Genesis 17
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 17
The Covenant and Its Sign.[a] 1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty.[b] Walk before me and be blameless. 2 I will establish my covenant between me and you and I will multiply you greatly.”
3 Abram immediately fell down upon his face. God said to him, 4 “On my part, behold, my covenant with you: you will be the father of many nations. 5 You will no longer be called Abram, but Abraham, for I will make you the father of many nations.[c] 6 I will make you very, very fruitful. I will make nations come from you, and you shall give birth to kings. 7 I will establish my covenant with you for all generations. It will be an eternal covenant. I will be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8 I will give you and your descendants after you this land where you are now an alien. All of the land of Canaan shall be your eternal possession. I will be your God.”
9 God said to Abraham, “On your part, you must observe my covenant, you and your descendants after you, for all time. 10 This is my covenant that you must observe, a covenant between me and your descendants after you: every male among you must be circumcised. 11 You shall circumcise the flesh of the male member. This shall be the sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 Whenever baby boys are eight days old, they will be circumcised, whether they are your own children or the children of those whom you bought and who are foreigners and not of your bloodline. 13 You must circumcise those who are born in your house and those who are bought by you. Thus, my covenant will be marked in your flesh as an eternal covenant. 14 The male who is not circumcised, the one whose flesh of his member is not circumcised, is to be cut off from his people. He will have violated my covenant.”
15 God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai, your wife, she will no longer be called Sarai, but rather Sarah. 16 I will bless her and I will give you and her a son. I will bless her so that she shall become the mother of nations; kings of peoples shall descend from her.”
17 Abraham bowed down to the earth and laughed[d] when he thought, “Shall a man who is one hundred years old have a son? And Sarah, who is ninety years old, can she give birth?” 18 Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live in your presence!”
19 But God said, “No, but Sarah, your wife, shall bear you a son, and you shall name him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an eternal covenant, that I will be his God and the God of his descendants after him. 20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I will bless him and make him fruitful and very, very numerous. Twelve princes shall come from him and I will make him a great nation. 21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac. Sarah shall give birth to him by this time next year.” 22 God thus finished speaking to Abraham, and rising into the heavens, he left him.
23 Abraham therefore took Ishmael his son and all those born into his house and all those whom he had bought—all the males belonging to the household of Abraham—and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that same day, as the Lord had commanded him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he had the flesh of his foreskin circumcised. 25 Ishmael, his son, was thirteen years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised. 26 Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised that same day. 27 And all the men of his household, those born in his house and those foreigners bought with money, were circumcised with him.
Footnotes
- Genesis 17:1 Chapter 17 is simply the Priestly version of the story that has been already told in chapter 15 (the covenant) and will be told in the first half of chapter 18 (the promise of Isaac). Along with the Priestly version of the promises the present chapter gives a more developed idea of the covenant. As will become clear from subsequent biblical revelation, God’s promises to human beings contain an unqualified and unmerited part and a conditional part; the absolute aspect is seen in the covenant with Abraham, the conditional part in the covenant at Sinai, which will involve bilateral commitments (Ex 19–24).
The point that is special to this chapter is the theme of circumcision as a constitutive sign of entrance into the covenant. This practice was widespread among various eastern peoples as an initiation into adulthood or marriage and was regarded as a sacrificial act. Since the reason for the existence of the people of Israel and therefore of their religion was to prepare for the future descendants who are the recipients of the promises (see 18:19), it is understandable that the people’s consecration to God should be celebrated with a sign that is connected with generation; thus it was appropriate for them to make this custom their own. But it is a sign that entails a mission. When Israel becomes content to practice the rite while forgetting its meaning, the Prophets will remind it of the demand for fidelity: the rite is valueless without the disposition of the heart (Jer 4:4; Ezek 44:7). Paul goes further and teaches that this external religious mark is now obsolete, for we are saved henceforth by Jesus Christ; in him we receive the baptism that brings us into the new covenant; circumcision was only a prefiguration of baptism (Gal 5:6; Phil 3:3; Col 2:11-12). - Genesis 17:1 God Almighty: in Hebrew, El-Shaddai, an ancient divine name from the period of the patriarchs (see Ex 6:3), retained chiefly in the Priestly tradition. The literal meaning is probably “The God of the Mountain,” referring to the widespread idea that the dwelling of the divinity was on the high mountains. In the Septuagint El-Shaddai is usually translated by the Greek word, pantokrator, “ruler of all,” while the Latin translations preferred omnipotens, “almighty,” which seems less valid.
