I will bless those who bless you
Rethink one of the most well-known but undertranslated verses in the Bible
At first glance, Genesis 12:3 appears perfectly balanced: those who bless Abraham will be blessed, and those who curse him will be cursed. Read in English, it sounds like simple reciprocity.
The Hebrew, however, is deliberately uneven. It uses one verb for the human offense and another for God’s response. It also shifts from the plural, “those who bless you” (Gen 12:3), to the singular, “the one who curses you” (Gen 12:3).
Two different verbs
וַאֲבָרֲכָה מְבָרְכֶיךָ וּמְקַלֶּלְךָ אָאֹרva’avarakhah mevarakheikha, u-meqallelkha a’or (Gen 12:3)
The person who acts against Abraham is described with qalal (קָלַל). This term invoked the idea of disregarding someone and dishonoring them by assigning insufficient weight to their person. God’s response is expressed with arar (אָרַר)—a far more powerful idea for the curse, having to do with utter destruction. Most translations render both verbs as “curse,” which is possible in context, but it hides the change in vocabulary in Hebrew.
For example, the KJV has it:
“And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee…”
Most, like NASB, simply follow it:
“And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse…”
However, other translations emphasize the necessity missed above.
ESV renders the verse:
“I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse…”
And the NET Bible translates it as
“I will bless those who bless you, but the one who treats you lightly I must curse…”
The CSB likewise has it as
“I will bless those who bless you, but the one who treats you lightly I must curse…”
The last three translations help the reader hear something present in the Hebrew but usually undertranslated in other Bible versions.
Conclusion
God’s promise to Abraham is not a fragile bargain. It is a declaration of sovereign protection. The Hebrew reveals a holy asymmetry: human dishonor meets divine destruction. This is not petty retaliation but covenant justice. The God who called Abraham out of darkness still guards His people with fierce love. No weapon formed against His purposes will stand. What begins as a blessing for the nations becomes a refuge for the vulnerable. So take heart. The One who speaks is faithful. His promise endures through every generation. You are held by a God who will not be mocked.
Comments (37)
It´s a blessing to read the reflection on Bereshit 12:3. Thank you!
In these days I read about Hebron Israel 1929, where a Jewish community of 800 had lived since the days of Abraham and Sarah, with 20 000 Arab inhabitants in hundreds of years. The massacre of Jewish inhabitants began after desinformation started by the Grand mufti of Jerusalem.
The historical context is often left out in today´s reports from the Middle East. The UN proposal of a two state solution in 1947-48 was approved by the Jewish Agency, whereas the The Arab League leader Azzam Pascha answered `..the fate of nations is not decided by rational logic. Nations never concede; they fight. You won’t get anything by peaceful means or compromise. You can, perhaps, get something, but only by the force of arms. We shall try to defeat you..´(David Horowitz, State of the Making, 1953).
Shalom!
Ylva, shalom! Thank you for sharing!
I’m a retired Irish development worker, troubled by Ireland’s response to the Israel/Palestinian conflict which seems to ignore the roots of a very complex problem. I don’t claim complete understanding but am aware of multiple factors that ought to be considered before condemning Israel. These include HAMAS’s genocidal charter; Iranian support (with religious dimensions); an Egyptian border porous for the flow of weapons but closed to refugees; a repeated Palestinian refusal of a 2-state solution, choosing war instead; war tunnels created (by who?), under the nose of, and ignored by the UN/UNRWA; UNRWA staff aligned with HAMAS; astonishing favourable structural differences with how Palestinian refugees are treated compared to international norms, some of which indirectly fund HAMAS. Where does innocence begin and end when you elect a genocidal regime. Is the Palestinian destruction an application of Genesis 12:3 with the Palestinian genocidal sword piercing their own heart?
David, shalom! Unfortunately, many in Ireland (certainly in government) have believed the lie that Israel is the colonial power of the Middle East :-), and given Irish history, they sympathize with the colonized and oppressed. The greater the lie, the more likely people are to believe it. Unfortunately. The history is a witness to it.
Thanks for your good work on hebrew transliteration. God put the idea to learn it in my spirit decades ago now. Iam on retirement ssa now and iam struggling to meet my needs now. I have to receive Receive what jesus has done on the cross with his resurrection. I apologize but iam not able to give now. God will provide for all. The answer is at our lips. God speed and God bless you
Thank you so much for your encouragement and prayers! Thank you so much!
