Genesis 17

Abraham and the Covenant of Circumcision

1 And when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me and be thou perfect. 2 And I will make my covenant between me and thee and will multiply thee exceedingly. 3 And Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying, 4 Behold my covenant with thee: Thou shalt be a father of many Gentiles. 5 Neither shall thy name any longer be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many Gentiles have I made thee. 6 And I will multiply thee exceeding, and I will make Gentiles of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 7 And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. 8 And I will give unto thee and to thy seed after thee, the land in which thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting inheritance; and I will be their God.

9 And God said again unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou and thy seed after thee in their generations. 10 This shall be my covenant, which ye shall keep between me and you and thy seed after thee: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be a token of the covenant between me and you. 12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male in your generations, he that is born in the house or bought with money of any stranger, who is not of thy seed. 13 He that is born in thy house and he that is bought with thy money must needs be circumcised; and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 And the uncircumcised male whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has annulled my covenant.

Isaac's Birth Promised

15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. 16 And I will bless her and give thee a son also of her; yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of Gentiles; kings of peoples shall be of her. 17 Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him who is one hundred years old? and shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear? 18 And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! 19 And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed, and thou shalt call his name Isaac (laughter); and I will confirm my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant and with his seed after him. 20 And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I shall bless him and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly; he shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. 21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

22 And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. 23 Then Abraham took Ishmael his son and all the servants born in his house and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in that same day as God had said unto him. 24 And Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26 In that same day Abraham was circumcised and Ishmael his son. 27 And all the men of his house, born in the house and bought with money from strangers, were circumcised with him.

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