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EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

Genesis 17:10-12

To ‘*circumcise’ means to cut the skin from the end of a male person’s sex part. When someone has done that to a person, that person is ‘*circumcised’. It is a sign that God has made a firm agreement with that person. And it is a sign that that person is a member of God’s people. God’s people became a nation. Later, they were called ‘Israelites’ or ‘the children of Israel’. They are also called the ‘Jews’.

The firm agreement that God made with Abraham is called the old firm agreement. People were *circumcised as a sign of that agreement. But when Jesus Christ came, he made a new firm agreement between God and people. And now people who belong to God do not need to be *circumcised. (See Galatians 5:6; Galatians 6:15.)

God promises a son to Abraham

v15 And God said to Abraham, ‘Sarai is your wife. But now you shall not call her Sarai. Her name shall be Sarah. v16 I will bring many good things to her. Also, I will give a son to you by her. I will bring good things to her and she shall be a mother of nations. Kings of nations shall come from her.’

v17 Then Abraham fell down so that his face was on the ground. And he laughed. He said to himself, ‘A child will not be born to me. I am 100 years of age! And Sarah will not be the mother of a child. She is 90 years of age!’ v18 And Abraham said to God, ‘I wish that Ishmael might live near to you!’ v19 God said, ‘No! Your wife Sarah shall be the mother of a son for you. You shall call him Isaac. I will make my firm agreement with him. It will be a firm agreement for his family who shall live after him. It shall be a firm agreement that shall last through all ages. v20 But I have heard your words about Ishmael. I will bring good things to him. I will make him have a big family. And I will make him have very many *descendants. He shall be the father of 12 princes. And I will make him a great nation. v21 But your son Isaac shall be born to Sarah at this season next year. I will make my firm agreement with him.’

v22 When God had finished his talk with Abraham, God went up away from him.

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See also Genesis 17:10-12 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Genesis 17:10. _EVERY MAN - CHILD - SHALL BE CIRCUMCISED._] Those who wish to invalidate the evidence of the Divine origin of the Mosaic law, roundly assert that the Israelites received the rit...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - The Sealing of the Covenant 1. שׁדי _shaday_, Shaddai, “Irresistible, able to destroy, and by inference to make, Almighty.” שׁדד _shādad_ “be strong, destroy.” This name is found six times in Gene...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 17 THE FIFTH COMMUNICATION AND THE COVENANT REPEATED _ 1. The communication and Abram worships (Genesis 17:1)_ 2. The enlarged promise (Genesis 17:4) 3. The covenant sign (Genesis 17:9) 4....

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    GENESIS 12:1 TO GENESIS 25:18. THE STORY OF ABRAHAM. In this section the three main sources, J. E, P are present. Gunkel has given strong reasons for holding that J is here made up of two main sources...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _shall be circumcised_ The rite of circumcision, which is here given as the symbol of the covenant with Abraham and his seed, was no new institution. In Abraham's time it was already a well-known prac...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Circumcision the Token of the Covenant 9. _thou shalt keep_ "Keep" in the sense of "observe": the reverse is to "break" (Genesis 17:14) the covenant. Notice the sing, "thou," and the plur. "ye shall k...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 27 CIRCUMCISION OF ABRAHAM Genesis 17:9. _And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee, in their generations. This is my covenant, which...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    3. _The Covenant-Sign_ (Genesis 17:9-14) 9 And God said unto Abraham, And as for thee, thou shalt keep my covenant, thou, and thy seed after thee throughout their generations. 10 This is my covenant,...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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._ Every man-child ... circumcised. This was the sign in the Old T...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THIS IS MY COVENANT] i.e. this is the sign of the covenant, viz. circumcision. Not§ that both parties undertake obligations here as contrasted with the covenant in Genesis 15. CIRCUMCISION] (lit. 'cut...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE COVENANT OF CIRCUMCISION This chapter is from the Priestly document, of which it shows marked characteristics: see preface to Genesis 15....

