Genesis 17
Genesis 17 is a pivotal chapter in the Bible where God reaffirms His covenant with Abram, changes his name to Abraham, and institutes circumcision as the sign of the covenant. This chapter marks the deepening of God's promises to Abraham, which include becoming the father of many nations, a lineage of kings, and the inheritance of the land of Canaan. It also emphasizes obedience and faith in God's promises.
Genesis 17:1-3 (NKJV)
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless. And I will make My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying:
At ninety-nine years old, Abram receives a divine encounter with God, who identifies Himself as "Almighty God" (El Shaddai), emphasizing His supreme power. God commands Abram to walk in obedience and be blameless. This sets the tone for the renewal of the covenant. In humility and reverence, Abram falls on his face, recognizing the gravity of this moment. This shows Abram's deep reverence for God and readiness to submit to His will.
Genesis 17:4-5 (NKJV)
“As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a father of many nations. No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.”
God now reaffirms His covenant with Abram, extending it with a significant promise: Abram will not only be the father of a single nation but of many nations. God then changes his name from Abram ("exalted father") to Abraham ("father of a multitude"), symbolizing the fulfillment of this promise. This name change signifies a transformation in Abraham's destiny and role in God's plan.
Genesis 17:6 (NKJV)
“I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.”
God assures Abraham that he will be exceedingly fruitful. The promise extends beyond simple progeny to the establishment of entire nations and even royal lineages. This foreshadows the coming of the kings of Israel and, ultimately, the Messianic line through Jesus Christ. This promise highlights God’s sovereign ability to bring about His plans, even when they seem impossible from a human perspective.
Genesis 17:7-8 (NKJV)
“And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.”
God's covenant with Abraham is not only for him but for his descendants as well. It is described as an "everlasting covenant," emphasizing its perpetual nature. God commits to being the God of Abraham's descendants, establishing a special relationship with them. The land of Canaan is promised as an everlasting inheritance. This promise highlights the unchanging nature of God's covenantal faithfulness throughout generations.
Genesis 17:9-10 (NKJV)
And God said to Abraham: “As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised.”
God now sets the terms of the covenant for Abraham and his descendants. While God’s promises are sure, He calls for a sign of obedience—circumcision. This act of circumcision is a physical mark of the covenant, representing a deep spiritual reality: the people are set apart for God. It is a sign of their special relationship with God and their commitment to live in accordance with His ways.
Genesis 17:11-12 (NKJV)
“And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant.”
God makes circumcision the physical sign of the covenant, an external mark that symbolizes the inward commitment to God’s commands. Every male, whether a natural-born child or a servant, must undergo circumcision on the eighth day after birth. The timing emphasizes a consistent practice that marks a new life beginning in obedience to God's covenant.
Genesis 17:13-14 (NKJV)
“He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”
God commands that every male, including those born in the household or purchased as servants, must be circumcised. The covenant is marked in their very flesh, signifying a binding and eternal agreement. Those who refuse circumcision would be excluded from the community, emphasizing the seriousness of obeying God's covenant requirements. This shows the centrality of obedience in maintaining a relationship with God.
Genesis 17:15-16 (NKJV)
Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.”
In addition to changing Abram's name to Abraham, God also changes Sarai’s name to Sarah, meaning "princess." This change reflects God's promise that Sarah will not only be a mother but a mother of nations. Just as Abraham will father many nations, Sarah will bear a son through whom these nations will come, highlighting her essential role in the fulfillment of God's covenant.
Genesis 17:17-18 (NKJV)
Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” And Abraham said to God, “Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!”
Abraham’s reaction is a mixture of awe and disbelief. He laughs at the idea of a man as old as him and a woman as old as Sarah having a child. Though he trusts God, the human impossibility of the situation causes him to ask if Ishmael, his son by Hagar, might be the fulfillment of the promise instead. This reveals Abraham’s deep love for Ishmael, even as God prepares to extend the promise through Sarah’s son.
Genesis 17:19 (NKJV)
Then God said: “No, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his descendants after him.”
God firmly clarifies that His promise will not come through Ishmael but through a son born of Sarah. This child, Isaac, will be the chosen one through whom God's covenant will continue. The name "Isaac," meaning "laughter," reflects Abraham’s earlier response, but it also signifies the joy and fulfillment of God's promise. God’s covenant with Isaac is described as everlasting, showing the divine plan will continue through his lineage.
Genesis 17:20-21 (NKJV)
“And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this set time next year.”
Although Isaac is the child of promise, God reassures Abraham that Ishmael will not be forgotten. God promises to bless Ishmael, making him fruitful and the father of twelve princes, signifying his own legacy. However, the covenant itself—the one through which God’s redemptive plan will unfold—will be established with Isaac. God’s sovereignty and kindness are displayed in providing blessings for both sons, though with distinct roles.
Genesis 17:22 (NKJV)
Then He finished talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
After delivering His message, God concludes the conversation and departs from Abraham’s presence. This marks the end of an important divine encounter, in which God has reaffirmed and expanded His covenant with Abraham. The interaction underlines the seriousness and the sacred nature of the promises given to Abraham.
Genesis 17:23-24 (NKJV)
So Abraham 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 foreskins that very same day, as God had said to him. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
Abraham responds immediately to God's command. He circumcises every male in his household, including Ishmael, showing his complete obedience to God's instructions. This act demonstrates Abraham’s faithfulness and willingness to follow through with God's covenant. Even at ninety-nine years old, Abraham is fully committed to the covenant, a testament to his deep faith.
Genesis 17:25-27 (NKJV)
And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. That very same day Abraham was circumcised, and his son Ishmael; and all the men of his house, born in the house or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.
Ishmael, at thirteen, is circumcised alongside Abraham and all the other males in the household. The immediate and comprehensive obedience of Abraham and his household emphasizes the seriousness of the covenant. Abraham's obedience ensures that all under his authority are included in the covenant, setting an example for generations to come of faithful adherence to God's commands.