Genesis 17:3-13

3 Abram ¹fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying,

4 "As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, And you will be the father of a ²multitude of nations.

5 "No longer shall your name be called Abram, But ³your name shall be Abraham; For ⁴I will make you the father of a multitude of nations.

6 "I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and ⁵kings will come forth from you.

7 "I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an ⁶everlasting covenant, ⁷to be God to you and ⁸to your descendants after you.

8 "⁹I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and ¹⁰I will be their God."

9 God said further to Abraham, "Now as for you, ¹¹you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.

10 "¹²This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised.

11 "And ¹³you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.

12 "And every male among you who is ¹⁴eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations, a servant who is born in the house or who is bought with money from any foreigner *, who is not of your descendants.

13 "A servant who is born in your house or ¹⁵who is bought with your money shall surely be circumcised; thus shall My covenant be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

Genesis 17:3-13 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 17:17; Genesis 18:2
• 2. Genesis 35:11; Genesis 48:19
• 3. Nehemiah 9:7
• 4. Romans 4:17
• 5. Genesis 17:16; Genesis 35:11
• 6. Genesis 17:13, 19; Psalms 105:9, 10; Luke 1:55
• 7. Genesis 26:24; Leviticus 11:45; Leviticus 26:12, 45; Hebrews 11:16
• 8. Genesis 28:13; Galatians 3:16
• 9. Genesis 12:7; Genesis 13:15, 17; Acts 7:5
• 10. Exodus 6:7; Exodus 29:45; Leviticus 26:12; Deuteronomy 29:13; Revelation 21:7
• 11. Exodus 19:5
• 12. John 7:22; Acts 7:8; Romans 4:11
• 13. Exodus 12:48; Deuteronomy 10:16; Acts 7:8; Romans 4:11
• 14. Leviticus 12:3
• 15. Exodus 12:44

Footnotes

• [a] I.e. exalted father
• [b] I.e. father of a multitude
• [c] Lit "seed"
• [d] Lit "seed"
• [e] Lit "seed"
• [f] Lit "seed"
• [g] Lit "seed"
• [h] Lit "seed"