Genesis 17:8-18

8 and I shall give to thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land of thy pilgrimage, all the land of Canaan, into everlasting possession, and I shall be the God of them. (and I shall give to thee, and to thy descendants after thee, this land where thou art now living, yea, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I shall be their God.)

9 God said again to Abraham, And therefore thou shalt keep my covenant, and thy seed after thee, in their generations. (And God said to Abraham, And so thou shalt keep my covenant, thou, and thy descendants after thee, in all generations.)

10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, betwixt me and you, and thy seed after thee; each male kind of you shall be circumcised (every male among you shall be circumcised),

11 and ye shall circumcise the flesh of your man's rod, that it be into a sign of bond of peace betwixt me and you (so that it be a sign of the covenant between me and you).

12 A young child of eight days shall be circumcised in you, all male kind in your generations, as well a born servant [of your household], as a servant bought, shall be circumcised, (A newborn child among you shall be circumcised on the eighth day, yea, all the males of every generation, as well as a slave born in your household, and a slave who is bought, yea, all the males shall be circumcised,)

13 and whoever is of your kindred, he (also) shall be circumcised; and my covenant shall be in your flesh into everlasting bond of peace (and so my covenant shall be made in your flesh as an everlasting covenant).

14 A(ny) man whose flesh of his rod shall not be circumcised, that man shall be done away from his people; for he made void my covenant (for he hath broken my covenant).

15 Also God said to Abraham (And God said Abraham), Thou shalt not call Sarai, thy wife, Sarai, but Sarah;

16 and I shall bless her, and of her I shall give to thee a son, whom I shall bless, and he shall be into nations, and kings of peoples shall be born of him. (and I shall bless her, and I shall give thee a son by her; yea, I shall bless her, and she shall be the mother of nations, and kings of many people shall be born from her.)

17 Abraham felled down on his face, and laughed in his heart, and said, Guessest thou, whether a child shall be born to a man of an hundred years, and Sarah of ninety years shall bear a child? (And Abraham fell down on his face, and laughed in his heart, and said, Thinkest thou, that a child shall be born to a man who is a hundred years old, and that Sarah, who is ninety years old, shall yet bear a child?)

18 And he said to the Lord, I would that Ishmael might live before thee.

Genesis 17:8-18 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.