"17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him, saying, “I am God Almighty. Live in my presence and be blameless. 2 I will set up my covenant between me and you, and I will multiply you greatly.” 3 Then Abram fell face down and God spoke with him: 4 “As for me, here is my covenant with you: You will become the father of many nations. 5 Your name will no longer be Abram; f your name will be Abraham, g for I will make you the father of many nations. 6 I will make you extremely fruitful and will make nations and kings come from you. 7 I will confirm my cov- enant that is between me and you and your future offspring throughout their generations. It is a permanent covenant to be your God and the God of your offspring after you. 8 And to you and your future offspring I will give the land where you are residing — all the land of Canaan — as a permanent possession, and I will be their God.” 9 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 cov- enant between me and you. h 12 Throughout your generations, every male among you is to be circumcised 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 pur- chased, he must be circumcised. My covenant will be marked in your flesh as a permanent cov- enant. 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 cov- enant.” 15 God said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, do not call her Sarai, for Sarah i will be her name. 16 I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will produce nations; kings of peoples will come from her.” 17 Abraham fell face down. Then he laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a hundred-year-old man? Can Sar- ah, a ninety- year-old woman, give birth?” 18 So Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael were acceptable j to you!” 19 But God said, “No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac. k I will confirm my cov- enant with him as a perma- nent cov- enant 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, 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.” 22 When he finished talking with him, God withdrew l from Abraham. 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 thir- teen years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised. 26 On that same 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."
📜 Lecture: The Covenant with Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 17)
Good morning. Today, we delve into a pivotal passage in the narrative of Genesis, chapter 17, which details the establishment and confirmation of the Covenant between God and Abram, who is renamed Abraham. This covenant is central to understanding the identity and mission of his descendants.
1. The Divine Appearance and Command (Verses 1-2)
The chapter opens with a significant moment: God appears to Abram when he is ninety-nine years old. God identifies himself as El Shaddai—God Almighty—and sets the standard for Abram's conduct: "Live in my presence and be blameless."
The purpose of this encounter is immediate and profound: God states, "I will set up my covenant between me and you, and I will multiply you greatly." This is a renewal and expansion of the earlier promises made to Abram.
2. Abram Becomes Abraham: The Promise of Nations (Verses 3-8)
Abram’s response to the presence of God is reverence; he fell face down. God then confirms the core promise of the covenant:
Change of Name: Abram, meaning "Exalted Father," is changed to Abraham, meaning "Father of many nations." This name change is a definitive sign, establishing his new identity and destiny.
Promise of Offspring: God declares, "I will make you extremely fruitful and will make nations and kings come from you."
A Permanent Covenant: The covenant is described as a permanent covenant, confirming God as "your God and the God of your offspring after you."
Promise of Land: The land where Abraham is residing—all the land of Canaan—is promised to him and his future offspring as a permanent possession.
3. The Sign of the Covenant: Circumcision (Verses 9-14)
Following the declaration of the covenant's terms, God presents the obligation for Abraham and his descendants: they are to keep my covenant.
The Sign: The physical sign of this covenant is circumcision. This act is mandated to "serve as a sign of the covenant between me and you" and to be "marked in your flesh as a permanent covenant."
The Requirement: Every male is to be circumcised at eight days old. This applies to everyone in Abraham's household: those born in the house and those purchased from foreigners.
The Consequence: The failure to be circumcised is a violation of the covenant, resulting in the individual being "cut off from his people."
4. Sarai Becomes Sarah: The Birth of Isaac (Verses 15-21)
The focus then shifts to Abraham's wife, Sarai.
Change of Name: Her name is changed from Sarai, which may mean "My Princess," to Sarah, meaning "Princess" or "Mother of Nations."
The Promise to Sarah: God promises, "I will give you a son by her," and she will also "produce nations; kings of peoples will come from her."
Abraham's initial, human reaction to this promise, given their age—Abraham is 100 and Sarah is 90—is one of laughter and doubt. He asks, "Can a child be born to a hundred-year-old man?" He suggests that the existing son, Ishmael, might suffice: "If only Ishmael were acceptable to you!"
God's response is clear and unwavering:
The Son: "No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac." The name Isaac itself means "He Laughs," reflecting Abraham's reaction.
The Heir of the Covenant: God confirms, "I will confirm my covenant with him [Isaac] as a permanent covenant for his future offspring."
A Blessing for Ishmael: God does not forget Ishmael. He promises to bless him, make him fruitful, and multiply him greatly, making him the father of twelve tribal leaders and a great nation. However, the covenant is specifically confirmed through Isaac.
5. The Immediate Fulfillment of the Command (Verses 22-27)
The account closes with Abraham's immediate and complete obedience to God's command.
Obedience: On that very day, Abraham takes his son Ishmael (who was thirteen years old) and every male in his household and circumcises them, just as God had commanded.
Chronology: Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised.
This immediate action demonstrates Abraham's renewed faith and commitment to the covenant, setting the pattern of obedience for his descendants. The covenant is not just a promise from God; it is a binding relationship with obligations that must be fulfilled by the human party as well.
In summary, Genesis 17 records one of the most critical moments in biblical history, renaming the patriarch and his wife, establishing the permanent covenant centered on the twin promises of offspring/nations and the land of Canaan, and institutionalizing circumcision as the physical sign that defines the people of the covenant.
Do you have any questions about the nature of this covenant or the significance of the name changes?
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