New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Genesis 17
1
When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him. He said, "I am the Mighty God. Walk with me and live without any blame.
Reference
Parallel theme
Philippians 4:13
Ephesians 3:20
Matthew 5:48
References God
Genesis 6:9
Luke 1:6
Job 1:1
Deuteronomy 18:13
References Lord
Psalm 116:9
Isaiah 38:3
Genesis 18:14
2
I will now put into practice my covenant between me and you. I will greatly increase your numbers."
Reference
3
Abram fell with his face to the ground. God said to him,
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 17:17
Revelation 1:17
Matthew 17:6
Joshua 5:14
Numbers 16:45
Judges 13:20
References God
1 Kings 18:39
5
"You will not be called Abram anymore. Your name will be Abraham, because I have made you a father of many nations.
Reference
Creation
Romans 4:17
Parallel theme
Genesis 32:28
Revelation 2:17
Jeremiah 20:3
References Abraham
Nehemiah 9:7
Genesis 17:15
6
I will give you many children. Nations will come from you. And kings will come from you.
Reference
7
"I will make my covenant with you. It will last forever. It will be between me and you and your children after you for all time to come. I will be your God. And I will be the God of all of your family after you.
Reference
Covenant
Acts 2:39
Genesis 15:18
Hebrews 8:10
Parallel theme
Ephesians 2:2
References God
Genesis 26:24
Hebrews 11:16
Genesis 28:13
Leviticus 26:12
Mark 10:14
Exodus 3:6
8
"You are now living in Canaan as an outsider. But I will give you the whole land of Canaan. You will own it forever. So will your children after you. And I will be their God."
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 105:11
Genesis 12:7
Genesis 13:15
Deuteronomy 26:18
Psalm 105:9
Genesis 13:17
References God
Leviticus 26:12
Exodus 6:7
Deuteronomy 14:2
Deuteronomy 29:13
9
Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant. You and your children after you for all time to come must keep it.
10
"Here is my covenant that you and your children after you must keep. Every male among you must be circumcised.
Reference
Covenant
Acts 7:8
Genesis 17:11
Parallel theme
Romans 3:30
Joshua 5:2
Philippians 3:3
Ephesians 2:11
Deuteronomy 30:6
Galatians 6:12
12
It must be done for all time to come. "Every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised. That includes those who are born in your house. It also includes those who are bought with money from a stranger. Even those who are not your own children must be included.
Reference
13
Any male who is born in your house or bought with your money must be circumcised. "My covenant will last forever. Your body will have the mark of my covenant on it.
Reference
14
"Any male who has not been circumcised will be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant."
Reference
Parallel theme
Exodus 12:19
15
God also said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, do not call her Sarai anymore. Her name will be Sarah.
Reference
16
I will give her my blessing. You can be sure that I will give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations. Kings of nations will come from her."
Reference
17
Abraham fell with his face to the ground. He laughed and said to himself, "Will a son be born to a man who is 100 years old? Will Sarah have a child at the age of 90?"
Reference
Parallel theme
Revelation 11:16
Genesis 18:12
Genesis 21:6
Genesis 17:3
Ezekiel 1:28
Revelation 5:8
Job 1:20
References Abraham
John 8:56
19
Then God said, "I will bless Ishmael. But your wife Sarah will have a son by you. And you will name him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him. It will be a covenant that lasts forever. It will be for Isaac and for his family after him.
Reference
20
"As for Ishmael, I have heard you. You can be sure that I will bless him. I will give him children. I will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of 12 rulers. And I will make him into a great nation.
Reference
21
"But I will establish my covenant with Isaac. By this time next year, Sarah will have a son by you."
Reference
People
Covenant
Galatians 3:29
Hebrews 11:9
Exodus 2:24
Romans 9:9
Parallel theme
Genesis 18:10
Acts 1:7
Job 14:13
Exodus 3:6
Genesis 46:1
Luke 1:55
22
When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God left him.
Reference
References Abraham
Genesis 18:33
23
On that very day Abraham circumcised his son Ishmael. He also circumcised every male who was born in his house or bought with his money. He did exactly as God had told him.
24
Abraham was 99 years old when he was circumcised.
Reference
Parallel theme
Romans 4:11
25
His son Ishmael was 13.
26
Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that same day.
27
And every male in Abraham's house was circumcised along with him. That included those who were born in his house or bought from a stranger.
Summary of Genesis 17
Genesis 17 presents a big development in the history of Abram. Thirteen years passed since the end of chapter 16 and the promise of Ishmeal’s birth and God appeared to Abram with a new covenant involving a new name, a physical token and an even more elaborated promise.
The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I am God Almighty, walk before me faithfully and be blameless. I will make my covenant between me and you, and I will greatly increase your numbers.” Abram fell facedown, and God spoke again “I will make you father of many nations, nations will be yours, and you will be great king of great nations, and my covenant will be everlasting with you and with your offspring for generations to come.”
Then God said, “No longer shall your name be Abram, but Abraham because I will make you father of nations.” God was giving Abraham his new name to signify he will be father of many nations, which probably means many different types of nations and people. Names were very important and their meanings had to be respected. The name Abraham, which means father of many nations, was a permanent reminder of the covenant God had made with Abraham.
God also reminded Abraham of his promise to give him and his descendants all of the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession, and that he would be their God. This was the same type of promise as in previous chapters, yet again more elaborated. God added a physical reminder of the covenant by telling Abraham that every male person amongst his family, slaves, children and descendants should be circumcised. God said it should be done as a sign of the covenant between himself and Abraham’s family. God also specified that every person that is not circumcised “is uncircumcised to me.” Every generation from then on should have this token on their bodies as a sign of the covenant. The sign is a constant, physical reminder of the covenant God has made with Abraham’s family.
