Hebrews 6:14

What does Hebrews 6:14 mean?

A plain-English look at Hebrews 6:14 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Hebrews 6:14 means

God’s oath to Abraham was emphatic: “Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.” The doubled verbs underline certainty and abundance; God does not promise sparingly. The blessing includes both personal favor and the expansion of Abraham’s line, through which God’s redemptive purposes advance. The point here is not to recount all details but to show the character of God’s pledged goodness. When God swears, he binds himself, and his generous intent stands beyond question. Such a word is designed to sustain faith through long waits and hard circumstances, as it did for Abraham.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Saying, Be certain that I will give you my blessing, and make your numbers very great.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

saying, `Blessing indeed I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee;'

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Saying: Unless blessing I shall bless thee and multiplying I shall multiply thee.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee;

Context

This verse gives the content of the oath mentioned in verse 13, highlighting God’s lavish intention toward Abraham. Verse 15 will connect the oath with Abraham’s response—patient endurance leading to the promise obtained. Then, verses 16–18 will turn from Abraham specifically to the general role of oaths and God’s desire to give heirs of the promise firm assurance. Finally, verses 19–20 will show where this assurance anchors: in the very presence of God where Jesus, our high priest, has gone ahead.

v.13For when God made promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he sware by himself,

v.14This passage

v.15And thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Genesis 48:4

    and said unto me, Behold, I will make thee fruitful, and multiply thee, and I will make of thee a company of peoples, and will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession.

  • Genesis 17:2

    And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

  • Genesis 22:17

    that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

  • Deuteronomy 1:10

    Jehovah your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude.

  • Nehemiah 9:23

    Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land concerning which thou didst say to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.

  • Exodus 32:13

    Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.

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