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Genesis 17:5

Made Simple — Modern English Translation

Translated by Verse Made Simple Editorial
KJV ORIGINAL
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.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE

Your name will no longer be Abram, but your name will be Abraham, because I have made you a father of many nations.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

God is changing Abram's name to Abraham to reflect His promise that Abraham will become the ancestor of many different peoples and nations.

📚 Historical Context

This name change occurred when Abram was 99 years old, still childless despite God's earlier promises. The name 'Abram' meant 'exalted father,' while 'Abraham' means 'father of many' or 'father of a multitude.' This was God's way of reinforcing His covenant promise that Abraham's descendants would become numerous nations, even though it seemed impossible at the time.

Explore Similar Verses

Romans 4:17
God literally told Abraham 'I'm making you the father of many nations' — and this was before Abraham had any kids at all. Abraham believed in a God who brings dead things back to life and speaks about things that don't exist yet like they're already real.
Galatians 3:8
The scriptures saw it coming — God was going to make things right with everyone, not just one group of people, and it would happen through faith. So way back then, God already gave Abraham a preview of the good news: 'Through you, every nation on earth is going to be blessed.'
Romans 4:18
Abraham believed God's promise even when it seemed completely impossible — like, there was literally no reason to think it could happen. But he held onto hope anyway because God told him he'd become the ancestor of tons of nations, just like he promised: 'Your descendants will be countless.'

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Translation & Methodology Sources

The original manuscript text provided is based on the King James Version (KJV), which is in the public domain. Our modern English simplifications are generated via proprietary philological synthesis, cross-referenced against Strong's Exhaustive Concordance and the Textus Receptus to ensure unwavering theological and etymological precision.

Read our full translation methodology →