- Genesis 17:5 In the Semitic vision of things, when one person changes the name of another, the former is asserting power over the latter and guiding his destiny. Here “Abraham” is explained by assonance with ab hamôn, “father of a multitude,” or ab rab hamôn, “father of a great multitude.”
- Genesis 17:17 Abraham . . . laughed: here, in the Priestly tradition, Abraham prostrates himself in adoration and laughs, not out of disbelief (since he is performing an act of worship) but out of amazement at such a paradoxical announcement: the whole idea is too much for him to dare hope for it, and he declares himself satisfied if Ishmael, his son, can inherit the divine promises.
Genesis 17
EasyEnglish Bible
God changes Abram's name to Abraham
17 When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him. The Lord said, ‘I am God Almighty. In all your life, obey me and do nothing wrong. 2 Then I will certainly keep my covenant with you. I will make your descendants grow in number.’[a]
3 Abram fell down so that his face touched the ground. God said to him, 4 ‘As for me, this is my covenant that I have made with you. You will become the ancestor of many nations of people. 5 Your name will not be Abram any more. Instead your name will be Abraham, because I will cause you to become the ancestor of many nations. 6 I will give you many descendants. These will make many nations of people. Some of your descendants will become kings.
7 My covenant with you is very strong. I am making it with you and with your descendants. It will continue for generation after generation of your descendants, for all time. I will be your God. I will also be the God of all your descendants. 8 You are now living here in Canaan as a foreign person. But I will give all of this land to you and to your descendants. It will belong to them for ever. I will be their God.’
Circumcision
9 God continued to speak to Abraham. He said, ‘As for you, you must agree to obey me. You must obey the rules of my covenant. You, and all your descendants after you must obey it. 10 This is what you and all your descendants must do to obey my covenant: Every male person in your family must be circumcised. 11 Your circumcision will show that you have agreed to my covenant with you. 12 Every male child among you must be circumcised when he is eight days old. You must continue to do this for every generation. Do it for every male that lives with you, not just your own family. Circumcise servants that have been born in your house. Also circumcise foreign servants that you have bought with money. 13 You must circumcise all the male servants who work for you in your house. Circumcision will be a mark in your bodies which shows that you accept my covenant. It will continue for all time.
14 If any male person among you has not been circumcised, I will not accept him as one of my people. He must become separate from his people. He has not obeyed my covenant.’[b]
God changes Sarai's name to Sarah
15 Then God said to Abraham, ‘As for your wife, do not call her Sarai any more. Instead, her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her. She will give birth to a son for you. Many nations of people will be her descendants. Some of them will become kings. That is how much I will bless her!’
17 Abraham fell down so that his face touched the ground. He laughed and he said to himself, ‘I am now 100 years old. That is too old to have a son. Sarah is 90 years old, so she could never give birth to a child. That is too old to have a child.’ 18 So Abraham said to God, ‘I would be happy if you would bless Ishmael as my son.’
19 God said to Abraham, ‘No, your wife Sarah will give birth to a son for you. You must give him the name “Isaac”.[c] I will make my covenant with him and with his descendants for all time. 20 I have heard what you want me to do for Ishmael. I will bless him. I will cause him to have many descendants. Among his descendants there will be 12 rulers. His descendants will become a great nation. 21 But I will make my covenant with Isaac, not with Ishmael. At about this time next year, Sarah will give birth to your son, Isaac.’
22 When God had finished speaking to Abraham, he went away.
23 On that same day, Abraham circumcised Ishmael and every male person in his house. He circumcised every male servant that was born in his house, as well as those that he had bought with money. He did this in the way that God had told him. 24 Abraham himself was circumcised when he was 99 years old. 25 His son, Ishmael, was 13 years old when he was circumcised. 26 Abraham and Ishmael were circumcised on the same day. 27 As well as them, all the male people living in Abraham's house were circumcised. This included the male servants that had been born in his house and those that he had bought with money.
