Leviticus 26:9

KJV

For I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and establish my covenant with you.

KJV (with Strong's)

For I will have respect {H6437} unto you, and make you fruitful {H6509}, and multiply {H7235} you, and establish {H6965} my covenant {H1285} with you.

Complete Jewish Bible

"'I will turn toward you, make you productive, increase your numbers and uphold my covenant with you.

Berean Standard Bible

I will turn toward you and make you fruitful and multiply you, and I will establish My covenant with you.

American Standard Version

And I will have respect unto you, and make you fruitful, and multiply you, and will establish my covenant with you.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Leviticus 26:9 presents a profound promise from God to the Israelites, assuring them of His benevolent attention, the blessing of abundant growth and prosperity for their nation, and the steadfast confirmation of His covenant relationship with them. This verse encapsulates the positive consequences of obedience within the Mosaic covenant, highlighting God's active desire for His people's flourishing and the enduring nature of His divine commitments.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Leviticus 26 stands as a pivotal chapter within the book, serving as a climactic covenant renewal discourse. It delineates the blessings and curses associated with Israel's obedience or disobedience to the Mosaic Law. Verses 3-13 specifically enumerate the extensive blessings promised for faithfulness, including agricultural abundance, peace, victory over enemies, and God's indwelling presence. Verse 9, nestled within this section, zeroes in on the vital aspects of national growth and the reaffirmation of God's covenant. It follows promises of rain and abundant harvests ([Leviticus 26:4-5](/leviticus/26-4 "Leviticus 26:4-5 - Promises of Rain and Harvest")) and precedes the ultimate promise of God's dwelling among them and not abhorring them ([Leviticus 26:11-12](/leviticus/26-11 "Leviticus 26:11-12 - God's Dwelling Among Israel")). This verse underscores the personal and national implications of God's favor, ensuring the perpetuation and strength of the covenant people.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** At the time of Leviticus's composition, the Israelites were encamped at Mount Sinai, having recently been delivered from Egyptian bondage and entered into a formal covenant with Yahweh. They were a nascent nation, poised to enter the Promised Land, a land already inhabited by other peoples. Their national identity and future security were intrinsically tied to their relationship with God. Promises of fruitfulness and multiplication were not merely abstract blessings but practical necessities for a people needing to grow in number to populate the land and establish their presence. The concept of God "establishing His covenant" was crucial, as it provided assurance of divine protection and provision in a hostile world, reinforcing the foundational agreement made at Sinai and echoing the earlier promises to their patriarchs, particularly Abraham, concerning his numerous descendants and the land ([Genesis 12:1-3](/genesis/12-1 "Genesis 12:1-3 - The Abrahamic Covenant")). The covenant itself was the framework for their national existence, governing every aspect of their life from worship to civil law.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Respect (Hebrew, _panah'_):** The Hebrew verb פָּנָה (_panah_) literally means "to turn" or "to turn the face." When God "has respect unto you," it signifies His turning His divine face towards His people, not in anger or judgment, but in benevolent attention, favor, and approval. It implies active engagement and a positive regard, a direct contrast to turning away in displeasure or hiding His face, which often signified judgment or abandonment in biblical thought. This turning of God's face is a powerful expression of His presence and blessing.
* **Fruitful (Hebrew, _parah'_):** The Hebrew verb פָּרָה (_parah_) means "to be fruitful," "to bear fruit," or "to multiply." This term is deeply rooted in the creation mandate given to humanity ([Genesis 1:28](/genesis/1-28 "Genesis 1:28 - The Creation Mandate to Be Fruitful")) and is a recurring promise to the patriarchs, particularly Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, concerning their descendants ([Genesis 28:3](/genesis/28-3 "Genesis 28:3 - God's Blessing to Jacob to Be Fruitful")). In the context of Leviticus 26, it refers primarily to the numerical growth of the Israelite nation, ensuring a large and strong population, but also implicitly includes the fruitfulness of their land and livestock.
* **Establish (Hebrew, _qum'_):** The Hebrew verb קוּם (_qum_) means "to arise," "to stand," or "to establish." When God promises to "establish my covenant," it signifies His active and unwavering commitment to uphold, confirm, and bring to fruition the terms and promises of His solemn agreement. It conveys the idea of making the covenant firm, enduring, and effective, ensuring its stability and continuity across generations. This is not merely a passive maintenance but an active divine work to ensure the covenant's fulfillment.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"For I will have respect unto you":** This opening clause establishes the fundamental premise of God's benevolent disposition. It signifies God's active, favorable attention and approval directed towards His people. This "respect" is not a passive acknowledgment but an intentional turning of His divine face, indicating His presence, favor, and readiness to bless, contingent upon their obedience.
* **"and make you fruitful, and multiply you":** This phrase articulates a dual blessing of exponential growth. "Make you fruitful" speaks to the capacity for bearing offspring and producing abundance, while "multiply you" emphasizes the increase in number. Together, these promises ensure the demographic strength and national vitality of Israel, allowing them to grow into a numerous and powerful people, fulfilling the ancient promises made to their ancestors.
* **"and establish my covenant with you":** This final clause underscores the enduring nature of God's commitment. "Establish" implies making firm, confirming, and upholding the solemn agreement (covenant) God initiated with Israel. It assures them that God will be faithful to His promises, maintain His unique relationship with them, and bring to fruition all the benefits and obligations outlined in the Mosaic Law, provided they remain obedient.

