Genesis 18:19
in Genesis 18For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, in order that the LORD may bring upon Abraham what He has promised.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Jehovah, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Jehovah may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
KJV
For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.
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This verse in Genesis 18
Commentary
6 notes on this verseFor I know him,.... Not only by his omniscience, but with a special knowledge, such as is accompanied with peculiar love and affection; and so Jarchi says, it is expressive of love.
This site's exposition
all the nations of the earth will be blessed
on Genesis 18:18-19
The first ground God gives is the promise itself, which Paul quotes at Galatians 3:8 and calls the gospel announced in advance to Abraham. The second is what Abraham will do at home, commanding his children and his household to keep the way of the LORD.
This site's exposition
keep the way of the LORD
The LORD chose Abraham to command his household. Clarke calls the way of the LORD the road God walks, kept in practice as well as in the creed. Doing what is right and just is how the household keeps it, and the LORD brings upon Abraham what He has promised.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
But God here gives two other reasons:-- (1.) Abraham must know, for he is a friend and a favourite, and one that God has a particular kindness for and great things in store for. He is to become a great nation; and not only so, but in the Messiah, who is to come from his loins, All nations of the earth shall be blessed.
Fourthly, Abraham, herein, had an eye to posterity, and was in care not only that his household with him, but that his household after him, should keep the way of the Lord, that religion might flourish in his family when he was in his grave. Fifthly, His doing this was the fulfilling of the conditions of the promises which God had made him.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
And they shall keep the way of the Lord - The true religion; God’s way; that in which God walks himself, and in which, of course, his followers walk also; to do justice and judgment; not only to preserve the truth in their creed, but maintain it in their practice.
The words behind it
25 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יְדַעְתִּ֗יו | yeda'tiv | I have known him | H3045 → | 945 times |
| לְמַעַן֩ | lemaan | so that | H4616 → | 272 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֨ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יְצַוֶּ֜ה | yetzaveh | he may command | H6680 → | 494 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בָּנָ֤יו | banav | children his | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בֵּיתוֹ֙ | beito | household his | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| אַחֲרָ֔יו | ʾacharav | after him | H310 → | 715 times |
| וְשָֽׁמְרוּ֙ | veshameru | and they will keep | H8104 → | 468 times |
| דֶּ֣רֶךְ | derekh | [the] way of | H1870 → | 707 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת | laasot | by doing | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| צְדָקָ֖ה | tzedakah | righteousness | H6666 → | 157 times |
| וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט | umishpat | and justice | H4941 → | 422 times |
| לְמַ֗עַן | lemaan | so that | H4616 → | 272 times |
| הָבִ֤יא | havi' | will bring | H935 → | 2568 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| אַבְרָהָ֔ם | ʾavraham | Abraham | H85 → | 175 times |
| אֵ֥ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | [that] which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| דִּבֶּ֖ר | diber | he has spoken | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| עָלָֽיו׃ | ʾalav | on him | H5921 → | 5755 times |
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
יְדַעְתִּ֗יוI have known him
yeda'tivH3045 →945 times
לְמַעַן֩so that
lemaanH4616 →272 times
אֲשֶׁ֨רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יְצַוֶּ֜הhe may command
yetzavehH6680 →494 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בָּנָ֤יוchildren his
banavH1121 →4930 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
בֵּיתוֹ֙household his
beitoH1004 →2046 times
אַחֲרָ֔יוafter him
ʾacharavH310 →715 times
וְשָֽׁמְרוּ֙and they will keep
veshameruH8104 →468 times
דֶּ֣רֶךְ[the] way of
derekhH1870 →707 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לַעֲשׂ֥וֹתby doing
laasotH6213 →2628 times
צְדָקָ֖הrighteousness
tzedakahH6666 →157 times
וּמִשְׁפָּ֑טand justice
umishpatH4941 →422 times
לְמַ֗עַןso that
lemaanH4616 →272 times
הָבִ֤יאwill bring
havi'H935 →2568 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
אַבְרָהָ֔םAbraham
ʾavrahamH85 →175 times
אֵ֥ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
אֲשֶׁר־[that] which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
דִּבֶּ֖רhe has spoken
diberH1696 →1141 times
עָלָֽיו׃on him
ʾalavH5921 →5755 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Ephesians 6:4Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
it leads to
- Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Colossians 3:21
Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they will not become discouraged.
- Proverbs 29:15
A rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.
- Proverbs 19:18
Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be party to his death.
- Deuteronomy 6:7
And you shall teach them diligently to your children and speak of them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
- Proverbs 22:6
Through
2 Timothy 3:15From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
it leads to
- Psalms 119:98–99
Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are always with me.
- Luke 24:45
Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
- 2 Peter 1:20–21
Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture comes from one’s own interpretation.
- Psalms 119:98–99
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies12
About Genesis

Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
