Genesis 17:16-26

16 And I will bless her, and give thee a son of her, and I will bless him, and he shall become nations, and kings of nations shall be of him.

17 And Abraam fell upon his face, and laughed; and spoke in his heart, saying, Shall there be a child to one who is a hundred years old, and shall Sarrha who is ninety years old, bear?

18 And Abraam said to God, Let this Ismael live before thee.

19 And God said to Abraam, Yea, behold, Sarrha thy wife shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name Isaac; and I will establish my covenant with him, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to him and to his seed after him.

20 And concerning Ismael, behold, I have heard thee, and, behold, I have blessed him, and will increase him and multiply him exceedingly; twelve nations shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarrha shall bear to thee at this time, in the next year.

22 And he left off speaking with him, and God went up from Abraam.

23 And Abraam took Ismael his son, and all his home-born , and all those bought with money, and every male of the men in the house of Abraam, and he circumcised their foreskins in the time of that day, according as God spoke to him.

24 And Abraam was ninety-nine years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

25 And Ismael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

26 And at the period of that day, Abraam was circumcised, and Ismael his son,

Genesis 17:16-26 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.