And I will makeyou a greatnation,And I will blessyou, And makeyour namegreat;And so you shall be a blessing;
"I will makeyour descendantsas the dustof the earth,sothat ifanyonecannumberthe dustof the earth,then your descendantscan alsobe numbered.
And He tookhim outsideand said,"Nowlooktoward the heavens,and countthe stars,ifyou are ableto countthem." And He saidto him, "Soshall your descendantsbe."
"As for Ishmael,I have heardyou; behold,I will blesshim, and will makehim fruitfuland will multiplyhim exceedingly.He shall becomethe fatherof twelveprinces,and I will makehim a greatnation.
since Abrahamwill surelybecomea greatand mightynation,and in him allthe nationsof the earthwill be blessed?
"For I have chosenhim, sothat he may commandhis childrenand his householdafterhim to keepthe wayof the LORDby doingrighteousnessand justice,sothat the LORDmay bringupon AbrahamwhatHe has spokenabouthim."
Thus it cameabout, when Goddestroyedthe citiesof the valley,that GodrememberedAbraham,and sentLotout of the midstof the overthrow,when He overthrewthe citiesin whichLotlived.
Now Abrahamwas old,advancedin age;and the LORDhad blessedAbrahamin everyway.
"The LORDhas greatlyblessedmy master,so that he has becomerich;and He has givenhim flocksand herds,and silverand gold,and servantsand maids,and camelsand donkeys.
It cameabout afterthe deathof Abraham,that Godblessedhis sonIsaac;and Isaaclivedby Beer-lahai-roi.
"Sojournin thislandand I will be with you and blessyou, for to you and to your descendantsI will givealltheselands,and I will establishthe oathwhichI sworeto your fatherAbraham.
"I will multiplyyour descendantsas the starsof heaven,and will giveyour descendantsalltheselands;and by your descendantsallthe nationsof the earthshall be blessed;
May peoplesserveyou, And nationsbowdownto you; Be masterof your brothers,And may your mother'ssonsbowdownto you. Cursedbe those who curseyou, And blessedbe those who blessyou."
"Your descendantswill also be like the dustof the earth,and you will spreadout to the westand to the eastand to the northand to the south;and in you and in your descendantsshall allthe familiesof the earthbe blessed.
Godalso saidto him, "I am GodAlmighty;Be fruitfuland multiply;A nationand a companyof nationsshall comefrom you, And kingsshall comeforthfrom you.
He said,"I am God,the Godof your father;do not be afraidto godownto Egypt,for I will makeyou a greatnationthere.
"I have beenwith you whereveryou have goneand have cutoffallyour enemiesfrom beforeyou; and I will makeyou a greatname,like the namesof the greatmenwhoare on the earth.
"Moreover,the king'sservantscameto blessour lordKingDavid,saying,May your Godmakethe nameof Solomonbetterthanyour nameand his thronegreaterthanyour throne!'And the kingbowedhimself on the bed.
"Your wickednessis for a manlikeyourself, And your righteousnessis for a sonof man.
Also He blessesthem and they multiplygreatly,And He does not let their cattledecrease.
But the sonsof Israelwere fruitfuland increasedgreatly,and multiplied,and becameexceedinglymighty,so that the landwas filledwith them.
"Nowthen letMe alone,that My angermay burnagainst them and that I may destroythem; and I will makeof you a greatnation."
"Lookto Abrahamyour fatherAnd to Sarahwho gavebirthto you in pain;When[he] [was but] oneI calledhim, Then I blessedhim and multipliedhim."
"I will makethem and the placesaroundMy hilla blessing.And I will cause showersto comedownin their season;they will be showersof blessing.
You will givetruthto Jacob[And] unchangingloveto Abraham,WhichYou sworeto our forefathersFrom the daysof old.
It will comeabout that justas you were a curseamong the nations,O houseof Judahand houseof Israel,soI will saveyou that you may becomea blessing.Do not fear;let your handsbe strong.'
"I will smitethem with pestilenceand dispossessthem, and I will makeyou into a nationgreaterand mightierthanthey."
Godsaidto Balaam,"Do not gowith them; you shall not cursethe people,for they are blessed."
"Behold,I have received[a command] to bless;When He has blessed,then I cannotrevokeit.
and he receivedthe signof circumcision,a sealof the righteousnessof the faithwhich he had while uncircumcised,sothat he might be the fatherof allwho believewithout being circumcised,that righteousnessmight be creditedto them,
in orderthat in ChristJesusthe blessingof Abrahammight cometo the Gentiles,sothat we would receivethe promiseof the Spiritthroughfaith.
Therefore,be surethat it is thosewho are of faithwhoare sonsof Abraham.
"You shall answerand saybeforethe LORDyour God,My fatherwas a wanderingAramean,and he wentdownto Egyptand sojournedthere,fewin number;but therehe becamea great,mightyand populousnation.
