Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Genesis 17:12-13

GENESIS—NOTE ON Genesis 17:12 eight days old. To ensure that the covenant extends to the next generation, all newborn male children are to be circumcised eight days after they are born. The covenant is not about establishing racial purity, since males who are not Abraham’s offspring are included.

⇐ ⇔ ⇒
Continues after advertising

See also Genesis 17:12-13 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Genesis 17:12. _HE THAT IS EIGHT DAYS OLD_] Because previously to this they were considered unclean, Leviticus 12:2, and circumcision was ever understood as a _consecration of the person to God...

  • 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...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    EIGHT. the number of Resurrection (App-10); associated here with circumcision, the sign of _death._...

  • 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...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _he that is eight days old_ The performance of the rite at this early age is distinctive of the Israelite usage. Cf. Genesis 21:4; Leviticus 12:3; Luke 1:59; Luke 2:2

  • 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

    _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._ He t...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    17:12 stranger (h-32) Or 'foreigner.' so ver. 27; Exodus 12:43 ; Leviticus 22:25 , &c....

  • 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....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    EIGHT DAYS OLD] Until the eighth day children were considered unclean, and so unfit to be offered to God. 12, 13. The law of circumcision applied to all male members of Jewish households, who were he...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 17 GOD MAKES AN AGREEMENT WITH ABRAHAM V1 When Abram was 99 years of age, the *Lord appeared to him. The *Lord said to him, ‘I am God who can do...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    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...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    EIGHT DAYS OLD. — That is, just one week after birth, as the day of birth was counted among the eight days....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וּ בֶן ־שְׁמֹנַ֣ת יָמִ֗ים יִמֹּ֥ול לָכֶ֛ם כָּ

  • 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...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Days, when he will be able to bear the pain without danger. This might be deferred for a just reason, as it was in the desert, Josue v. 6. In this case people might be saved, as younger children and a...

  • 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

    12._And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised _(409) God now prescribes the eighth day for circumcision; whence it appears that this was a part of that discipline, under which he intended to...

  • 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

    AND HE THAT IS EIGHT DAYS OLD SHALL BE CIRCUMCISED AMONG YOU,.... A son or infant of eight days old; it might not be circumcised before, but for some reasons might be deferred longer. The reasons why...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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. Ver....

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    Gen. 17:12. "And he that is eight days old," etc. One reason why they were not to be circumcised till they were eight days old, was because the child was legally impure till then. It was born impure,...

  • 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

    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....

  • 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...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    HE THAT IS EIGHT DAYS OLD: _ Heb._ a son of eight days...

  • 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

    EIGHT DAYS; not before that time, because of the child's weakness and imperfection, and impurity too, EXODUS 22:30 LEVITICUS 12:3, for which reason also beasts were not to be offered to God before 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 17:12 eight H8083 days H3117 old H1121 circumcised H4135 (H8735) child H2145 generations H1755 born H3211

  • 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 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

    he that is eight days old. Heb. a son of eight days. Genesis 21:4 Leviticus 12:3 Luke 1:59 Luke 2:21...

  • 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...

Continues after advertising