en_tn/gen/17/20.md

# As for Ishmael

The words "As for" show that God is switching from talking about the baby that would be born to talking about Ishmael.

# Behold

"Look" or "Listen" or "Pay attention to what I am about to tell you"

# will make him fruitful

This is an idiom that means "will cause him to have many children." (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-idiom]])

# will multiply him abundantly

"I will cause him to have many descendants"

# princes

"chiefs" or "rulers." Ishmael's twelve sons are different from the twelve sons of Jacob who were the fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel.