Genesis 17:16

16 And I will bless her and give thee a son also by her. Yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her."

Genesis 17:16 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 17:16

And I will bless her
The Targum of Jonathan adds, "in her body", with fruitfulness, who before was barren, and in her soul with spiritual blessings, and in both with the blessing of eternal life:

and give thee a son also of her;
as he had given him one of Hagar: God had before promised Abraham a son that should be his heir, but he had not till now told him that he should be born of Sarah his wife:

yea, I will bless her;
which is repeated for the confirmation of it, and for the greater strengthening Abraham's faith in it:

and she shall be [a mother] of nations;
of the twelve tribes of Israel; of the two nations of Israel and Judah;

kings of people shall be of her;
as David, Solomon, and others, and especially the King Messiah.

Genesis 17:16 In-Context

14 And the uncircumcised manchild whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken My covenant."

15 And God said unto Abraham, "As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.

16 And I will bless her and give thee a son also by her. Yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her."

17 Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed, and said in his heart, "Shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear?"

18 And Abraham said unto God, "O that Ishmael might live before Thee!"