Growing And Multiplying

Dixitque ei: Ego Dominus omnipotens: Cresce et multiplicare; gentes et populi nationum erunt ex te; reges de lumbis tuis egredientur; terramque quam dedi Abraham et Isaac, dabo tibi et semini tuo post te; et recessit ab eo. Haec promissio ad spirituale semen Jacob pertinet, sicut de Abraham ante jam dictum est. Omnes enim qui supplantant vitia, et veterem hominem cum acitbus ejus deponunt, mentisque suae oculos ad videndum Deum intentos habent, rite ad Jacob pertinent, cujus fidem et actus imitantur; regesque de lumbis ejus egredientar, hoc est sancti, qui vere reges dicuntur, eo quod veraciter secundum Dei voluntatem semetipsos ac sibi subditos regunt. De ejus semine spirituali, hoc est fidei imitatione in bonis operibus fecundantur. Rabanus Maurus, Commentariorum In Genesim, Liber III, Caput XXIII Source: Migne PL 107.616c-d

And He said to Jacob, 'I am the Lord Almighty. Grow and multiply. Nations and peoples of the nations shall come from you. Kings shall come forth from your lions, and the land I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I shall give to you and your seed after you.' And He withdrew from him. 1 This promise pertains to the spiritual seed of Jacob, as it was spoken to Abraham previously. For all who overthrow vices and cast down the old man with his acts, and have the eyes of the soul intent on seeing God, rightly belong to Jacob, and they imitate his faith and deeds. And kings shall come forth from his lions, that is, saints, who rightly are named kings, because more correctly, according to the will of God, they rule themselves and those below them. Concerning his spiritual seed, it is by the imitation of faith they are made fruitful in good works. Rabanus Maurus, Commentary On Genesis, Book 3, Chapter 23 1 Gen 35.11-12