Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and ContextIn the biblical context, "multiplying" often refers to the increase in number or abundance, whether it be people, animals, or resources. This concept is deeply rooted in the divine blessing and commandment given by God, signifying growth, prosperity, and the fulfillment of God's promises.
Biblical References1.
Creation and the Mandate to Multiply The concept of multiplying is first introduced in the creation narrative. In
Genesis 1:28, God blesses Adam and Eve, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every creature that crawls upon the earth." This command establishes the divine intention for humanity to grow and expand across the earth.
2.
Noah and the Renewal of the Earth After the flood, God reiterates the command to multiply to Noah and his sons. In
Genesis 9:1, it is written, "And God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.'" This repetition underscores the continuity of God's plan for human proliferation and stewardship of the earth.
3.
The Promise to Abraham The theme of multiplying is central to God's covenant with Abraham. In
Genesis 22:17, God promises, "I will surely bless you, and I will multiply your descendants like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore." This promise highlights the multiplication of Abraham's descendants as a sign of divine favor and the unfolding of God's redemptive plan.
4.
Israel's Growth in Egypt The Israelites' multiplication in Egypt is a testament to God's faithfulness to His promises.
Exodus 1:7 states, "But the Israelites were fruitful and increased abundantly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them." Despite their oppression, the Israelites' growth signifies God's blessing and sets the stage for their eventual deliverance.
5.
Blessings and Curses In Deuteronomy, the concept of multiplying is linked to obedience and covenant faithfulness.
Deuteronomy 30:16 promises, "For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, statutes, and ordinances, so that you may live and multiply, and the LORD your God may bless you in the land you are entering to possess." Conversely, disobedience leads to curses, including a lack of multiplication.
6.
New Testament Perspective While the New Testament does not emphasize physical multiplication as prominently, the concept is spiritualized in the growth of the Church.
Acts 6:7 notes, "So the word of God continued to spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem grew rapidly, and a great number of priests became obedient to the faith." Here, multiplication is seen in the expansion of the early Christian community.
Theological SignificanceThe act of multiplying is not merely a biological or numerical increase but is deeply tied to God's covenantal promises and blessings. It reflects God's desire for His creation to flourish and His people to prosper under His guidance. Multiplying serves as a sign of divine favor and the fulfillment of God's purposes throughout biblical history.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
p. pr. & vb. n.) of Multiply.
Library
Hebrews vi. 13-16
... when God made promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no greater, He sware
by Himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, andmultiplying I will...
Sige Relates to Marcus the Generation of the Twenty-Four Elements...
... The Decad, then, being joined with the Ogdoad, andmultiplying it ten times, gave
rise to the number eighty; and, again,multiplying eighty ten times, produced...
Whether the Angels Differ in Species?
... agent, but only specific multiplication, as was said above ([465]Q[47], A[3]). Hence
the perfection of the angelic nature calls for themultiplying of species...
The Glory-Coloured Thread.
... supernatural. In three"turning the water into wine,multiplying food supplies,
walking on the water"it is power in the realm of nature....
Death to Self is the Way Out into a Life of Sacrifice.
... Glory be to His Name! And the outcome, like the outcome of the autumn, is this:
there is, a new power set free; a power ofmultiplying life around....
Whether the Particular Punishments of Our First Parents are...
... But the "multiplying of conceptions" pertains to a woman's dignity. Therefore
it should not be described as the woman's punishment....
Be Ye Therefore Perfect, Even as Your Father which is in Heaven is...
... If the act does not proceed from faith and love, whatever they may do is sin. How
idle, to think that a person, bymultiplying sins, can beget holiness!...
There is a Definite Moment at which the Seed is Ripe...
... scattered. It is all the more likely that God may trust us with a great
multiplying if our faith does not need to witness it. He...
Genesis.
... And over the whole fields diffuses herds. Of quadrupeds; and mandate gave that all.
Should grow withmultiplying seed, and roam. 30 And feed in earth's immensity...
Our Inheritance
... when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware
by himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, andmultiplying I will...
Thesaurus
Multiplying (23 Occurrences)...Multiplying (23 Occurrences).
... Hebrews 6:14 saying, "Surely blessing I will bless
you, and
multiplying I will multiply you." (WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT).
...Insinuations (1 Occurrence)
... 2:6 Do not these -- all of them -- against him a simile taken up, And a moral of
acute sayings for him, And say, Wo 'to' him who ismultiplying 'what is' not...
Moral (5 Occurrences)
... 2:6 Do not these -- all of them -- against him a simile taken up, And a moral of
acute sayings for him, And say, Wo 'to' him who ismultiplying 'what is' not...
Acute (4 Occurrences)
... 2:6 Do not these -- all of them -- against him a simile taken up, And a moral of
acute sayings for him, And say, Wo 'to' him who ismultiplying 'what is' not...
Printed (2 Occurrences)
... print, prin'-ting, prin'-ted: Printing is the art ofmultiplying records-the "art
of writing with many pens" (Jewish Encyclopedia, XII, 295), or wholesale...
Printing
... print, prin'-ting, prin'-ted: Printing is the art ofmultiplying records-the "art
of writing with many pens" (Jewish Encyclopedia, XII, 295), or wholesale...
Print (3 Occurrences)
... print, prin'-ting, prin'-ted: Printing is the art ofmultiplying records-the "art
of writing with many pens" (Jewish Encyclopedia, XII, 295), or wholesale...
Simile (61 Occurrences)
... 2:6 Do not these -- all of them -- against him a simile taken up, And a moral of
acute sayings for him, And say, Wo 'to' him who ismultiplying 'what is' not...
Multiply (98 Occurrences)
... Hebrews 6:14 saying, "Surely blessing I will bless you, andmultiplying I will
multiply you." (Root in WEB KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV)....
Native (35 Occurrences)
... Acts 6:1 Now in those days, when the number of the disciples wasmultiplying, a
complaint arose from the Hellenists against the Hebrews, because their widows...
Resources
What did God mean when He told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is theodicy? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is seed faith? What is a seed faith offering? | GotQuestions.orgMultiplying: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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