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    SHALL BE CIRCUMCISED. — It is stated by Herodotus (Book ii. 104) that the Egyptians were circumcised, and that the Syrians in Palestine confessed that they learned this practice from the Egyptians. Or...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    זֹ֣את בְּרִיתִ֞י אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁמְר֗וּ בֵּינִי֙ וּ...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    THE COVENANT SEALED Genesis 17:1 ACCORDING to the dates here given fourteen years had passed since Abram had received any intimation of God's will regarding him. Since the covenant had been made some...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    GOD'S COVENANT WITH ABRAHAM Genesis 17:1 At least thirteen years had passed since the promise of Isaac was first made. Years of sorrow and discipline, but God had not forgotten. Always under such cir...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    This chapter gives the account of the fifth appearance of God to Abram in which a divine covenant was made. At this point his name was changed from Abram, which means exalted father, to Abraham, which...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    CIRCUMCISION AND THE PROMISE The act of circumcision was a part of the covenant which included the land promise (17:1-14). It should be noted the giving of the land was unconditional, but retaining it...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    (c) 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. (c) Circumcision is called the covenant, because it signifi...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    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? It is profitable to o...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We have had hitherto God's account of that which He had made; then the trial and utter ruin of the creature, with the revelation of divine mercy in Christ the Lord. We have had in fine the judgment of...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    10._Every man-child among you shall be circumcised _Although God promised alike to males and females, what he afterwards sanctioned by circumcision, he nevertheless consecrated, in one sex, the whole...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    In chapter 17 we have a fresh revelation of the Lord to Abram, and, I think, are upon higher and holier ground. It is not here calling, or worship, or the world and victory over it in Lot (12-14 [1]),...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    THIS [IS] MY COVENANT,.... The token of it, for the promise itself was given before, which is more properly the covenant; circumcision is so called in an improper sense, being only the sign of it: WH...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver. 10. _Every man-child among you._] Infants were circumcised...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    Gen. 17:10. _Circumcision_ signified or represented that mortification or the denying of our lusts, that is the condition of obtaining the blessings of the covenant. Totally denying any lust, is repre...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    The token of the covenant is circumcision, for the sake of which, the covenant is itself called the _covenant of circumcision, Acts 7:8_. It is here said to be the covenant which Abraham and his seed...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    [ABRAHAM.] 1 God reneweth the Couenant. 5 Abram his name is changed, in token of a greater blessing. 10 Circumcision is instituted. 15 Sarai her name is changed, and she blessed. 17 Izsaac is pro...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    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. So circumcision, the operation by which the foreskin of the flesh i...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Circumcision Instituted...

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    SIXTH SECTION _Abram and the repeated Promise of God. The name Abram changed to Abraham. The personal Covenant of Faith, now a Covenant Institution for him, his Household and his Seed. Circumcision....

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    THE COVENANT AND ITS SIGN - CIRCUMCISION Another thirteen years passes before the Lord's appearing to Abram now at the age of 99 years. In Chapter 15:1 He had told Abram, "I am your shield, your excee...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    7-14 The covenant of grace is from everlasting in the counsels of it, and to everlasting in the consequences of it. The token of the covenant was circumcision. It is here said to be the covenant whic...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Circumcision is here called the _covenant_ by a usual metonomy, because it is the condition, sign, and seal of the covenant, the pledge of God's promise and man's duty. And upon the same grounds the _...

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    Here we have God's remedy for Abraham's failure set before us." And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared unto Abram, and said unto him, I am the _ Almighty God:_ walk before _ m...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 17:10 covenant H1285 keep H8104 (H8799) descendants H2233 you H310 child H2145 circumcised H4135 (H8736)

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And God said to Abraham, “And as for you, you will keep my covenant, you and your seed after you throughout their generations. This is my covenant that you shall keep between me and you and your seed...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: The revelation of God. Abram's name changed. Covenant confirmed. Circumcision established. Promise of Isaac. CHARACTERS: God, Abram, Isaac, Sarah, Ishmael. CONCLUSION: When man is in the d...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Genesis 17:1. _The Almighty God._ The original word Shaddai is often rendered, All-sufficient. He is so called because he sheds down blessings as the rain. Genesis 17:2. _My covenant;_ so called becau...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Every man child among you shall be circumcised_ THE COVENANT SEAL I. ITS SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE. 1. It taught the natural depravity of man. 2. It taught the necessity of purification. 3. It taug...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 17:1 Thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael, the Lord appears to Abram and announces that he will establish an eternal covenant with Abram and his offspring. Abram will beco...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 17:10 Circumcision was not a Hebrew invention. For example, it was used in Egypt as an act of ritual purity. ⇐...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Genesis 17:10. My Covenant.] The outward sign is here called the Covenant, for it is the seal set upon the Covenant. The same mode of expression is used in Acts 7:8. Also, in the Lord...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION GENESIS 17:1 AND WHEN ABRAM WAS NINETY YEARS OLD AND NINE—consequently an interval of thirteen years had elapsed since the birth of Ishmael; the long delay on the part of God being probabl...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old (Genesis 17:1), So this is another thirteen years later. the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am Almighty God (Genesis 17:1); El Shaddai. So her...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    Every. Genesis 17:11 Genesis 34:15 Exodus 4:25 Exodus 12:48 Deute

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    ABRAM AND SARAI GREATLY ENLARGED Genesis 17:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We have passed by the sixteenth chapter of Genesis, it behooves us, therefore, to give some striking suggestions relative to Sarai a...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    The token of the covenant, is circumcision, for the sake of which the covenant is itself called the covenant of circumcision, Acts 7:8. It is here said to be the covenant which Abraham and his seed mu...

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