^17:4“As for me,¹¹ this¹² is my covenant with you: You will be the father of a multitude of nations. ^17:5No longer will your name be¹³ Abram. Instead, your name will be Abraham¹⁴ because I will make you¹⁵ the father of a multitude of nations. ^17:6I will make you¹⁶ extremely¹⁷ fruitful. I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you.¹⁸

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Footnotes

11 Heb “I.”
12 Heb “is” (הִנֵּה, hinneh).
13 Heb “will your name be called.”
14 Your name will be Abraham. The renaming of Abram was a sign of confirmation to the patriarch. Every time the name was used it would be a reminder of God’s promise. “Abram” means “exalted father,” probably referring to Abram’s father Terah. The name looks to the past; Abram came from noble lineage. The name “Abraham” is a dialectical variant of the name Abram. But its significance is in the wordplay with אַב־הֲמוֹן (’av-hamon, “the father of a multitude,” which sounds like אַבְרָהָם, ’avraham, “Abraham”). The new name would be a reminder of God’s intention to make Abraham the father of a multitude. For a general discussion of renaming, see O. Eissfeldt, “Renaming in the Old Testament,” Words and Meanings, 70–83.
15 The perfect verbal form is used here in a rhetorical manner to emphasize God’s intention.
16 This verb starts a series of perfect verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive to express God’s intentions.
17 Heb “exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.
18 Heb “and I will make you into nations, and kings will come out from you.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

“As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

“As for me, here is my covenant with you: You will become the father of many nations. Your name will no longer be Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I will make you the father of many nations. I will make you extremely fruitful and will make nations and kings come from you.

NLTNew Living Translation

“This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

“As for me, behold, my covenant shall be with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. Your name shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I will make you the father of a multitude of nations. And I will make you exceedingly fruitful. I will make you a nation, and kings shall go out from you.

KJV 1900King James Version

As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

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