The concept of multiplication in the Bible often refers to God's blessing and provision, as well as the growth and increase of His people. This theme is prevalent throughout both the Old and New Testaments, illustrating God's power to expand and prosper His creation and His covenant people.

Old Testament

1. Creation and Blessing: The idea of multiplication is first introduced in the creation narrative. In Genesis 1:28 , God commands Adam and Eve, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it." This command is a blessing, indicating God's intention for humanity to grow and spread across the earth.

2. Covenant with Abraham: God's promise to Abraham includes the multiplication of his descendants. In Genesis 22:17 , God declares, "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 is foundational to the Abrahamic covenant, emphasizing the growth of a great nation through Abraham's lineage.

3. Israel's Growth in Egypt: The multiplication of the Israelites 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 became exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them." Despite oppression, God's people continued to grow, setting the stage for the Exodus.

4. Blessings and Curses: In Deuteronomy, God outlines the blessings for obedience, including multiplication. Deuteronomy 7:13 promises, "He will love you and bless you and multiply you." Conversely, disobedience leads to curses, including a lack of multiplication, as seen in Deuteronomy 28.

New Testament

1. Parables of Growth: Jesus often used parables to illustrate the Kingdom of God's growth. In the Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:23), the seed that falls on good soil "produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold." This multiplication signifies the fruitful response to the Gospel.

2. Feeding of the Multitudes: Jesus' miracles of feeding the 5,000 and 4,000 (Matthew 14:13-21; 15:32-39) demonstrate divine multiplication. With limited resources, Jesus multiplies loaves and fish to feed thousands, showcasing God's provision and abundance.

3. The Early Church: The Acts of the Apostles records the rapid multiplication of believers. Acts 6:7 notes, "So the word of God continued to spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a great number of priests became obedient to the faith." This growth is attributed to the work of the Holy Spirit and the apostles' preaching.

Theological Significance

The theme of multiplication in the Bible underscores God's sovereignty and faithfulness. It reflects His desire for His creation to flourish and His people to prosper under His covenant. Multiplication is both a physical and spiritual concept, representing not only the increase of descendants and resources but also the expansion of faith and the Kingdom of God. Through multiplication, God fulfills His promises and advances His divine purposes on earth.7235a. rabah -- to be or become much, many or great
... me great (2), many (21), many which increase (1), more (3), more he made (1), much
(15), much more (2), much* (1), multiplied (21), multiplies (5), multiply (45 ...
/hebrew/7235a.htm - 6k

3527. kabar -- to be much or many
... abundance. Word Origin a prim. root Definition to be much or many NASB Word
Usage abundance (1), multiplies (1). in abundance, multiply. ...
/hebrew/3527.htm - 6k

Progress under Obedience. Her Inability to Resist the Graces of ...
... Chapter XXIV. Progress Under Obedience. Her Inability to Resist the Graces of
God. God Multiplies His Graces. 1. After this my confession ...
/.../teresa/the life of st teresa of jesus/chapter xxiv progress under obedience.htm

Forgiven and Unforgiving
... lifts the whole subject out of the realm of hard and fast lines and limits, for
He takes the two perfect numbers 'ten' and 'seven,' and multiplies them together ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture b/forgiven and unforgiving.htm

Whether Whatever in the Body Belonged to the Truth of Human Nature ...
... that whatever belongs to the truth of human nature, all of it belonged to the truth
of human nature when this was created; and that this multiplies by itself ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether whatever in the body.htm

The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus
... Chapter XXIV. Progress Under Obedience. Her Inability to Resist the Graces of
God. God Multiplies His Graces. Chapter XXV. Divine Locutions. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/teresa/the life of st teresa of jesus/

Sermon at the Fourth Annual Convention of the Brotherhood of St. ...
... help. When He multiplied bread in His hands, He did of His own will that
which God does when He multiplies the wheat in the harvest. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/whipple/five sermons/v sermon at the fourth.htm

Eighth Commandment
... of wrong. By and by it is not an easy matter to check the habit, because
it grows and multiplies with every new commission. The ...
//christianbookshelf.org/moody/weighed and wanting/eighth commandment.htm

Essay i. Fortuna Plerumque Est Veluti Galaxia Quarundam Obscurarum ...
... Courage multiplies the chances of success by sometimes making opportunities, and
always availing itself of them: and in this sense Fortune may be said to ...
/.../confessions of an inquiring spirit etc/essay i fortuna plerumque est.htm

Spiritual Significance of the Precepts of Moses Respecting ...
... "Thou shall not be a corrupter of boys, nor like unto such." [1580] Because the
hare multiplies, year by year, the places of its conception; for as many years ...
/.../barnabas/the epistle of barnabas /chapter x spiritual significance of the.htm

The Will.
... The imagination, under the action of a constant change of images, and those sensations
which the activity of life multiplies so rapidly in our time, has ...
/.../sainte-foi/serious hours of a young lady/chapter ix the will.htm

Infancy.
... The birth of each child constitutes a new era in the Christian home, and
multiplies its cares, its pleasures and its responsibilities. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/philips/the christian home/chapter ix infancy.htm

Multiplies (8 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Multiplies (8 Occurrences). ... Job 9:17 For he breaks me with
a storm, and multiplies my wounds without cause. (WEB NAS RSV). ...
/m/multiplies.htm - 8k

Multiplier (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) One who, or that which, multiplies or increases
number. 2. (n.) The number by which another number is multiplied. ...
/m/multiplier.htm - 7k

Power (862 Occurrences)
... to which a lens, mirror, or any optical instrument, magnifies; in the telescope,
and usually in the microscope, the number of times it multiplies, or augments ...
/p/power.htm - 66k

Opens (30 Occurrences)
... RSV). Job 35:16 Therefore Job opens his mouth with empty talk, and he
multiplies words without knowledge." (WEB NAS RSV NIV). Job ...
/o/opens.htm - 14k

Feeds (14 Occurrences)
... RSV NIV). Hosea 12:1 Ephraim feeds on wind, and chases the east wind. He
continually multiplies lies and desolation. They make a ...
/f/feeds.htm - 10k

Emptily (2 Occurrences)
... dwell in us,' (YLT). Job 35:16 Therefore Job opens his mouth with empty talk,
and he multiplies words without knowledge." (See NAS). ...
/e/emptily.htm - 6k

Multipliest (1 Occurrence)

/m/multipliest.htm - 6k

Breaks (35 Occurrences)
... (See RSV). Job 9:17 For he breaks me with a storm, and multiplies my wounds without
cause. (WEB). Job 12:14 Behold, he breaks down, and it can't be built again. ...
/b/breaks.htm - 16k

Bargain (7 Occurrences)
... See RSV). Hosea 12:1 Ephraim feeds on wind, and chases the east wind. He
continually multiplies lies and desolation. They make a ...
/b/bargain.htm - 9k

Claps (3 Occurrences)
... (See RSV NIV). Job 34:37 For he adds rebellion to his sin. He claps his hands among
us, and multiplies his words against God." (WEB NAS RSV NIV). ...
/c/claps.htm - 7k

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