God spoke to Sarah about her new name and promised that through her Abraham would have a son who would become the father of nations. God said, “I will bless her and she shall have a son and I will give him to Abraham and through his sons shall descendants of nations come and kings.”
Abraham replied to God’s promise with laughter. He asked, “Will a son born to me, when I am a hundred years old? Will Sarah have a son when she is ninety years old?” This request from God seemed too late and unreasonable because the chances of conceiving were next to impossible. God responded by saying, “If Ishmeal is the son you want, then go ahead. My covenant is with him, too.” Abraham asked God that Ishmeal and his servants be blessed, and that God make them fruitful and increase their numbers. God accepted Abraham’s plea, yet he said, “But my covenant shall be with Isaac, whom Sarah, your wife, shall bear.” God added, “Then Sarah will bear you a son and you shall call his name Isaac, for I will establish my covenant with him and his descendants for generations to come.” God promised that He would bless Ishmeal, too, and make him fruitful and numerous. His descendants should become twelve princes. Ishmeal would also be a great nation. God told Abraham that Sarah would bear him a son about at the same time next year.
God left Abraham and he was left in awe. Abraham took all of God’s words to him that day as a promise and he obeyed God’s order to perform a ceremony the same day. He did the painful work and circumcised his son, Isaac, and every other man in his household. Even the servants took part in this and were circumcised. Abraham was ninety-nine years old and Ishmeal was thirteen.
The passage in Genesis 17 is significant because it elaborates on the promises God has made to Abraham. God made a covenant with Abraham that signified his special relationship with Abraham’s descendants. They were promised a land, fruitfulness and descendants that would number nations. Previously these promises had been oral, or accompanied by some miraculous sign as in the night vision in chapter 15. Now God added a physical sign so that the descendants of Abraham would always know his covenant. The name change signified that God had accepted Abraham as his servant and promised to protect him and his descendants. God spoke to Sarah about her son, Isaac, who would be the heir to the promises made to Abraham. God gave a sign to the covenant, a reminder of his promise that would always stay with Abraham’s descendants. A year of Sarah’s menopause was the obstacle to conceiving, yet God assured Abraham that by the same time next year Sarah should have a son.
The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I am God Almighty, walk before me faithfully and be blameless. I will make my covenant between me and you, and I will greatly increase your numbers.” Abram fell facedown, and God spoke again “I will make you father of many nations, nations will be yours, and you will be great king of great nations, and my covenant will be everlasting with you and with your offspring for generations to come.”
Then God said, “No longer shall your name be Abram, but Abraham because I will make you father of nations.” God was giving Abraham his new name to signify he will be father of many nations, which probably means many different types of nations and people. Names were very important and their meanings had to be respected. The name Abraham, which means father of many nations, was a permanent reminder of the covenant God had made with Abraham.
God also reminded Abraham of his promise to give him and his descendants all of the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession, and that he would be their God. This was the same type of promise as in previous chapters, yet again more elaborated. God added a physical reminder of the covenant by telling Abraham that every male person amongst his family, slaves, children and descendants should be circumcised. God said it should be done as a sign of the covenant between himself and Abraham’s family. God also specified that every person that is not circumcised “is uncircumcised to me.” Every generation from then on should have this token on their bodies as a sign of the covenant. The sign is a constant, physical reminder of the covenant God has made with Abraham’s family.
God spoke to Sarah about her new name and promised that through her Abraham would have a son who would become the father of nations. God said, “I will bless her and she shall have a son and I will give him to Abraham and through his sons shall descendants of nations come and kings.”
Abraham replied to God’s promise with laughter. He asked, “Will a son born to me, when I am a hundred years old? Will Sarah have a son when she is ninety years old?” This request from God seemed too late and unreasonable because the chances of conceiving were next to impossible. God responded by saying, “If Ishmeal is the son you want, then go ahead. My covenant is with him, too.” Abraham asked God that Ishmeal and his servants be blessed, and that God make them fruitful and increase their numbers. God accepted Abraham’s plea, yet he said, “But my covenant shall be with Isaac, whom Sarah, your wife, shall bear.” God added, “Then Sarah will bear you a son and you shall call his name Isaac, for I will establish my covenant with him and his descendants for generations to come.” God promised that He would bless Ishmeal, too, and make him fruitful and numerous. His descendants should become twelve princes. Ishmeal would also be a great nation. God told Abraham that Sarah would bear him a son about at the same time next year.
God left Abraham and he was left in awe. Abraham took all of God’s words to him that day as a promise and he obeyed God’s order to perform a ceremony the same day. He did the painful work and circumcised his son, Isaac, and every other man in his household. Even the servants took part in this and were circumcised. Abraham was ninety-nine years old and Ishmeal was thirteen.
The passage in Genesis 17 is significant because it elaborates on the promises God has made to Abraham. God made a covenant with Abraham that signified his special relationship with Abraham’s descendants. They were promised a land, fruitfulness and descendants that would number nations. Previously these promises had been oral, or accompanied by some miraculous sign as in the night vision in chapter 15. Now God added a physical sign so that the descendants of Abraham would always know his covenant. The name change signified that God had accepted Abraham as his servant and promised to protect him and his descendants. God spoke to Sarah about her son, Isaac, who would be the heir to the promises made to Abraham. God gave a sign to the covenant, a reminder of his promise that would always stay with Abraham’s descendants. A year of Sarah’s menopause was the obstacle to conceiving, yet God assured Abraham that by the same time next year Sarah should have a son.