7 And I will establish H6965 my covenant H1285 between me and thee and thy seed H2233 after thee H310 in their generations H1755 for an everlasting H5769 covenant, H1285 to be a God H430 unto thee, and to thy seed H2233 after thee. H310
8 And I will give H5414 unto thee, and to thy seed H2233 after thee, H310 the land H776 wherein thou art a stranger, H4033 all the land H776 of Canaan, H3667 for an everlasting H5769 possession; H272 and I will be their God. H430
9 And God H430 said H559 unto Abraham, H85 Thou shalt keep H8104 my covenant H1285 therefore, thou, and thy seed H2233 after thee H310 in their generations. H1755
10 This is my covenant, H1285 which ye shall keep, H8104 between me and you and thy seed H2233 after thee; H310 Every man child H2145 among you shall be circumcised. H4135
11 And ye shall circumcise H5243 the flesh H1320 of your foreskin; H6190 and it shall be a token H226 of the covenant H1285 betwixt me and you.
12 And he that is eight H8083 days H3117 old H1121 shall be circumcised H4135 among you, every man child H2145 in your generations, H1755 he that is born H3211 in the house, H1004 or bought H4736 with money H3701 of any stranger, H1121 H5236 which is not of thy seed. H2233
13 He that is born H3211 in thy house, H1004 and he that is bought H4736 with thy money, H3701 must needs H4135 be circumcised: H4135 and my covenant H1285 shall be in your flesh H1320 for an everlasting H5769 covenant. H1285
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.