And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

GENESIS 17:8KJV
Know the Bible

Genesis 17:8 (KJV)

What does Genesis 17:8 mean?

Genesis 17:8 records God’s promise to Abraham that both he and his descendants will receive the land of Canaan as a permanent possession, and that God will be their God. This verse highlights the lasting nature of God’s commitment to Abraham’s family and the special relationship God promises to maintain with them.

In this verse, God is speaking directly to Abraham during a pivotal moment when He is establishing a covenant. Abraham is described as a “stranger” in the land at this time, meaning he does not yet own it. The promise is not just for Abraham, but for his “seed” or descendants, and the land of Canaan is described as an “everlasting possession,” underscoring the enduring nature of this covenant promise.

The Hebrew behind Genesis 17:8

  • give (נָתַן, natan): This word means to grant or bestow. Here, it emphasizes that the land is not earned by Abraham but is a gift from God.
  • seed (זֶרַע, zera‘): This refers to Abraham’s descendants, showing that the promise extends beyond Abraham himself to future generations.
  • stranger (גֵּר, ger): This word means a resident alien or foreigner. It highlights that Abraham is not a native landowner but is living as a foreigner in Canaan when God makes this promise.
  • everlasting (עוֹלָם, ‘olam): This word often means “perpetual” or “without end.” It stresses the enduring, ongoing nature of the promise, suggesting it is not limited to one generation.

Why Genesis 17:8 matters

  • Genesis 17:8 clarifies that God’s promise of land to Abraham is not just temporary or symbolic, but is described as “everlasting,” which has shaped how later generations understood their connection to the land.
  • The verse emphasizes that the relationship is not only about land ownership but also about God’s ongoing commitment to be the God of Abraham’s descendants.
  • This promise is a central part of the larger covenant narrative in Genesis, connecting Abraham’s story to the future history of Israel and their understanding of God’s faithfulness.

Where else these words appear

“stranger” Hebrew H4033 · used in 10 verses

  • Genesis 28:4 And give thee the blessing of Abraham, to thee, and to thy seed with thee; that thou mayest inherit the land wherein thou art a stranger, which God gave unto Abraham.
  • Genesis 47:9 And Jacob said unto Pharaoh, The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years: few and evil have the days of the years of my life been, and have not attained unto the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage.
  • Psalms 55:15 Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.

“possession” Hebrew H272 · used in 58 verses

  • Genesis 23:4 I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.
  • Leviticus 25:45 Moreover of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession.
  • Joshua 22:4 And now the LORD your God hath given rest unto your brethren, as he promised them: therefore now return ye, and get you unto your tents, and unto the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side Jordan.

“Canaan” Hebrew H3667 · used in 91 verses

  • Genesis 9:18 And the sons of Noah, that went forth of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japheth: and Ham is the father of Canaan.
  • Genesis 45:25 And they went up out of Egypt, and came into the land of Canaan unto Jacob their father,
  • Numbers 35:14 Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge.