When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am the Almighty God. Obey me and always do what is right.

Abram bowed down with his face touching the ground, and God said,

Your name will no longer be Abram, but Abraham, because I am making you the ancestor of many nations.

I promise that I will give you as many descendants as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand along the seashore. Your descendants will conquer their enemies.

All the nations will ask me to bless them as I have blessed your descendants---all because you obeyed my command."

And God said to him, "I am Almighty God. Have many children. Nations will be descended from you, and you will be the ancestor of kings.

May Almighty God cause the man to have pity on you, so that he will give Benjamin and your other brother back to you. As for me, if I must lose my children, I must lose them."

Jacob said to Joseph, "Almighty God appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me.

I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as Almighty God, but I did not make myself known to them by my holy name, the LORD.

If the LORD does not build the house, the work of the builders is useless; if the LORD does not protect the city, it does no good for the sentries to stand guard.

I will be your father, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."

I did not see a temple in the city, because its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb.

blessed them, and said, "Have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth and bring it under their control. I am putting you in charge of the fish, the birds, and all the wild animals.

God blessed Noah and his sons and said, "Have many children, so that your descendants will live all over the earth.

I am going to give you so many descendants that no one will be able to count them all; it would be as easy to count all the specks of dust on earth!

And they gave Rebecca their blessing in these words: "May you, sister, become the mother of millions! May your descendants conquer the cities of their enemies!"

He also said, "God has given me children in the land of my trouble"; so he named his second son Ephraim.

Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a real blessing.

Happy is the man who has many such arrows. He will never be defeated when he meets his enemies in the place of judgment.

Happy are those who obey the LORD, who live by his commands.

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in your home, and your children will be like young olive trees around your table.

May the LORD bless you from Zion! May you see Jerusalem prosper all the days of your life!