22 And he left off H3615 talking H1696 with him, and God H430 went up H5927 from Abraham. H85
And God H430 appeared H7200 unto Jacob H3290 again, when he came H935 out of Padanaram, H6307 and blessed H1288 him. And God H430 said H559 unto him, Thy name H8034 is Jacob: H3290 thy name H8034 shall not be called H7121 any more Jacob, H3290 but Israel H3478 shall be thy name: H8034 and he called H7121 his name H8034 Israel. H3478 And God H430 said H559 unto him, I am God H410 Almighty: H7706 be fruitful H6509 and multiply; H7235 a nation H1471 and a company H6951 of nations H1471 shall be of thee, and kings H4428 shall come H3318 out of thy loins; H2504 And the land H776 which I gave H5414 Abraham H85 and Isaac, H3327 to thee I will give it, H5414 and to thy seed H2233 after thee H310 will I give H5414 the land. H776 And God H430 went up H5927 from him in the place H4725 where he talked H1696 with him. And Jacob H3290 set up H5324 a pillar H4676 in the place H4725 where he talked H1696 with him, even a pillar H4678 of stone: H68 and he poured H5258 a drink offering H5262 thereon, and he poured H3332 oil H8081 thereon. And Jacob H3290 called H7121 the name H8034 of the place H4725 where God H430 spake H1696 with him, Bethel. H1008
And he said, H559 Hear H8085 now my words: H1697 If there be a prophet H5030 among you, I the LORD H3068 will make myself known H3045 unto him in a vision, H4759 and will speak H1696 unto him in a dream. H2472 My servant H5650 Moses H4872 is not so, who is faithful H539 in all mine house. H1004 With him will I speak H1696 mouth H6310 to mouth, H6310 even apparently, H4758 and not in dark speeches; H2420 and the similitude H8544 of the LORD H3068 shall he behold: H5027 wherefore then were ye not afraid H3372 to speak H1696 against my servant H5650 Moses? H4872
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 17
Commentary on Genesis 17 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 17
Ge 17:1-27. Renewal of the Covenant.
1. Abram … ninety years old and nine—thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael [Ge 16:16]. During that interval he had enjoyed the comforts of communion with God but had been favored with no special revelation as formerly, probably on account of his hasty and blameable marriage with Hagar.
the Lord appeared—some visible manifestation of the divine presence, probably the Shekinah or radiant glory of overpowering effulgence.
I am the Almighty God—the name by which He made Himself known to the patriarchs (Ex 6:3), designed to convey the sense of "all-sufficient" (Ps 16:5, 6; 73:25).
walk … and … perfect—upright, or sincere (Ps 51:6) in heart, speech, and behavior.
3. Abram fell on his face—the attitude of profoundest reverence assumed by Eastern people. It consists in the prostrate body resting on the hands and knees, with the face bent till the forehead touches the ground. It is an expression of conscious humility and profound reverence.
4. my covenant is with thee—Renewed mention is made of it as the foundation of the communication that follows. It is the covenant of grace made with all who believe in the Saviour.
5. but thy name shall be Abraham—In Eastern countries a change of name is an advertisement of some new circumstance in the history, rank, or religion of the individual who bears it. The change is made variously, by the old name being entirely dropped for the new, or by conjoining the new with the old; or sometimes only a few letters are inserted, so that the altered form may express the difference in the owner's state or prospects. It is surprising how soon a new name is known and its import spread through the country. In dealing with Abraham and Sarai, God was pleased to adapt His procedure to the ideas and customs of the country and age. Instead of Abram, "a high father," he was to be called Abraham, "father of a multitude of nations" (see Re 2:17).
8. I will give unto thee … the land—It had been previously promised to Abraham and his posterity (Ge 15:18). Here it is promised as an "everlasting possession," and was, therefore, a type of heaven, "the better country" (Heb 11:16).
10. Every man child among you shall be circumcised—This was the sign in the Old Testament Church as baptism is in the New, and hence the covenant is called "covenant of circumcision" (Ac 7:8; Ro 4:11). The terms of the covenant were these: on the one hand Abraham and his seed were to observe the right of circumcision; and on the other, God promised, in the event of such observance, to give them Canaan for a perpetual possession, to be a God to him and his posterity, and that in him and his seed all nations should be blessed.
15, 16. As for Sarai … I will … give thee a son also of her—God's purposes are gradually made known. A son had been long ago promised to Abraham. Now, at length, for the first time he is informed that it was to be a child of Sarai.
17. Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed—It was not the sneer of unbelief, but a smile of delight at the improbability of the event (Ro 4:20).
18. O that Ishmael might live before thee—natural solicitude of a parent. But God's thoughts are not as man's thoughts [Isa 55:8].
19, 20. The blessings of the covenant are reserved for Isaac, but common blessings were abundantly promised to Ishmael; and though the visible Church did not descend from his family, yet personally he might, and it is to be hoped did, enjoy its benefits.