What does the Bible say about having a lot of children?
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The Bible presents children as a gracious gift from God and commends receiving them with faith, gratitude, and responsible love, while not making a large family a universal command for every household. Genesis 1:28 gives humanity the creation mandate to be fruitful and multiply. Psalm 127:3-5 calls children a heritage from the Lord and compares them to arrows in a warrior's hand, emphasizing both blessing and stewardship. Parents are therefore to raise their children in the fear of the Lord, as Proverbs 22:6 teaches, trusting God rather than treating family size as a measure of spiritual worth. Psalm 128:3 portrays a flourishing household as God's blessing.
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Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible
- Genesis 1:28
God blessed them. God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
- Psalms 127:3-5
[3] Behold, children are a heritage of Yahweh. The fruit of the womb is his reward. [4] As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, So are the children of youth. [5] Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. They won't be disappointed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.
- Psalms 127:3
Behold, children are a heritage of Yahweh. The fruit of the womb is his reward.
- Psalms 127:1-5
[1] > Unless Yahweh builds the house, They labor in vain who build it. Unless Yahweh watches over the city, The watchman guards it in vain. [2] It is vain for you to rise up early, To stay up late, Eating the bread of toil; For he gives sleep to his loved ones. [3] Behold, children are a heritage of Yahweh. The fruit of the womb is his reward. [4] As arrows in the hand of a mighty man, So are the children of youth. [5] Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them. They won't be disappointed when they speak with their enemies in the gate.
- Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.
- Psalms 128:3
Your wife will be as a fruitful vine, In the innermost parts of your house; Your children like olive plants, Around your table.
- Proverbs 17:6
Children's children are the crown of old men; The glory of children are their parents.
- John 16:21
A woman, when she gives birth, has sorrow, because her time has come. But when she has delivered the child, she doesn't remember the anguish any more, for the joy that a human being is born into the world.
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