Genesis 17:19-20

19 Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac.^[a] I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.

20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.

Genesis 17:19-20 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. S ver 6,21; Genesis 18:14; Genesis 21:2; 1 Samuel 1:20
• 2. S Genesis 16:11; Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:13,31
• 3. Genesis 26:3; Genesis 50:24; Exodus 13:11; Deuteronomy 1:8
• 4. S Genesis 9:16; S Galatians 3:16
• 5. S Genesis 13:16; Genesis 16:10
• 6. Genesis 25:12-16
• 7. Genesis 25:18; Genesis 48:19; Genesis 21:18

Footnotes

• [a] "Isaac" means "he laughs."