上帝再次與亞伯蘭立約

17 亞伯蘭九十九歲那年,耶和華向他顯現說:「我是全能的上帝。你要遵行我的旨意,做純全無過的人。 我要與你立約,我要使你子孫極其興旺。」 亞伯蘭就俯伏在地,上帝又對他說: 「我要與你立約,你必成為許多民族的始祖。 以後你的名字不再叫亞伯蘭,要改為亞伯拉罕[a],因為我要立你為萬族之父。 我要使你的子孫極其興旺,許多民族和君王必從你而出。 我要和你並你的子子孫孫立永恆的約,我要做你和你子孫的上帝。 我要把你現在寄居的整個迦南賜給你和你的後裔永遠作產業,我也必做他們的上帝。」

上帝又對亞伯拉罕說:「你和你的子孫世世代代都要遵守我的約。 10 你們所有的男子都要受割禮,這是我與你和你的子孫所立的約,你們要遵守。 11 你們都要割包皮,作為我與你們立約的記號。 12 你們世世代代的男子在出生後的第八日都要接受割禮。在你家裡出生的和用錢從外族人那裡買來的奴僕也要受割禮。 13 不論是在你家裡生的,還是你用錢買來的男子,都要接受割禮,這樣你們的肉體上就有我永恆之約的記號。 14 任何沒有接受割禮的男子,要將他從民中剷除,因為他違背了我的約。」

15 上帝對亞伯拉罕說:「你的妻子以後不要叫撒萊,她的名字要叫撒拉。 16 我必賜福給她,讓她為你生一個兒子。她必成為萬族的母親,萬民的君王必從她而出。」 17 亞伯拉罕就俯伏在地,笑了起來,心想:「我一百歲了,還能有孩子嗎?撒拉已經九十歲了,還能生養嗎?」 18 亞伯拉罕對上帝說:「願以實瑪利蒙你賜福。」 19 上帝說:「不,你妻子撒拉必為你生一個兒子,你要給他取名叫以撒,我必向他和他的後代堅守我的約,直到永遠。 20 至於以實瑪利,我已聽見你的祈求,我必賜福給他,使他的後代極其興旺昌盛。他必做十二個族長的父親,我必使他成為大國。 21 撒拉必在明年這時候給你生以撒,我必向他堅守我的約。」 22 上帝說完以後,便離開亞伯拉罕上升而去。

23 亞伯拉罕就在那天照著上帝的吩咐,為兒子以實瑪利和家中所有的男子,不論是在家中出生的,還是買回來的,都行了割禮。 24 亞伯拉罕接受割禮的時候九十九歲。 25 他的兒子以實瑪利接受割禮的時候十三歲。 26 他們父子二人就在那天接受了割禮。 27 亞伯拉罕家裡所有的男子,包括家中出生的和買回來的,都一起接受了割禮。

Footnotes

  1. 17·5 亞伯拉罕」意思是「萬族之父」。

17 5 Abram’s name is changed to confirm him in the promise. 8 The land of Canaan is the fifth time promised. 12 Circumcision instituted. 15 Sarai is named Sarah. 18 Abraham prayeth for Ishmael. 19 Isaac is promised. 23 Abraham and his house are circumcised.

When Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am God [a]all sufficient, (A)walk before me, and be thou [b]upright,

And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and I will multiply thee exceedingly.

Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying,

Behold, I make my covenant with thee, and thou shalt be a [c]father of many nations,

Neither shall thy name anymore be called Abram, but thy name shall be [d]Abraham: (B)for a father of many nations have I made thee.

Also I will make thee exceedingly fruitful, and will make nations of thee, yea, Kings shall proceed of thee.

Moreover, I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee in their generations, for an (C)everlasting covenant, to be God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

And I will give thee and thy seed after thee the land, wherein thou art a stranger, even all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God.

¶ Again God said unto Abraham, Thou also shalt keep my covenant, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

10 [e]This is my covenant which ye shall keep between me and you, and thy seed after thee, (D)Let every man-child among you be circumcised:

11 That is, ye shall circumcise the [f]foreskin of your flesh, and it shall be a (E)sign of the covenant between me and you.

12 And every man-child of eight days old among you, shall be circumcised in your generations, as well he that is born in thine house, as he that is bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

13 He that is born in thine house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: so my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

14 But the uncircumcised [g]man-child, in whose flesh the foreskin is not circumcised, even that person shall be cut off from his people, because he hath broken my covenant.

15 ¶ Afterward God said unto Abraham, Sarai thy wife shalt thou not call Sarai, but [h]Sarah shall be her name.

16 And I will bless her, and will also give thee a son of her, yea, I will bless her, and she shall be the mother of nations: Kings also of people shall come of her.

17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and [i]laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him, that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah that is ninety years old, bear?

18 And Abraham said unto God, Oh, that Ishmael might live in thy sight.

19 Then God said, (F)Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed, and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an [j]everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

20 And as concerning Ishmael, I have heard thee: lo, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him [k]exceedingly: twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make a great nation of him.

21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee, the next (G)year at this season.

22 And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

23 ¶ Then Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that was bought with his money, that is, every man-child among the men of Abraham’s house, and [l]he circumcised the foreskin of their flesh in that selfsame day, as God had commanded him.

24 Abraham also himself was ninety years old and nine, when the foreskin of his flesh was circumcised.

25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when the foreskin of his flesh was circumcised.

26 The selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son:

27 And all the men of his house both born in his house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 17:1 Or, Almighty.
  2. Genesis 17:1 Or, without hypocrisy.
  3. Genesis 17:4 Not only according to the flesh, but of a far greater multitude by faith, Rom. 4:17.
  4. Genesis 17:5 The changing of his name is a seal to confirm God’s promise unto him.
  5. Genesis 17:10 Circumcision is called the covenant, because it signifieth the covenant, and hath the promise of grace joined unto it: which phrase is common to all Sacraments.
  6. Genesis 17:11 That privy part is circumcised, to show that all that is begotten of man is corrupt, and must be mortified.
  7. Genesis 17:14 Albeit women were not circumcised, yet were they partakers of God’s promise: for under the mankind all was consecrated, and here is declared, that whosoever contemneth the sign, despiseth also the promise.
  8. Genesis 17:15 Or, dame, or princess.
  9. Genesis 17:17 Which proceeded of a sudden joy, and not of infidelity.
  10. Genesis 17:19 The everlasting Covenant is made with the children of the Spirit: and with the children of the flesh is made the temporal promise, as was promised to Ishmael.
  11. Genesis 17:20 Hebrew, greatly, greatly.
  12. Genesis 17:23 They were well instructed which obeyed to be circumcised without resistance: which thing declareth that masters in their houses ought to be as preachers to their families, that from the highest to the lowest they may obey the will of God.