Genesis 17:1-14

Abraham and the Covenant of Circumcision

1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty;^[a] walk before me, and be ¹blameless,

2 that I may make my covenant between me and you, and ²may multiply you greatly."

3 Then Abram ³fell on his face. And God said to him,

4 "Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be ⁴the father of a multitude of nations.

5 No longer shall your name be called Abram,^[b] but ⁵your name shall be Abraham,^[c]6for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.

6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make ⁷you into nations, and ⁸kings shall come from you.

7 And I will ⁹establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, ¹⁰to be God to you and to your offspring after you.

8 And ¹¹I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and ¹²I will be their God."

9 And God said to Abraham, "As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.

10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised.

11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a ¹³sign of the covenant between me and you.

12 He who is ¹⁴eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or ¹⁵bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring,

13 both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant.

14 Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant."

Genesis 17:1-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 17

This chapter treats of a covenant made with Abram, sometimes called the covenant of circumcision, the time when God appeared to him, and promised to make it, and did, Ge 17:1-3; the particulars of it, both with respect to himself, whose name was now changed, and to his posterity, Ge 17:4-8; the token of it, circumcision, the time of its performance, and the persons obliged to it, Ge 17:9-14; the change of Sarai's name, and a promise made that she should have a son, to the great surprise of Abraham, Ge 17:15-17; a prayer of his for Ishmael, and the answer to it, with a confirmation of Sarah's having a son, whose name should be called Isaac, and the establishment of the covenant with him, Ge 17:18-22; and the chapter is closed with an account of the circumcision of Abraham, and all his family of the male sort, agreeably to the command of God, Ge 17:23-27.

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 6:9; Deuteronomy 18:13; Job 1:1; Psalms 119:1; Matthew 5:48
• 2. Genesis 12:2; Genesis 13:16; Genesis 22:17
• 3. ver. 17
• 4. Rom. 4:11, 12, 16
• 5. Nehemiah 9:7
• 6. Cited Romans 4:17
• 7. Genesis 35:11
• 8. ver. 16
• 9. Galatians 3:17
• 10. Hebrews 11:16; [Genesis 26:24; Genesis 28:13]
• 11. Genesis 12:7; Genesis 13:15; Psalms 105:11
• 12. Exodus 6:7; Leviticus 26:12
• 13. Acts 7:8; Romans 4:11
• 14. Leviticus 12:3; Luke 1:59; Luke 2:21; Philippians 3:5
• 15. [Exodus 12:48, 49]

Footnotes

• [a]. Hebrew El Shaddai
• [b]. Abram means exalted father
• [c]. Abraham means father of a multitude