Genesis 22:17

22:17 I will indeed bless you, ¹  and I will greatly multiply ²  your descendants ³  so that they will be as countless as the stars in the sky or the grains of sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession ⁴  of the strongholds ⁵  of their enemies.

Exodus 1:7

1:7 The Israelites, ⁶  however, ⁷  were fruitful, increased greatly, multiplied, and became extremely strong, ⁸  so that the land was filled with them.

Exodus 12:37

12:37 The Israelites journeyed ⁹  from Rameses ¹⁰  to Sukkoth. There were about 600,000 men ¹¹  on foot, plus their dependants. ¹² 

Acts 7:17

7:17 “But as the time drew near for God to fulfill the promise he had declared to Abraham, ¹³  the people increased greatly in number ¹⁴  in Egypt,

¹ tn The use of the infinitive absolute before the finite verbal form (either an imperfect or cohortative) emphasizes the certainty of the blessing.

² tn Here too the infinitive absolute is used for emphasis before the following finite verb (either an imperfect or cohortative).

³ tn The Hebrew term זֶרַע (zera’) occurring here and in v. 18 may mean “seed” (for planting), “offspring” (occasionally of animals, but usually of people), or “descendants” depending on the context.

⁴ tn Or “inherit.”

⁵ tn Heb “gate,” which here stands for a walled city. To break through the gate complex would be to conquer the city, for the gate complex was the main area of defense (hence the translation “stronghold”).

⁶ tn Heb “the sons of Israel.”

⁷ tn The disjunctive vav marks a contrast with the note about the deaths of the first generation.

⁸ tn Using מְאֹד (mÿ’od) twice intensifies the idea of their becoming strong (see GKC 431-32 §133.k).

⁹ tn Heb “and the sons of Israel journeyed.”

¹⁰ sn The wilderness itinerary begins here. W. C. Kaiser records the identification of these two places as follows: The name Rameses probably refers to Qantir rather than Tanis, which is more remote, because Qantir was by the water; Sukkoth is identified as Tell el Maskhuta in the Wadi Tumilat near modern Ismailia – or the region around the city (“Exodus,” EBC 2:379). Of the extensive bibliography, see G. W. Coats, “The Wilderness Itinerary,” CBQ 34 (1972): 135-52; G. I. Davies, “The Wilderness Itineraries: A Comparative Study,” TynBul 25 (1974): 46-81; and J. T. Walsh, “From Egypt to Moab. A Source Critical Analysis of the Wilderness Itinerary,” CBQ 39 (1977): 20-33.

¹¹ tn The word for “men” (הַגְּבָרִים, haggÿvarim) stresses their hardiness and capability – strong men, potential soldiers – in contrast with the word that follows and designates noncombatants.

¹² tn For more on this word see 10:10 and 24.

¹³ tn Grk “But as the time for the fulfillment of the promise drew near that God had declared to Abraham.” The order of the clauses has been rearranged to improve English style. See vv. 6-7 above.

¹⁴ tn Grk “the people increased and multiplied.”