee become a great nation, and bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing.
- Youngs Literal Bible

And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing.
- Jewish Publication Society Bible

Bible commentary

Wesley's Notes for Genesis 12:2


12:2 Here is added an encouraging promise, nay a complication of promises, I will make of thee a great nation - When God took him from his own people, he promised to make him the head of another people. This promise was. A great relief to Abram's burden, for he had now no child. A great trial to Abram's faith, for his wife had been long barren, so that if he believe, it must be against hope, and his faith must build purely upon that power which can out of stones raise up children unto Abraham. I will bless thee - Either particularly with the blessing of fruitfulness, as he had blessed Adam and Noah; or in general, I will bless thee with all manner of blessings, both of the upper and nether springs: leave thy father's house, and I will give thee a father's blessing, better than that of thy progenitors. I will make thy name great - By deserting his country he lost his name there: care not for that, (saith God) but trust me, and I will make thee a greater name than ever thou couldst have had there. Thou shalt be a blessing - That is, thy life shall be a blessing to the places where thou shalt sojourn. I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee - This made it a kind of league offensive and defensive between God and Abram. Abram heartily espoused God's cause, and here God promiseth to interest himself in his. In thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed - This was the promise that crowned all the rest, for it points at the Messiah, in whom all the promises are yea and amen.


Discussion for Genesis 12

  • Rocky
    God was to make Abram the Father of a great nation.He himself would not see it, but his descendants would.
  • Milton kaluluma
    If we every word that our God tells us we will see the goodness of the Father in Heaven.
  • Nomagugu(MaNwabi) Rozani
    ENQUIRY God said He will show Abram the land where he must settle, but I don 't here anything about Canaan being a place where Abram was directed by God please may I have clarity.
  • Chisomo chipatala
    why God chose abram? We can say there was no any other prophet than abram in Haran
  • Dewey J
    Melchizedek, who many Christian and Theologians believe He was a manifestation of Jesus Christ himsel, a Theophany. Gen 14:8 says, he was King of Salem, which mean peace, and priest of the most high. Heb. 7:3 says, concerning this man that he is "without father, without mother, without descent having no beginning of days nor end of life but made like unto the Son of God abideth a Priest continually. The Scripture also says, the lesser Abram is blessed of the greater Melchizedek. May God bless us all and in the understanding of His Word.
  • Dewey J
    Jim, yes the bible is speaking of Israel because Abram grandson Jacob who name was changed to Israel by God was still in his grandfather 's loins is the person the nation is named after. The true subject is God, Jesus Christ our lord and Saviour, and the Holy Ghost. God said in Ezekiel 39:7 " So will I make my Holy name known midst of my people Israel ..... God bless us all and the understanding of His Word.

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