A modern English translation drawn directly from the original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Translated word-for-word where possible, by a committee with scholarly oversight.
Uses the same source texts as the ESV, NASB, and most academic Bibles, including the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia and the Nestle-Aland critical edition.
Genesis 17
Genesis 17 is the seventeenth chapter of the book of Genesis and the chapter in which the LORD reaffirms his covenant with Abram, gives him a new name, and establishes circumcision as the sign of the covenant. The 27-verse chapter also renames Sarai, promises a son named Isaac, and includes a blessing on Ishmael's line.
The chapter opens when Abram is 99 years old. The LORD appears to him as God Almighty and tells him to walk before him and be blameless. God promises to establish his covenant and multiply Abram's offspring exceedingly. Abram falls facedown.
God then changes Abram's name. "No longer will you be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations." The covenant is everlasting and extends to all his descendants. The land of Canaan will belong to them as an eternal possession.
God then names the sign. Every male in Abraham's household is to be circumcised at eight days old, including those born in the house and those purchased from foreigners. Any male who is not circumcised will be cut off from his people.
God also renames Sarai. "Her name is to be Sarah." She will bear Abraham a son, and from her will come the mothers of nations and kings. Abraham falls facedown and laughs to himself, asking whether a man of 100 and a woman of 90 can have a child. He asks God to bless Ishmael. God replies that Sarah will indeed bear him a son, and that he is to name him Isaac. The covenant will be established with Isaac, but God will also bless Ishmael, making him the father of twelve rulers and a great nation.
God leaves. That same day Abraham takes his son Ishmael and every male in his household and circumcises them. Abraham is 99. Ishmael is 13. Every man and boy in the household is circumcised on the same day.
Verse 1. When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless.
Verse 2. I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.”
Verse 3. Then Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,
Verse 4. “As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.
Verse 5. No longer will you be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.
Verse 6. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you.
Verse 7. I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
Verse 8. And to you and your descendants I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as an eternal possession; and I will be their God.”
Verse 9. God also said to Abraham, “You must keep My covenant—you and your descendants in the generations after you.
Verse 10. This is My covenant with you and your descendants after you, which you are to keep: Every male among you must be circumcised.
Verse 11. You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.
Verse 12. Generation after generation, every male must be circumcised when he is eight days old, including those born in your household and those purchased from a foreigner—even those who are not your offspring.
Verse 13. Whether they are born in your household or purchased, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh will be an everlasting covenant.
Verse 14. But if any male is not circumcised, he will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”
Verse 15. Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, do not call her Sarai, for her name is to be Sarah.
Verse 16. And I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will descend from her.”
Verse 17. Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah give birth at the age of ninety?”
Verse 18. And Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live under Your blessing!”
Verse 19. But God replied, “Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.
Verse 20. As for Ishmael, I have heard you, and I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He will become the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.
Verse 21. But I will establish My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.”
Verse 22. When He had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.
Verse 23. On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or purchased with his money—every male among the members of Abraham’s household—and he circumcised them, just as God had told him.
Verse 24. So Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised,
Verse 25. and his son Ishmael was thirteen;
Verse 26. Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on the same day.
Verse 27. And all the men of Abraham’s household—both servants born in his household and those purchased from foreigners—were circumcised with him.
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