Be fruitful and multiply


In Judaism, Christianity, and some other Abrahamic religions, the commandment to "be fruitful and multiply" is the divine injunction which forms part of Genesis 1:28, in which God, after having created the world and all in it, ascribes to humankind the tasks of reproducing and filling the earth.
The text finds an immediate interpretation in the opening chapter of the book of Exodus as the description of the Israelites in Biblical Egypt are alluded to as, "fruitful, increased greatly, multiplied, and extremely strong, so that the land was filled with them."
In Orthodox Judaism, the mandate to "be fruitful and multiply" is interpreted as requiring every couple to have at least a son and a daughter. Other Jewish groups and individual Jews have interpreted this mandate differently. For example, Richard Elliott Friedman considers that the mandate "be fruitful and multiply and fill the Earth" has "now been fulfilled." The mandate is elaborated upon in numerous parts of the Talmud, for example in Kidushin.
For some Christians, humans should actively work to fulfill the mandate.
Despite "be fruitful and multiply" being the most important mitzvah, contraception is permitted in some sects of Judaism in appropriate circumstances such as difficult family situations. In instances like these, rabbis may allow women to start contraceptive methods.

Bible

The text of Genesis 1:28 states:
VersionText
Original Hebrew
וַיְבָרֶךְ אֹתָם אֱלֹהִים וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם אֱלֹהִים פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ וּמִלְאוּ אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְכִבְשֻׁהָ וּרְדוּ בִּדְגַת הַיָּם וּבְעוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וּבְכָל חַיָּה הָרֹמֶשֶׂת עַל הָאָרֶץ
Wayəḇāreḵ ’ōṯām ’ĕlōhîm, wayyō’mer lāhem ’ĕlōhîm, "Pərû, ûrəḇû, ûmilə’û ’eṯ-hā’āreṣ, wəḵiḇəšuhā; ûrəḏû biḏəg̱aṯ hayyām, ûḇə‘ôp̱ haššāmayim, ûḇəḵāl-ḥayyāh hārōmeśeṯ ‘al-hā’āreṣ."
Septuagintκαὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεός, λέγων· αὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε καὶ πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν καὶ κατακυριεύσατε αὐτῆς καὶ ἄρχετε τῶν ἰχθύων τῆς θαλάσσης καὶ τῶν πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ πάντων τῶν κτηνῶν καὶ πάσης τῆς γῆς καὶ πάντων τῶν ἑρπετῶν τῶν ἑρπόντων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς.
Kaí evlógisen aftoús o Theós, légon: afxánesthe kaí plithýnesthe kaí plirósate tín gín kaí katakyriéfsate aftís kaí árchete tón ichthýon tís thalássis kaí tón peteinón toú ouranoú kaí pánton tón ktinón kaí pásis tís gís kaí pánton tón erpetón tón erpónton epí tís gís.
VulgateBenedixitque illis Deus et ait illis Deus: “Crescite et multiplicamini et replete terram et subicite eam et dominamini piscibus maris et volatilibus caeli et universis animantibus, quae moventur super terram”.
JPS TanakhGod blessed them and God said to them, “Be fertile and increase, fill the earth and master it; and rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and all the living things that creep on earth.”
Everett FoxGod blessed them, and God said to them: Bear fruit and be many and fill the earth and subdue it! Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the heavens, and all living things that crawl about on the earth!
King James BibleAnd God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
New International VersionGod blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
New Living TranslationThen God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground."

Qur'an

The text of surat al-Baqarah 2:187, in the Qur'an, enjoins the listeners to be intimate with their wives and do "that which God has decreed for them", a statement defined by commentators to refer to having children:
VersionText
Original Arabicأُحِلَّ لَكُمْ لَيْلَةَ ٱلصِّيَامِ ٱلرَّفَثُ إِلَىٰ نِسَآئِكُمْ ۚ هُنَّ لِبَاسٌۭ لَّكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لِبَاسٌۭ لَّهُنَّ ۗ عَلِمَ ٱللَّهُ أَنَّكُمْ كُنتُمْ تَخْتَانُونَ أَنفُسَكُمْ فَتَابَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَعَفَا عَنكُمْ ۖ فَٱلْـَٔـٰنَ بَـٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَٱبْتَغُوا۟ مَا كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۚ وَكُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يَتَبَيَّنَ لَكُمُ ٱلْخَيْطُ ٱلْأَبْيَضُ مِنَ ٱلْخَيْطِ ٱلْأَسْوَدِ مِنَ ٱلْفَجْرِ ۖ ثُمَّ أَتِمُّوا۟ ٱلصِّيَامَ إِلَى ٱلَّيْلِ ۚ وَلَا تُبَـٰشِرُوهُنَّ وَأَنتُمْ عَـٰكِفُونَ فِى ٱلْمَسَـٰجِدِ ۗ تِلْكَ حُدُودُ ٱللَّهِ فَلَا تَقْرَبُوهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ لِلنَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ ١٨٧
Ohilla lakum laylata assiyamiarrafathu ila nisa-ikum hunna libasunlakum waantum libasun lahunna AAalima Allahuannakum kuntum takhtanoona anfusakum fatabaAAalaykum waAAafa AAankum fal-ana bashiroohunnawabtaghoo ma kataba Allahu lakum wakuloo washraboohatta yatabayyana lakumu alkhaytu al-abyadumina alkhayti al-aswadi mina alfajri thumma atimmoo assiyamaila allayli wala tubashiroohunna waantum AAakifoonafee almasajidi tilka hudoodu Allahi falataqrabooha kathalika yubayyinu Allahu ayatihilinnasi laAAallahum yattaqoon
Sahih InternationalIt has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives . They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them. Allah knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He accepted your repentance and forgave you. So now, have relations with them and seek that which Allah has decreed for you. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread . Then complete the fast until the sunset. And do not have relations with them as long as you are staying for worship in the mosques. These are the limits Allah, so do not approach them. Thus does Allah make clear His ordinances to the people that they may become righteous.
Muhsin KhanIt is made lawful for you to have sexual relations with your wives on the night of As-Saum. They are Libas , for you and you are the same for them. Allah knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He turned to you and forgave you. So now have sexual relations with them and seek that which Allah has ordained for you , and eat and drink until the white thread of dawn appears to you distinct from the black thread, then complete your Saum till the nightfall. And do not have sexual relations with them while you are in I'tikaf in the mosques. These are the limits by Allah, so approach them not. Thus does Allah make clear His Ayat to mankind that they may become Al-Muttaqun.
-

In popular culture

Below is a list of some instances where the injunction has been used in modern media, music, and literature.