Genesis 17 - Introduction

[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 promised.

23 Abram and Ishmael are circumcised.

1 And when Abram was ninetie yeres old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said vnto him, I am the almightie God, [Note: Genesis 5:22.] walke before me, and be thou [Note: Or, vpright or sincere.] perfect.

2 And I wil make my couenant betweene me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

3 And Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying,

4 As for me, behold, my couenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of [Note: Hebrew: multitude of nations.] many nations.

5 Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall bee Abraham: [Note: Romans 4:17.] for a father of many nations haue I made thee.

6 And I will make thee exceeding fruitfull, and I will make nations of thee, and Kings shall come out of thee.

7 And I will establish my couenant betweene me and thee, and thy seede after thee, in their generations for an euerlasting couenant, to bee a God vnto thee, and to thy seed after thee.

8 And I will giue vnto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land [Note: Hebrew: of thy soieurnings.] wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an euerlasting possession, and I will be their God.

9 And God said vnto Abraham, Thou shalt keepe my couenant therefore, thou, and thy seede after thee, in their generations.

10 This is my couenant, which yee shall keepe betweene me and you, and thy seed after thee: [Note: Acts 7:8.] euery man child among you shall be circumcised.

11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskinne; and it shal be a [Note: Acts 7:8; Romans 4:11.] token of the couenant betwixt me and you.

12 And he that is [Note: Hebrew: a sonne of eight dayes.] eight dayes olde, [Note: Leviticus 12:3; Luke 2:21; John 7:22.] shalbe circumcised among you, euery man child in your generations, he that is borne in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

13 He that is borne in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must

[Of Circumcision.]

needs be circumcised: and my couenant shall be in your flesh, for an euerlasting couenant.

14 And the vncircumcised man-child, whose flesh of his foreskinne is not circumcised, that soule shall be cut off from his people: hee hath broken my couenant.

15 And God said vnto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.

16 And I will blesse her, and giue thee a sonne also of her: yea I wil blesse her, and [Note: Hebrew: she shall become nations.] she shalbe a mother of nations; Kings of people shall be of her.

17 Then Abraham fell vpon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be borne vnto him that is an hundred yeeres old? and shal Sarah that is ninetie yeeres old, beare?

18 And Abraham said vnto God, O that Ishmael might liue before thee.

19 And God said, [Note: Genesis 18:10; Genesis 21:2.] Sarah thy wife shall beare thee a sonne in deede, and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my couenant with him, for an euerlasting couenant, and with his seed after him.

20 And as for Ishmael, I haue heard thee: behold, I haue blessed him, and will make him fruitfull, and will multiplie him exceedingly: [Note: Genesis 25:12.] Twelue princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

21 But my couenant wil I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall beare vnto thee, at this set time, in the next yeere.

22 And he left off talking with him, and God went vp from Abraham.

23 And Abraham tooke Ishmael his sonne, and all that were borne in his house, and all that were bought with his money, euery male, among the men of Abrahams house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskinne, in the selfesame day, as God had said vnto him.

24 And Abraham was ninety yeeres old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskinne.

25 And Ishmael his sonne was thirteene yeeres old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskinne.

26 In the selfe same day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his sonne.

27 And all the men of his house, borne in the house, and bought with

[Three Angels.]

money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.