Covenant Circumcision

17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him, saying, “I am God Almighty.(A) Live[a] in my presence and be blameless.(B) I will set up my covenant between me and you, and I will multiply you greatly.”

Then Abram fell facedown and God spoke with him: “As for me, here is my covenant with you: You will become the father of many nations. Your name will no longer be Abram;[b] your name will be Abraham,[c] for I will make you the father of many nations.(C) I will make you extremely fruitful and will make nations and kings come from you. I will confirm my covenant that is between me and you and your future offspring throughout their generations. It is a permanent covenant(D) to be your God and the God of your offspring after you.(E) And to you and your future offspring[d](F) I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as a permanent possession,(G) and I will be their God.”

God also said to Abraham, “As for you, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations are to keep my covenant. 10 This is my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you, which you are to keep: Every one of your males must be circumcised. 11 You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskin to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and you.[e](H) 12 Throughout your generations, every male among you is to be circumcised(I) at eight days old—every male born in your household or purchased from any foreigner and not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or purchased, he must be circumcised. My covenant will be marked in your flesh as a permanent covenant. 14 If any male is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that man will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

15 God said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, do not call her Sarai, for Sarah[f] will be her name. 16 I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son by her.(J) I will bless her, and she will produce nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”

17 Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed(K) and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a hundred-year-old man? Can Sarah, a ninety-year-old woman, give birth?” 18 So Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael were acceptable[g] to you!”

19 But God said, “No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac.[h] I will confirm my covenant with him as a permanent covenant for his future offspring. 20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will certainly bless him; I will make him fruitful and will multiply him greatly. He will father twelve tribal leaders,(L) and I will make him into a great nation. 21 But I will confirm my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.”(M) 22 When he finished talking with him, God withdrew[i] from Abraham.(N)

23 So Abraham took his son Ishmael and those born in his household or purchased—every male among the members of Abraham’s household—and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on that very day, just as God had said to him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised, 25 and his son Ishmael was thirteen years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised. 26 On that very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised. 27 And all the men of his household—whether born in his household or purchased from a foreigner—were circumcised with him.

Footnotes

  1. 17:1 Or Walk
  2. 17:5 = The Father Is Exalted
  3. 17:5 = Father of a Multitude
  4. 17:8 Lit seed
  5. 17:11 You in v. 11 is pl.
  6. 17:15 = Princess
  7. 17:18 Lit alive
  8. 17:19 = He Laughs
  9. 17:22 Lit went up, or ascended

The Covenant of Circumcision

17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old,(A) the Lord appeared to him(B) and said, “I am God Almighty[a];(C) walk before me faithfully and be blameless.(D) Then I will make my covenant between me and you(E) and will greatly increase your numbers.”(F)

Abram fell facedown,(G) and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you:(H) You will be the father of many nations.(I) No longer will you be called Abram[b]; your name will be Abraham,[c](J) for I have made you a father of many nations.(K) I will make you very fruitful;(L) I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.(M) I will establish my covenant(N) as an everlasting covenant(O) between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God(P) and the God of your descendants after you.(Q) The whole land of Canaan,(R) where you now reside as a foreigner,(S) I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you;(T) and I will be their God.(U)

Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant,(V) you and your descendants after you for the generations to come.(W) 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised.(X) 11 You are to undergo circumcision,(Y) and it will be the sign of the covenant(Z) between me and you. 12 For the generations to come(AA) every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised,(AB) including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised.(AC) My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant.(AD) 14 Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised(AE) in the flesh, will be cut off from his people;(AF) he has broken my covenant.(AG)

15 God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai(AH) your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah.(AI) 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her.(AJ) I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations;(AK) kings of peoples will come from her.”

17 Abraham fell facedown;(AL) he laughed(AM) and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old?(AN) Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”(AO) 18 And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael(AP) might live under your blessing!”(AQ)

19 Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son,(AR) and you will call him Isaac.[d](AS) I will establish my covenant with him(AT) as an everlasting covenant(AU) for his descendants after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers.(AV) He will be the father of twelve rulers,(AW) and I will make him into a great nation.(AX) 21 But my covenant(AY) I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you(AZ) by this time next year.”(BA) 22 When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.(BB)

23 On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household(BC) or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him.(BD) 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old(BE) when he was circumcised,(BF) 25 and his son Ishmael(BG) was thirteen; 26 Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that very day. 27 And every male in Abraham’s household(BH), including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 17:1 Hebrew El-Shaddai
  2. Genesis 17:5 Abram means exalted father.
  3. Genesis 17:5 Abraham probably means father of many.
  4. Genesis 17:19 Isaac means he laughs.