Genesis 17

Abram Is Named Abraham

1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. 2I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”

3At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, 4“This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! 5What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham,#17:5 Abram means “exalted father”; Abraham sounds like a Hebrew term that means “father of many.” for you will be the father of many nations. 6I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!

7“I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants#17:7 Hebrew seed; also in 17:7b, 8, 9, 10, 19. after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.”

The Mark of the Covenant

9Then God said to Abraham, “Your responsibility is to obey the terms of the covenant. You and all your descendants have this continual responsibility. 10This is the covenant that you and your descendants must keep: Each male among you must be circumcised. 11You must cut off the flesh of your foreskin as a sign of the covenant between me and you. 12From generation to generation, every male child must be circumcised on the eighth day after his birth. This applies not only to members of your family but also to the servants born in your household and the foreign-born servants whom you have purchased. 13All must be circumcised. Your bodies will bear the mark of my everlasting covenant. 14Any male who fails to be circumcised will be cut off from the covenant family for breaking the covenant.”

Sarai Is Named Sarah

15Then God said to Abraham, “Regarding Sarai, your wife—her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah.#17:15 Sarai and Sarah both mean “princess”; the change in spelling may reflect the difference in dialect between Ur and Canaan. 16And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants.”

17Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?” 18So Abraham said to God, “May Ishmael live under your special blessing!”

19But God replied, “No—Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac,#17:19 Isaac means “he laughs.” and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant. 20As for Ishmael, I will bless him also, just as you have asked. I will make him extremely fruitful and multiply his descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. 21But my covenant will be confirmed with Isaac, who will be born to you and Sarah about this time next year.” 22When God had finished speaking, he left Abraham.

23On that very day Abraham took his son, Ishmael, and every male in his household, including those born there and those he had bought. Then he circumcised them, cutting off their foreskins, just as God had told him. 24Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised, 25and Ishmael, his son, was thirteen. 26Both Abraham and his son, Ishmael, were circumcised on that same day, 27along with all the other men and boys of the household, whether they were born there or bought as servants. All were circumcised with him.

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Genesis 17

Covenant Circumcision

1When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him, saying, “I am God Almighty. # Gn 28:3; 35:11; Ex 6:3 Live in My presence and be blameless. # Gn 6:9; Ps 15:2; Lk 1:6 2I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you greatly.”

3Then Abram fell facedown and God spoke with him: 4“As for Me, My covenant is with you: you will become the father of many nations. # Abraham was the father of the Israelites, Ishmaelites, Edomites, and Midianites. Spiritually, he is the father of all believers; Gl 3:7,29. 5Your name will no longer be Abram, # = The Father Is Exalted but your name will be Abraham, # = Father of a Multitude for I will make you the father of many nations. # Gn 35:11; 48:19; Rm 4:11-12,16-18 6I will make you extremely fruitful and will make nations and kings come from you. 7I will keep My covenant between Me and you, and your future offspring throughout their generations, as an everlasting covenant # Gn 9:16 to be your God and the God of your offspring after you. # Ex 6:7; Lv 11:45; 26:12,45; Dt 29:13; Heb 11:16; Rv 21:7 8And to you and your future offspring # Gl 3:16 I will give the land where you are residing — all the land of Canaan — as an eternal possession, # Gn 48:4; Ac 7:5 and I will be their God.”

9God also said to Abraham, “As for you, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations are to keep My covenant. 10This is My covenant, which you are to keep, between Me and you and your offspring after you: Every one of your males must be circumcised. 11You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskin to serve as a sign of the covenant between Me and you. # You in v. 11 is pl. # Ex 12:48; Dt 10:16; Ac 7:8; Rm 4:11 12Throughout your generations, every male among you at eight days old is to be circumcised. # Lv 12:3; Lk 1:59; 2:21; Php 3:5 This includes a slave born in your house and one purchased with money from any foreigner. The one who is not your offspring, 13a slave born in your house, as well as one purchased with money, must be circumcised. My covenant will be marked in your flesh as an everlasting covenant. 14If any male is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that man will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

15God said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, do not call her Sarai, for Sarah # = Princess will be her name. 16I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son by her. # Gn 18:10 I will bless her, and she will produce nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”

17Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed # Gn 21:6-7; Rm 4:19 and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a hundred-year-old man? Can Sarah, a ninety-year-old woman, give birth? ” 18So Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael were acceptable to You! ”# Lit Ishmael would live in Your sight

19But God said, “No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac. # = He Laughs I will confirm My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his future offspring. 20As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will certainly bless him; I will make him fruitful and will multiply him greatly. He will father 12 tribal leaders, # Gn 25:13-16 and I will make him into a great nation. 21But I will confirm My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.” # Gn 18:10,14; 21:1 22When He finished talking with him, God withdrew # Lit went up, or ascended from Abraham. # Gn 35:13

23Then Abraham took his son Ishmael and all the slaves born in his house or purchased with his money — every male among the members of Abraham’s household — and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on that very day, just as God had said to him. 24Abraham was 99 years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised, 25and his son Ishmael was 13 years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised. 26On that same day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised. 27And all the men of his household — both slaves born in his house and those purchased with money from a foreigner — were circumcised with him.

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