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Genesis 17

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REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Genesis 17 Overview

Genesis 17 renews and expands God’s covenant with Abram. God identifies himself as the Almighty, changes Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s to Sarah, promises nations and kings, gives circumcision as the covenant sign, and again promises the land. Most importantly, God states that Sarah herself will bear a son, Isaac, and that the covenant will be established with him. Ishmael is blessed with fruitfulness and princes, but Isaac is the covenant heir.

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Before you read Genesis 17

Coming from

Genesis 16 ends with Ishmael’s birth after Abram and Sarai attempt to secure descendants through Hagar.

In this chapter

God clarifies that the covenant promise will be fulfilled through Sarah’s own son Isaac, while establishing circumcision as the sign of the covenant in Abraham’s household.

Leads into

Genesis 18 announces Isaac’s birth again, records Abraham’s hospitality and intercession, and reveals the coming judgment of Sodom.

Key understanding

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

God changes names to mark new covenant identity and promise.

Truth 2

Abraham is promised nations and kings, not merely one household line.

Truth 3

Circumcision becomes the covenant sign for males in Abraham’s household.

Truth 4

Sarah is explicitly named as mother of the promised son.

Truth 5

Ishmael is blessed, but covenant establishment is distinguished from general blessing.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Romans 4 discusses circumcision as a sign received after Abraham was counted righteous by faith.

Connection 2

Galatians 3 explains that the promise is not nullified by later law.

Connection 3

Luke 1 and Romans 9 refer to the promise line through Isaac.

Connection 4

Genesis 21 records Isaac’s birth according to the specified time.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

Circumcision is a covenant sign, not the cause of Abraham’s earlier justification; Romans 4 explicitly makes this chronology important.

Keep this clear 2

The covenant includes concrete land, descendants, and national promises.

Keep this clear 3

God’s blessing of Ishmael should not be denied simply because Isaac is the covenant heir.

Keep this clear 4

Abraham’s laughter in this chapter should be distinguished from Sarah’s later response in Genesis 18.

Read Genesis 17 watching for…Explore deeper

Every name change.

The repeated word covenant.

What circumcision signifies and whom it includes.

The explicit distinction between Ishmael and Isaac.

Abraham’s immediate obedience at the end.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-8God changes Abram's name and confirms the covenant 9-14Circumcision is given as the covenant sign 15-22Sarah is named and Isaac is promised 23-27Abraham circumcises his household

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.

And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.

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

As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.

And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.

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.

And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.

And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

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.

And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

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

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 nations; kings of people shall be of her.

Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?

And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!

And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

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

And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were 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 the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.

And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.

And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.

STUDY THIS VERSE

Genesis 17:26

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