Abraham's laughter at God's promise (verse 17) creates a wordplay with Isaac's future name, meaning "he laughs," foreshadowing the child's identity before conception.
Genesis 17
The Covenant of Circumcision
1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty. Walk before me and be blameless.
2I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”
3Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying,
4“As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations.
5Your name will no more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.
6I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you.
7I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your offspring after you.
8I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God.”
9God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.
10This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised.
11You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of the covenant between me and you.
12He who is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he who is born in the house, or bought with money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring.
13He who is born in your house, and he who is bought with your money, must be circumcised. My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
14The uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant.”
15God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name shall be Sarah.
16I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her.”
17Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to him who is one hundred years old? Will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?”
18Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!”
19God said, “No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.
20As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.
21But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year.”
22When he finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.
23Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house, and all who were bought with his money: every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the same day, as God had said to him.
24Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
25Ishmael, his son, was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
26In the same day both Abraham and Ishmael, his son, were circumcised.
27All the men of his house, those born in the house, and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.
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Theme
God appears to ninety-nine-year-old Abram and establishes an everlasting covenant, changing his name to Abraham and promising he will become the father of many nations. The covenant includes the promise of the land of Canaan and requires circumcision as a physical sign for Abraham and all his male descendants. God also changes Sarai's name to Sarah and promises that she will bear Isaac within a year, through whom the covenant will continue, while also blessing Ishmael to become a great nation.
Context
This chapter builds upon God's earlier promises to Abraham in chapters 12 and 15, formalizing the covenant with specific terms and a physical sign before the birth of Isaac in chapter 21.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-8 God's Covenant with Abraham God appears to Abram, changes his name to Abraham, and promises to make him father of many nations with an everlasting covenant including the land of Canaan.
- 9-14 The Sign of Circumcision God establishes circumcision as the required physical sign of the covenant for Abraham and all his male descendants.
- 15-16 Sarah's New Name and Promise God changes Sarai's name to Sarah and promises she will bear a son and become mother of nations.
- 17-21 Abraham's Response and Isaac's Promise Abraham laughs at the promise due to their advanced age and asks about Ishmael, but God confirms Isaac will be born and carry the covenant.
- 22-27 Immediate Obedience Abraham immediately circumcises himself, Ishmael, and all the males in his household in obedience to God's command.
The Covenant of Circumcision
17:1–17:27 narrative speech solemn
God establishes an everlasting covenant with Abraham, changing his and Sarah's names, promising numerous descendants and the land of Canaan. Circumcision is instituted as the physical sign of this covenant relationship between God and Abraham's lineage.
person_contrast
Abraham's laughter at God's promise (verse 17) creates a wordplay with Isaac's future name, meaning "he laughs," foreshadowing the child's identity before conception.
Insights
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture
Genesis 17:7 2 references
Genesis 17:8 1 reference
Genesis 17:11 4 references
Lexicals 4
Genesis 9:17 Lexical
God said to Noah, “This is the token of the covenant which I have established between me and all flesh that is on the ea…
Leviticus 12:3 Lexical
In the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
Genesis 9:12 Lexical
God said, “This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you,…
Genesis 9:13 Lexical
I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be a sign of a covenant between me and the earth.
Genesis 17:12 1 reference
Genesis 17:13 1 reference
Genesis 17:14 5 references
Lexicals 5
Ezekiel 44:7 Lexical
in that you have brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pro…
Exodus 12:48 Lexical
When a stranger lives as a foreigner with you, and would like to keep the Passover to the LORD, let all his males be cir…
Leviticus 12:3 Lexical
In the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
Jeremiah 11:10 Lexical
They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words. They have gone after other g…
Jeremiah 31:32 Lexical
not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out o…
Genesis 17:17 5 references
Lexicals 5
Genesis 18:13 Lexical
The LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child when I am old?’
Genesis 21:9 Lexical
Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.
Genesis 25:12 Lexical
Now this is the history of the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s servant, bore to…
Genesis 21:7 Lexical
She said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.”
Genesis 21:2 Lexical
Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
Genesis 17:19 3 references
Lexicals 3
Genesis 21:12 Lexical
God said to Abraham, “Don’t let it be grievous in your sight because of the boy, and because of your servant. In all tha…
Genesis 21:3 Lexical
Abraham called his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.
Exodus 32:13 Lexical
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multip…
Genesis 17:20 5 references
Lexicals 5
Exodus 1:7 Lexical
The children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and grew exceedingly mighty; and the lan…
Genesis 47:27 Lexical
Israel lived in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen; and they got themselves possessions therein, and were fruitful…
Genesis 9:1 Lexical
God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, and replenish the earth.
Genesis 1:22 Lexical
God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the ear…
Genesis 1:28 Lexical
God blessed them. God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish o…
Genesis 17:21 2 references
Genesis 17:23 2 references
Genesis 17:24 1 reference
Genesis 17:25 1 reference
Genesis 17:27 1 reference
Interlinear
Word-by-word original language
v. 1
v. 2
v. 3
v. 4
v. 5
v. 6
v. 7
v. 8
v. 9
v. 10
v. 11
v. 12
v. 13
v. 14
v. 15
v. 16
v. 17
v. 18
v. 19
v. 20
v. 21
v. 22
v. 23
v. 24
v. 25
v. 26
v. 27
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