Genesis 17 (NIV)

The Covenant of Circumcision

1. When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty ; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.
2. Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”
3. Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,
4. “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.
5. No longer will you be called Abram ; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.
6. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.
7. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
8. The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.”
9. Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come.
10. This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised.
11. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you.
12. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring.
13. Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant.
14. Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”
15. God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah.
16. I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”
17. Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”
18. And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!”
19. Then God said, “Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.
20. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.
21. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.”
22. When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.
23. On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him.
24. Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised,
25. and his son Ishmael was thirteen;
26. Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that very day.
27. And every male in Abraham’s household, including those born in his household or bought from a foreigner, was circumcised with him.

Genesis 17 recounts the reaffirmation of God’s covenant with Abram and the introduction of circumcision as a sign of that covenant. At 99 years old, Abram receives a direct communication from God, who identifies Himself as El Shaddai (God Almighty) and commands Abram to walk faithfully and blamelessly before Him.

God changes Abram’s name to Abraham, meaning “father of many nations,” as a reflection of His promise that Abraham will become the ancestor of a multitude of nations. Sarai’s name is also changed to Sarah, and God promises that she will bear a son, Isaac, despite her advanced age.

To seal the covenant, God commands Abraham and his male descendants to undergo circumcision. This act is to be an everlasting sign of their commitment to God and His promise. Abraham obeys immediately, circumcising himself, his son Ishmael, and all the males in his household.

Genesis 17 emphasizes God’s faithfulness to His promises, the importance of obedience, and the unfolding of His plan for humanity through Abraham’s descendants. It sets the stage for the miraculous birth of Isaac and the establishment of a covenant relationship that will shape biblical history.

Join us on this journey by subscribing to our newsletter and exploring more resources on HisScripture.com. Together, let’s grow in faith and share God’s love with the world.