Footnotes
- 17:2 God had already promised Abram that he would have very many descendants. See Genesis 15:4-5. Here, God was helping Abram to remember his promise. Abram should continue to trust God.
- 17:14 Circumcision showed that a person trusted God. Every father had to circumcise his son. This showed that the family agreed to obey God's covenant.
- 17:19 The name ‘Isaac’ means ‘he laughs’.
Genesis 17
New American Standard Bible
Abraham and the Covenant of Circumcision
17 Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, (A)the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him,
“I am [a]God (B)Almighty;
Walk before Me, and be [b](C)blameless.
2 I will [c]make My (D)covenant between Me and you,
And I will (E)multiply you exceedingly.”
3 Abram (F)fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying,
4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you,
And you will be the father of a (G)multitude of nations.
5 No longer shall you be named [d]Abram,
But (H)your name shall be [e]Abraham;
For (I)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, and (J)kings will come from you. 7 I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your [f]descendants after you throughout their generations as an (K)everlasting covenant, (L)to be God to you and (M)to your [g]descendants after you. 8 And (N)I will give to you and to your [h]descendants after you the land where you live as a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and (O)I will be their God.”
9 God said further to Abraham, “Now as for you, (P)you shall keep My covenant, you and your [i]descendants after you throughout their generations. 10 (Q)This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your [j]descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 And (R)you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you. 12 And every male among you who is (S)eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations, including a slave who is born in the house or who is bought with money from any foreigner, who is not of your [k]descendants. 13 A slave who is born in your house or (T)who is bought with your money shall certainly be circumcised; so My covenant shall be in your flesh as an everlasting covenant. 14 But as for an uncircumcised male, one who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be (U)cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”
15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, you shall not call her by the name [l]Sarai, but [m]Sarah shall be her name. 16 I will bless her, and indeed I will give you (V)a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; (W)kings of peoples will [n]come from her.” 17 Then Abraham (X)fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to a man a hundred years old? And (Y)will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth to a child?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before You!” 19 But God said, “No, but your wife Sarah will bear you (Z)a son, and you shall name him [o]Isaac; and (AA)I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his [p]descendants after him. 20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I will bless him, and (AB)make him fruitful and multiply him exceedingly. (AC)He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a (AD)great nation. 21 But I will establish My covenant with (AE)Isaac, whom (AF)Sarah will bear to you at this season next year.” 22 When He finished talking with him, (AG)God went up from Abraham.
23 Then Abraham took his son Ishmael, and all the slaves who were (AH)born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s household, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on this very same day, (AI)as God had said to him. 24 Now Abraham was ninety-nine years old when (AJ)he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And his son (AK)Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 On this very same day Abraham was circumcised, as well as his son Ishmael. 27 And all the men of his household, those who were (AL)born in the house or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.
Footnotes
- Genesis 17:1 Heb El Shaddai
- Genesis 17:1 Lit complete, perfect; or having integrity
- Genesis 17:2 Lit give
- Genesis 17:5 I.e., exalted father
- Genesis 17:5 I.e., father of a multitude
- Genesis 17:7 Lit seed
- Genesis 17:7 Lit seed
- Genesis 17:8 Lit seed
- Genesis 17:9 Lit seed
- Genesis 17:10 Lit seed
- Genesis 17:12 Lit seed
- Genesis 17:15 I.e., princess
- Genesis 17:15 I.e., princess (in another dialect)
- Genesis 17:16 Lit be
- Genesis 17:19 I.e., he laughs
- Genesis 17:19 Lit seed
Genesis 17
King James Version
17 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
3 And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
4 As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.
6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
8 And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
9 And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.
11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.
13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
16 And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.
17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and 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, O that Ishmael might live before thee!
19 And God said, 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 everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
21 But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
22 And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
23 And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.
24 And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
26 In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.
27 And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.
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