#### Literary Devices
Leviticus 26:9 effectively employs several literary devices to convey its powerful message. The most prominent is **Covenant Language**, which pervades the entire chapter, defining the conditional relationship between God and Israel. The phrase "establish my covenant" is a direct invocation of this foundational theological concept. There is also significant **Repetition** and **Echoing** of earlier divine promises, particularly the blessing to "be fruitful and multiply" from the creation account ([Genesis 1:28](/genesis/1-28 "Genesis 1:28 - The Creation Mandate")) and the Abrahamic covenant ([Genesis 17:6](/genesis/17-6 "Genesis 17:6 - God's Promise to Abraham of Fruitfulness")). This repetition links the present promise to God's consistent character and His overarching redemptive plan throughout history. Furthermore, the phrase "I will have respect unto you" contains an element of **Anthropomorphism**, attributing human-like action (turning one's face or having regard) to God, making His divine favor more relatable and comprehensible to the human audience.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Leviticus 26:9 profoundly articulates God's character as a covenant-keeping God who desires the flourishing of His people. It highlights the conditional nature of the Mosaic covenant, where divine blessings are directly linked to human obedience. The themes of God's favor, the importance of national and spiritual growth, and the unwavering faithfulness of God to His promises are central. This verse reveals that God's ultimate desire for Israel was not merely their physical survival but their thriving and multiplication as a distinct people, a testament to His power and faithfulness, and a vehicle for His redemptive purposes in the world. It underscores that true prosperity, in the biblical sense, flows from a right relationship with the Creator, established and maintained by His grace and human responsiveness.

* [Genesis 1:28](/genesis/1-28 "Genesis 1:28 - The Creation Mandate to Be Fruitful and Multiply")
* [Deuteronomy 28:1-14](/deuteronomy/28 "Deuteronomy 28 - Blessings for Obedience")
* [Isaiah 55:3](/isaiah/55-3 "Isaiah 55:3 - God's Everlasting Covenant")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Leviticus 26:9 offers timeless insights into God's character and His interaction with humanity. While the specific physical blessings of the Mosaic covenant were unique to ancient Israel, the underlying principles resonate deeply with believers today. God still desires to "have respect unto" His people, manifesting His favor and presence in our lives, not based on our perfect obedience to a legal code, but through His grace in Christ. Our "fruitfulness" today is primarily spiritual – bearing the fruit of the Spirit ([Galatians 5:22-23](/galatians/5-22 "Galatians 5:22-23 - The Fruit of the Spirit")), growing in Christ-likeness, and participating in the multiplication of disciples through evangelism and spiritual formation. This verse powerfully reminds us of God's unwavering faithfulness to "establish His covenant." For us, this is the New Covenant in Christ's blood, a covenant of grace that is eternally secure. Therefore, our response should be one of grateful obedience, trusting in God's desire for our spiritual flourishing and His steadfast commitment to His promises, which are "Yes" and "Amen" in Christ.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **How does God's promise to "have respect unto you" speak to your sense of worth and security in His presence?**
* **In what ways do you see yourself being "fruitful and multiplying" in a spiritual sense in your life and community?**
* **How does the assurance that God will "establish my covenant with you" strengthen your faith in His faithfulness, especially during times of uncertainty?**

