Genesis 17:9-24

Abraham and the Covenant of Circumcision

9 And God said to Abraham, "As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. 10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a z sign of the covenant between me and you. 12 He who is a eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or b bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, 13 both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. 14 Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant."

Isaac's Birth Promised

15 And God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah 1 shall be her name. 16 I will bless her, and moreover, I will c give 2 you a son by her. I will bless her, and d she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her." 17 Then Abraham e fell on his face f and laughed and said to himself, "Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?" 18 And Abraham said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before you!" 19 God said, "No, but g Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name h Isaac. 3 I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. 20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and i multiply him greatly. He j shall father twelve princes, and k I will make him into a great nation. 21 But l I will establish my covenant with Isaac, m whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year."

22 When he had finished talking with him, n God went up from Abraham. 23 Then Abraham took Ishmael his son and all those born in his house or bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very day, as God had said to him. 24 Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

  1. Cross References
    Acts 7:8
    And he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him on the eighth day, and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
    Romans 4:11
    He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well.
  2. Cross References
    Leviticus 12:3
    And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.
    Luke 1:59
    And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father.
    Luke 2:21
    And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
    Philippians 3:5
    Circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee.
  3. Cross References
    Exodus 12:48 - 49
    If a stranger shall sojourn with you and would keep the Passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised. Then he may come near and keep it; he shall be as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.
  4. Cross References
    Genesis 18:10
    The Lord said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son." And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.
  5. Cross References
    Genesis 35:11
    And God said to him, "I am God Almighty: be fruitful and multiply. A nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall come from your own body.
  6. Cross References
    Genesis 17:3
    Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him.
  7. Cross References
    Genesis 21:6
    And Sarah said, "God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.
    Romans 4:19
    He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead ( since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah's womb.
    John 8:56
    Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.
  8. Cross References
    Genesis 18:10
    The Lord said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son." And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.
    Genesis 21:2
    And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him.
    Galatians 4:23
    But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise.
    Galatians 4:28
    Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.
  9. Cross References
    Genesis 21:3
    Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac.
  10. Cross References
    Genesis 16:10
    The angel of the Lord also said to her, "I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.
  11. Cross References
    Genesis 25:12 - 16
    These are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's servant, bore to Abraham.
  12. Cross References
    Genesis 21:13
    And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.
    Genesis 21:18
    Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.
  13. Cross References
    Genesis 26:2 - 5
    And the Lord appeared to him and said, "Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of which I shall tell you.
  14. Cross References
    Genesis 21:2
    And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him.
  15. Cross References
    Genesis 35:13
    Then God went up from him in the place where he had spoken with him.
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.