May the LORD,the Godof your fathers,increaseyou a thousand-foldmorethan you are and blessyou, justas He has promisedyou!
And He tookhim outsideand said,"Nowlooktoward the heavens,and countthe stars,ifyou are ableto countthem." And He saidto him, "Soshall your descendantsbe."
indeedI will greatlyblessyou, and I will greatlymultiplyyour seedas the starsof the heavensand as the sandwhichis on the seashore;and your seedshall possessthe gateof their enemies.
"I will multiplyyour descendantsas the starsof heaven,and will giveyour descendantsalltheselands;and by your descendantsallthe nationsof the earthshall be blessed;
From the Godof your fatherwho helpsyou, And by the Almightywho blessesyou [With] blessingsof heavenabove,Blessingsof the deepthat liesbeneath,Blessingsof the breastsand of the womb.
But Joabsaidto the king,"Now may the LORDyour Godaddto the peoplea hundredtimesas many as they are, while the eyesof my lordthe king[still] see;but whydoes my lordthe kingdelightin thisthing?"
Joabsaid,"May the LORDaddto His peoplea hundredtimesas many as they are! But, my lordthe king,are they not allmy lord'sservants?Whydoes my lordseekthisthing?Whyshould he be a causeof guiltto Israel?"
May the LORDgiveyou increase,You and your children.
"RememberAbraham,Isaac,and Israel,Your servantsto whomYou sworeby Yourself, and saidto them, 'I will multiplyyour descendantsas the starsof the heavens,and allthislandof whichI have spokenI will giveto your descendants,and they shall inherit[it] forever.'"
"I madeyou numerouslike plantsof the field.Then you grewup, becametalland reachedthe agefor fineornaments;[your] breastswere formedand your hairhad grown.Yet you were nakedand bare.
Godsaidto Balaam,"Do not gowith them; you shall not cursethe people,for they are blessed."
"So they shall invokeMy nameon the sonsof Israel,and I [then] will blessthem."
The LORDyour Godhas multipliedyou, and behold,you are this daylike the starsof heavenin number.
Howcan I alonebearthe loadand burdenof you and your strife?
See,I have placedthe landbeforeyou; goin and possessthe landwhichthe LORDsworeto giveto your fathers,to Abraham,to Isaac,and to Jacob,to them and their descendantsafterthem.'
"Your fatherswentdownto Egyptseventypersons[in all], and nowthe LORDyour Godhas madeyou as numerousas the starsof heaven.
"Then you shall be leftfewin number,whereasyou were as numerousas the starsof heaven,becauseyou did not obeythe LORDyour God.
