Bereshis 17:22

22 And He left off speaking with him, and Elohim went up from Avraham.

Bereshis 17:22 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 17:22

And he left off talking; with him
After he had finished all he had to say to him at this time. It was great condescension in the divine Being to talk with a creature; it was wonderful grace and kindness to make such promises to him, as he did, and indulge him with answers of prayer and communion with him; but the highest enjoyments of God here are not lasting; uninterrupted communion with him is reserved for another world:

and God went up from Abraham;
from the earth, where he had been with Abraham, and ascended above him up to heaven, in a visible, and very likely in an human form, in which he descended: the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan paraphrase it, "the glory of the Lord", the glorious Shechinah, the Lord of life and glory.

Bereshis 17:22 In-Context

20 And as for Yishmael, I have heard thee; hinei, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve nasi’im (princes, rulers) shall he father, and I will make him a goy gadol (great nation).

21 But My Brit (covenant) will I establish with Yitzchak, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at mo’ed hazeh (this set time) next year.

22 And He left off speaking with him, and Elohim went up from Avraham.

23 And Avraham took Yishmael bno, and all that were born in his bais, and all that were bought with his kesef, every zachar among the men of Avraham’s bais; and circumcised the basar of their arelah in the very same day, as Elohim had said unto him.

24 And Avraham was ninety shanah and nine, when he was circumcised in the basar of his arelah.