The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Genesis 17
1 When Abram was ninety-nine years
old, Yahweh appeared to Abram and said
to him, “I am God Almighty. Walk before
me and be blameless.
2 I will make my covenant between me
and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.”
3 Abram fell on his face. God talked with
him, saying,
4 “As for me, behold, my covenantis with
you. You will be the father of amultitude of
nations.
5 Your 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.
6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful,
and I will make nations of you. Kings will
come out of you.
7 I 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.
8 I 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.”
9 God said to Abraham, “As for you, you
shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after
you throughout their generations.
10 This is my covenant, which you shall
keep, between me and you and your offspring after you.
Every male among you
shall be circumcised.
11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh
of your foreskin. It will be a token of the
covenant between me and you.
12 He 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.
13 He 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.
14 The 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.”
15 God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai
your wife, you shall not call her name
Sarai, but her name shall be Sarah.
16 I 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.”
17 Then 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?”
18 Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!”
19 God 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.
20 As 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, andI willmakehima greatnation.
21 But I will establish my covenant with
Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this
set time next year.”
22 When he finished talking with him,
God went up from Abraham.
23 Abrahamtook Ishmaelhis 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 oftheir foreskin in the same
day, as God had said to him.
24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old
whenhe was circumcised inthefleshofhis
foreskin.
25 Ishmael, his son, was thirteen years
old when he was circumcised in the flesh
of his foreskin.
26 In the same day both Abraham and
Ishmael, his son, were circumcised.
27 All the men of his house, those born in
the house, and those bought with money
from a foreigner, were circumcised with
him.
† 17:19 Isaac means “he laughs”.