I feel this is more for individuals (anti-Semitism as stated) that are God's precious chosen lineage, of Abraham et all and His special place He has commanded us to pray for the peace thereof; that being Jerusalem, and His place of often prayer, the Mount of Olives upon which He shall place His Foot upon His Return. This reminds me how the Lord God keeps His people as the Apple of His eye, closely guarded as stated in Zechariah 2:8, Psalm 17:8, and how He has engraved His people Jacob Israel on the very palms of His Hands in Isaiah 49. Honor we must, even despite wickedness in this world, everywhere. He is Holy. Praise for being grafted in.
Loree, thank you for sharing and thank you so much for your support of this work! God bless you!
Thank you for bringing such clarity to this verse! Lately I’ve been reading the Tree of Life Version (Messianic Jewish), but your side-by-side comparisons {and explanations} of several other versions was super insightful. God bless you, Dr Eli!
Glad to be of service!
This conversation is possible because friends and family choose to support this ministry (Thank you so much!). If my teaching has helped you read the Bible more deeply in its Hebrew and Jewish world, and if you are in a position to do so, please consider joining my support team or giving again if you did in the past. Your monthly gift, no matter the size, helps me continue teaching, writing, and engaging with pastors, priests, Bible teachers, and serious students of Scripture worldwide. To support my work, click HERE.
God knew what He was doing. USA supports Israel and God has been good to us. Most of the time The UN votes against Israel and will face judgment now and later. IN Bible days the same principle worked. This verse is a guide for me.
Yes, indeed. Although I think it is important to say that some fair criticism of Israel does not constitute a violation of this principle, unbridled antisemitism and anti-Israelism do.
This is a wonderful explanation of Genesis 12:3. I resonate with the understanding that those who treat you lightly, Gods people, must be cursed. The use of verbs like, assigning someone uneven weight, seems powerful to me. Very interesting. Great spirit.
Caleb, thank you for your faithful and generous support my brother!
Genesis 12:3 is frequently quoted as a justification for supporting the modern State of Israel. However, the promise was originally given to Abram, before Israel existed, and before God changed his name to Abraham, declaring that he would become “a father of many nations” (Genesis 17:4–5). It is therefore questionable whether this promise should be applied exclusively to Israel. There are, however, other biblical passages that speak much more explicitly about God's dealings with the nations in relation to Israel. For example, Isaiah 60:12 declares that “the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish,” while Joel 3:1–2 describes God's judgment upon the nations for scattering His people Israel and dividing His land. To these may be added the words of Jesus in Matthew 25:31–46 although this passage could have wider application.
I fully agree with you. However, I would say that Gen 12 is connected to the texts you cited. These and many others, of course. So, I say it starts in Gen 12 and becomes more clear later. Least we forget that Abraham had many sons. Here is about the other son YHVH blessed https://jewishstudiesforchristians.com/the-other-brother-god-blessed/https://jewishstudiesforchristians.com/the-other-brother-god-blessed/ and https://jewishstudiesforchristians.com/why-abraham-left-everything-to-isaac/
Thank you for this. It makes you drop to your knees in awe,
In heart, thought….or action with thought..
It really makes me wonder on us, overall.
I love reading, hearing these things, and feel it.
Thanks be to God for His light!
Does blessing Israel mean agreeing with and suporting everything Israel does? In the Bible, did God support everything Israel did?
By asking your question this way, I am assuming that you would like me to say, "Of course not." Thankfully, I agree. Criticism of Israel, both ancient and modern, is healthy when deserved. However, the insanity of the extreme left and extreme right does constitute cursing Abraham and therefore will incur the wrath of the covenantal God.
This conversation is possible because friends and family choose to support this ministry (Thank you so much!). If my teaching has helped you read the Bible more deeply in its Hebrew and Jewish world, and if you are in a position to do so, please consider joining my support team or giving again if you did in the past. Your monthly gift, no matter the size, helps me continue teaching, writing, and engaging with pastors, priests, Bible teachers, and serious students of Scripture worldwide. To support my work, click HERE.