21 But my covenant H1285 will I establish H6965 with Isaac, H3327 which Sarah H8283 shall bear H3205 unto thee at this set time H4150 in the next H312 year. H8141
And he said, H559 I will certainly H7725 return H7725 unto thee according to the time H6256 of life; H2416 and, lo, Sarah H8283 thy wife H802 shall have a son. H1121 And Sarah H8283 heard H8085 it in the tent H168 door, H6607 which was behind him. H310
And the LORD H3068 appeared H7200 unto him, and said, H559 Go not down H3381 into Egypt; H4714 dwell H7931 in the land H776 which I shall tell H559 thee of: Sojourn H1481 in this land, H776 and I will be with thee, and will bless H1288 thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, H2233 I will give H5414 all these H411 countries, H776 and I will perform H6965 the oath H7621 which I sware H7650 unto Abraham H85 thy father; H1 And I will make H7235 thy seed H2233 to multiply H7235 as the stars H3556 of heaven, H8064 and will give H5414 unto thy seed H2233 all these H411 countries; H776 and in thy seed H2233 shall all the nations H1471 of the earth H776 be blessed; H1288 Because H6118 that Abraham H85 obeyed H8085 my voice, H6963 and kept H8104 my charge, H4931 my commandments, H4687 my statutes, H2708 and my laws. H8451
For Sarah H8283 conceived, H2029 and bare H3205 Abraham H85 a son H1121 in his old age, H2208 at the set time H4150 of which God H430 had spoken H1696 to him. And Abraham H85 called H7121 the name H8034 of his son H1121 that was born H3205 unto him, whom Sarah H8283 bare H3205 to him, Isaac. H3327
Wherefore she said H559 unto Abraham, H85 Cast out H1644 this bondwoman H519 and her son: H1121 for the son H1121 of this bondwoman H519 shall not be heir H3423 with my son, H1121 even with Isaac. H3327 And the thing H1697 was very H3966 grievous H3415 in Abraham's H85 sight H5869 because H182 of his son. H1121 And God H430 said H559 unto Abraham, H85 Let it not be grievous H3415 in thy sight H5869 because of the lad, H5288 and because of thy bondwoman; H519 in all that Sarah H8283 hath said H559 unto thee, hearken H8085 unto her voice; H6963 for in Isaac H3327 shall thy seed H2233 be called. H7121
Moreover he said, H559 I am the God H430 of thy father, H1 the God H430 of Abraham, H85 the God H430 of Isaac, H3327 and the God H430 of Jacob. H3290 And Moses H4872 hid H5641 his face; H6440 for he was afraid H3372 to look H5027 upon God. H430
To perform G4160 the mercy G1656 promised to G3326 our G2257 fathers, G3962 and G2532 to remember G3415 his G846 holy G40 covenant; G1242
And G1161 he said G2036 unto G4314 them, G846 It is G2076 not G3756 for you G5216 to know G1097 the times G5550 or G2228 the seasons, G2540 which G3739 the Father G3962 hath put G5087 in G1722 his own G2398 power. G1849
Whose G3739 are the fathers, G3962 and G2532 of G1537 whom G3739 as concerning G2596 the flesh G4561 Christ G5547 came, who G5607 is over G1909 all, G3956 God G2316 blessed G2128 for G1519 ever. G165 Amen. G281 Not G3756 as G3634 though G1161 G3754 the word G3056 of God G2316 hath taken none effect. G1601 For G1063 they are not G3756 all G3956 G1537 Israel, G2474 which G3588 G3778 are of Israel: G2474
For G1063 this G3778 is the word G3056 of promise, G1860 At G2596 this G5126 time G2540 will I come, G2064 and G2532 Sara G4564 shall have G2071 a son. G5207
And G1161 if G1487 ye G5210 be Christ's, G5547 then G686 are ye G2075 Abraham's G11 seed, G4690 and G2532 heirs G2818 according G2596 to the promise. G1860
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 17
Commentary on Genesis 17 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 17
Ge 17:1-27. Renewal of the Covenant.
1. Abram … ninety years old and nine—thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael [Ge 16:16]. During that interval he had enjoyed the comforts of communion with God but had been favored with no special revelation as formerly, probably on account of his hasty and blameable marriage with Hagar.
the Lord appeared—some visible manifestation of the divine presence, probably the Shekinah or radiant glory of overpowering effulgence.
I am the Almighty God—the name by which He made Himself known to the patriarchs (Ex 6:3), designed to convey the sense of "all-sufficient" (Ps 16:5, 6; 73:25).
walk … and … perfect—upright, or sincere (Ps 51:6) in heart, speech, and behavior.
3. Abram fell on his face—the attitude of profoundest reverence assumed by Eastern people. It consists in the prostrate body resting on the hands and knees, with the face bent till the forehead touches the ground. It is an expression of conscious humility and profound reverence.
4. my covenant is with thee—Renewed mention is made of it as the foundation of the communication that follows. It is the covenant of grace made with all who believe in the Saviour.
5. but thy name shall be Abraham—In Eastern countries a change of name is an advertisement of some new circumstance in the history, rank, or religion of the individual who bears it. The change is made variously, by the old name being entirely dropped for the new, or by conjoining the new with the old; or sometimes only a few letters are inserted, so that the altered form may express the difference in the owner's state or prospects. It is surprising how soon a new name is known and its import spread through the country. In dealing with Abraham and Sarai, God was pleased to adapt His procedure to the ideas and customs of the country and age. Instead of Abram, "a high father," he was to be called Abraham, "father of a multitude of nations" (see Re 2:17).
8. I will give unto thee … the land—It had been previously promised to Abraham and his posterity (Ge 15:18). Here it is promised as an "everlasting possession," and was, therefore, a type of heaven, "the better country" (Heb 11:16).
10. Every man child among you shall be circumcised—This was the sign in the Old Testament Church as baptism is in the New, and hence the covenant is called "covenant of circumcision" (Ac 7:8; Ro 4:11). The terms of the covenant were these: on the one hand Abraham and his seed were to observe the right of circumcision; and on the other, God promised, in the event of such observance, to give them Canaan for a perpetual possession, to be a God to him and his posterity, and that in him and his seed all nations should be blessed.
15, 16. As for Sarai … I will … give thee a son also of her—God's purposes are gradually made known. A son had been long ago promised to Abraham. Now, at length, for the first time he is informed that it was to be a child of Sarai.
17. Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed—It was not the sneer of unbelief, but a smile of delight at the improbability of the event (Ro 4:20).
18. O that Ishmael might live before thee—natural solicitude of a parent. But God's thoughts are not as man's thoughts [Isa 55:8].
19, 20. The blessings of the covenant are reserved for Isaac, but common blessings were abundantly promised to Ishmael; and though the visible Church did not descend from his family, yet personally he might, and it is to be hoped did, enjoy its benefits.