Genesis 17:17-19
New English Translation
17 Then Abraham bowed down with his face to the ground and laughed[a] as he said to himself,[b] “Can[c] a son be born to a man who is a hundred years old?[d] Can Sarah[e] bear a child at the age of ninety?”[f] 18 Abraham said to God, “O that[g] Ishmael might live before you!”[h]
19 God said, “No, Sarah your wife is going to bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac.[i] I will confirm my covenant with him as a perpetual[j] covenant for his descendants after him.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Genesis 17:17 sn Laughed. The Hebrew verb used here provides the basis for the naming of Isaac: “And he laughed” is וַיִּצְחָק (vayyitskhaq); the name “Isaac” is יִצְחָק (yitskhaq), “he laughs.” Abraham’s (and Sarah’s, see 18:12) laughter signals disbelief, but when the boy is born, the laughter signals surprise and joy.
- Genesis 17:17 tn Heb “And he fell on his face and laughed and said in his heart.”
- Genesis 17:17 tn The imperfect verbal form here carries a potential nuance, as it expresses the disbelief of Abraham.
- Genesis 17:17 tn Heb “to the son of a hundred years.”
- Genesis 17:17 sn It is important to note that even though Abraham staggers at the announcement of the birth of a son, finding it almost too incredible, he nonetheless calls his wife Sarah, the new name given to remind him of the promise of God (v. 15).
- Genesis 17:17 tn Heb “the daughter of ninety years.”
- Genesis 17:18 tn The wish is introduced with the Hebrew particle לוּ (lu), “O that.”
- Genesis 17:18 tn Or “live with your blessing.”
- Genesis 17:19 tn Heb “will call his name Isaac.” The name means “he laughs,” or perhaps “may he laugh” (see the note on the word “laughed” in v. 17).
- Genesis 17:19 tn Or “as an eternal.”
Genesis 17:17-19
New International Version
17 Abraham fell facedown;(A) he laughed(B) and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old?(C) Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”(D) 18 And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael(E) might live under your blessing!”(F)
19 Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son,(G) and you will call him Isaac.[a](H) I will establish my covenant with him(I) as an everlasting covenant(J) for his descendants after him.
Footnotes
- Genesis 17:19 Isaac means he laughs.
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