The Certainty of God’s Promise

¹³ When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself,^(A)

¹⁴ saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”^[a](A)

¹⁶ and said, “I swear by myself,^(A) declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,^(B)

¹⁷ I will surely bless you^(A) and make your descendants^(B) as numerous as the stars in the sky^(C) and as the sand on the seashore.^(D) Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,^(E)