### FAQ

**Is the promise in Leviticus 26:9 conditional for ancient Israel?**

Answer: Yes, absolutely. The entire chapter of [Leviticus 26](/leviticus/26 "Leviticus 26 - Blessings and Curses") explicitly lays out the conditional nature of the Mosaic covenant. The blessings, including God's respect, fruitfulness, and covenant establishment, are directly contingent upon Israel's obedience to God's statutes and commandments, as stated in [Leviticus 26:3](/leviticus/26-3 "Leviticus 26:3 - If you walk in my statutes"). Conversely, disobedience would lead to severe curses.

**How does the promise to "make you fruitful, and multiply you" apply to believers in the New Covenant era?**

Answer: While the original promise in [Leviticus 26:9](/leviticus/26-9 "Leviticus 26:9 - God's Promise of Fruitfulness") referred to physical and national growth for Israel, its spiritual parallel for New Covenant believers is profound. "Fruitfulness" now primarily refers to the spiritual fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives (love, joy, peace, etc., as in [Galatians 5:22-23](/galatians/5-22 "Galatians 5:22-23 - The Fruit of the Spirit")) and the fruit of righteousness ([Philippians 1:11](/philippians/1-11 "Philippians 1:11 - Fruit of Righteousness")). "Multiplication" speaks to the growth of the church through evangelism and discipleship, as believers are added to the kingdom of God ([Acts 2:47](/acts/2-47 "Acts 2:47 - The Lord Added to Their Number Daily")).

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Leviticus 26:9, with its promises of divine favor, fruitfulness, and covenant establishment, finds its ultimate and unbreakable fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The conditional nature of the Mosaic covenant, under which Israel often faltered, pointed to the need for a new and better covenant. In Christ, God truly "has respect unto" humanity, not based on our works, but through the perfect obedience and atoning sacrifice of His Son. Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")), making it possible for God to turn His face towards us in grace. The promise of "fruitfulness and multiplication" is fulfilled in the spiritual progeny of Christ—the church. Through Him, believers are made spiritually fruitful, bearing the fruit of the Spirit ([Galatians 5:22-23](/galatians/5-22 "Galatians 5:22-23 - The Fruit of the Spirit")) and multiplying as the gospel spreads throughout the world ([Matthew 28:19-20](/matthew/28-19 "Matthew 28:19-20 - The Great Commission")). Most significantly, God's promise to "establish my covenant" is irrevocably secured in the New Covenant, inaugurated by Christ's blood ([Luke 22:20](/luke/22-20 "Luke 22:20 - The New Covenant in His Blood")). This covenant, unlike the old, is not dependent on human obedience for its establishment but is an unconditional promise of grace, guaranteeing eternal life and an unbreakable relationship with God for all who believe in His Son ([Hebrews 8:6-13](/hebrews/8-6 "Hebrews 8:6-13 - A Better Covenant")). Thus, in Christ, God's favor, the multiplication of His people, and the eternal establishment of His covenant are perfectly realized.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Genesis 17:6

And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

Genesis 17:7

¶ And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

Psalms 107:38

He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.

Ezekiel 16:62

And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I [am] the LORD:

Nehemiah 9:23

Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers, that they should go in to possess [it].

Isaiah 55:3

Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, [even] the sure mercies of David.

Psalms 138:6

¶ Though the LORD [be] high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.