Genesis 17:18 bbe — And Abraham said to God, If only Ishmael's life might be your care!

Bible in Basic English

"And Abraham said to God, If only Ishmael's life might be your care!"

— Genesis 17:18, Bible in Basic English

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Genesis 17:18 in Other Translations

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KJV
“And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!”
King James Version · Read this chapter in KJV
ASV
“And Abraham said unto God, Oh that Ishmael might live before thee! ”
American Standard Version · Read this chapter in ASV
WEB
“Abraham said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before you!"”
World English Bible · Read this chapter in WEB
NET
“Abraham said to God,“O that Ishmael might live before you!””
NET Bible · Read this chapter in NET

Genesis 17 — Context

And God said, As for Sarai, your wife, from now her name will be not Sarai, but Sarah.

And I will give her a blessing so that you will have a son by her: truly my blessing will be on her, and she will be the mother of nations: kings of peoples will be her offspring.

Then Abraham went down on his face, and laughing, said in his heart, May a man a hundred years old have a child? will Sarah, at ninety years old, give birth?

And Abraham said to God, If only Ishmael's life might be your care!

And God said, Not so; but Sarah, your wife, will have a son, and you will give him the name Isaac, and I will make my agreement with him for ever and with his seed after him.

As for Ishmael, I have given ear to your prayer: truly I have given him my blessing and I will make him fertile and give him great increase; he will be the father of twelve chiefs, and I will make him a great nation.

But my agreement will be with Isaac, to whom Sarah will give birth a year from this time.

Genesis 17:18 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions

What does Genesis 17:18 say?

Genesis 17:18 in the Bible in Basic English reads: “And Abraham said to God, If only Ishmael's life might be your care!”

Where is Genesis 17:18 in the Bible?

Genesis 17:18 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Genesis, chapter 17, verse 18.

Who wrote Genesis?

Genesis is traditionally attributed to Moses (traditional). Anciently attributed to Moses; many modern scholars view Genesis as a compilation of older oral and written sources finalized in or after the Babylonian exile. It was written c. 1446–1406 BC.

What is the book of Genesis about?

Genesis is the book of beginnings — the origin of the universe, humanity, sin, and the covenant family God chose to bless the nations. It traces creation, the fall, the flood, and the lives of the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph, laying the foundation for the rest of Scripture and pointing forward to the redemption that comes through the promised seed.

What are the major themes of Genesis?

Genesis explores themes including Creation, Fall, Covenant, Faith, Family, Promise. These themes shape the meaning and context of Genesis 17:18.

What translation should I read Genesis 17:18 in?

Genesis 17:18 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.

How can I memorize Genesis 17:18?

Genesis 17:18 reads (BBE): “And Abraham said to God, If only Ishmael's life might be your care!” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.

Genesis 17:18 bbe — And Abraham said to God, If only Ishmael's life might be your care!

Read in Another Translation

Genesis 17:18 in Other Translations

Genesis 17 — Context

Genesis 17:18 — Frequently Asked Questions

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