Genesis 17:6-7

Context
17:6 I will make you¹ extremely² fruitful. I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you.³ 17:7 I will confirm⁴ my covenant as a perpetual⁵ 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.⁶

Genesis 17:20

Context
17:20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you.⁷ I will indeed bless him, make him fruitful, and give him a multitude of descendants.⁸ He will become the father of twelve princes;⁹ I will make him into a great nation.

[17:6] ¹tn This verb starts a series of perfect verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive to express God’s intentions.

[17:6] ²tn Heb “exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.

[17:6] ³tn Heb “and I will make you into nations, and kings will come out from you.”

[17:7] ⁴tn 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).

[17:7] ⁵tn Or “as an eternal.”

[17:7] ⁶tn Heb “to be to you for God and to your descendants after you.”

[17:20] ⁷sn The Hebrew verb translated “I have heard you” forms a wordplay with the name Ishmael, which means “God hears.” See the note on the name “Ishmael” in 16:11.

[17:20] ⁸tn Heb “And I will multiply him exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.

[17:20] ⁹tn For a discussion of the Hebrew word translated “princes,” see E. A. Speiser, “Background and Function of the Biblical Nasi’,” CBQ 25 (1963): 111-17.