Genesis 17:22

22 And when the word of the speaker with him was ended (And when he was finished speaking), God ascended from Abraham.

Genesis 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.

Genesis 17:22 In-Context

20 also on Ishmael I have heard thee, lo! I shall bless him, and I shall increase (him), and I shall multiply him greatly; he shall engender twelve dukes, and I shall make him into a great folk. (and regarding Ishmael, I have heard thee, lo! I shall bless him, and I shall increase him, and I shall greatly multiply him; he shall beget twelve princes, and I shall make him into a great nation.)
21 Forsooth I shall make my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall child to thee in this time in the tother year. (But I shall make my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear for thee at this same time next year.)
22 And when the word of the speaker with him was ended (And when he was finished speaking), God ascended from Abraham.
23 Forsooth Abraham took Ishmael, his son, and all the born servants of his house, and all which he had bought, all the males of all men of his house, and circumcised the flesh of their rod(s), anon in that day, as the Lord commanded to him. (Then Abraham took his son Ishmael, and all the slaves born in his household, and all the slaves he had bought, yea, all the males of his household, and at once circumcised the flesh of their rods on that day, as the Lord had commanded him.)
24 Abraham was of ninety years and nine when he circumcised the flesh of his rod, (Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he circumcised the flesh of his own rod,)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.