Have you seen the phrase 'go forth and multiply' somewhere and would like to know more behind the context and meaning of the saying? If someone says 'go forth and multiply' it can be a serious phrase, but also a serious insult. This post looks at the meaning and origin of the common English language saying.
Meaning
The phrase 'go forth and multiply' can be used as either a serious phrase, or as an insult that is meant to tell someone off as an equivalent of the phrase 'go fuck yourself'.
The saying 'go forth and multiply' originates from the Bible, where it is a reference to a command given by the Lord in the book of Genesis. The implication is that people are told to go create alliances, get married and have children.
Modern use of the phrase 'go forth and multiply' is much more common as an insult that tells someone to fuck off.
The phrase can be said as a direct point to someone, or in reference to someone else.
Where it is not used as a Biblical text reference or an outright insult to someone, the phrase can also be used as a phrase with potential sexual implications.
The most common misuse of the phrase is due to a misspelling of 'forth' as 'fourth' which would result in a meaningless phrase.
Example Usage
“Look, dad, the Bible tells us to go forth and multiply. I don't think that I did anything wrong by getting four people pregnant at summer camp. It's just what the Bible says, and it's right there in Genesis.”
“I don't want to have pineapples on the pizza. If you put that fruit where it doesn't belong, then you should just go forth and multiply, ma'am.”
“Someone tried to skip ahead of us in line at the coffee bar. I told him to go forth and multiply, and that's why I have a bruise above my eye today.”
“If the boss thinks I'm going to pick up my paycheck in two weeks instead of on the date it says on my contract, he can go forth and multiply really hard.”
Origin
The origin of the phrase 'go forth and multiply' can be found in the King James Version (KJV) Bible, where the sentence is used as a command from God: the phrase has been around as a common expression since the beginnings of Bible translation, though it is more common in some languages than others.
The phrase's use as an insult can be seen as early as the 1800s, though its use as an insulting or humorous phrase continued well into the 1900s and into modern use.
It is not necessary to quote the entire origin verse to imply either the serious or insulting meaning of the saying. The shortened phrase 'go forth and multiply' is enough to imply its meaning to speakers.
The saying was listed on the website Urban Dictionary in 2008.
Phrases Similar to Go Forth and Multiply
- Gfy
Phrases Opposite to Go Forth and Multiply
- N/a
What is the Correct Saying?
- Go forth and multiply
- [he/they/she] should go forth and multiply
Ways People May Say Go Forth and Multiply Incorrectly
There are several ways in which someone can use the phrase 'go forth and multiply' in the wrong way, or misunderstand the meaning of the phrase when it is used.
The most common way to misuse the phrase is to use 'fourth' instead of 'forth', which is a misspelling that renders an incorrect phrase with a different meaning.
Someone can also misunderstand the phrase as a direct translation into certain languages that do not have an equivalent phrase.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Go Forth and Multiply
The correct way to use the phrase 'go forth and multiply' is to say the phrase either about or to someone.
The phrase can be an implied insult that means the same as 'go fuck yourself', though the term can also be a reference to the Biblical phrase in Genesis. Sometimes the phrase can be used with sexual instead of insulting or serious implications.