# Genesis 17 đź“–: Circumcision and New Names
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### The Sign of the Covenant
[[#Verse 01.]] When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the Sovereign God. Walk before me and be blameless.Â
[[#Verse 02.]] Then I will confirm my covenant between me and you, and I will give you a multitude of descendants.”
[[#Verse 03.]] Abram bowed down with his face to the ground, and God said to him,Â
[[#Verse 04.]] “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of a multitude of nations.Â
[[#Verse 05.]] No longer will your name be Abram. Instead, your name will be Abraham because I will make you the father of a multitude of nations.Â
[[#Verse 06.]] I will make you extremely fruitful. I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you.Â
[[#Verse 07.]] I will confirm my covenant as a perpetual covenant between me and you. It will extend to your descendants after you throughout their generations. I will be your God and the God of your descendants after you.Â
[[#Verse 08.]] I will give the whole land of Canaan—the land where you are now residing—to you and your descendants after you as a permanent possession. I will be their God.”
[[#Verse 09.]] Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep the covenantal requirement I am imposing on you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.Â
[[#Verse 10.]]Â This is my requirement that you and your descendants after you must keep:Â Every male among you must be circumcised.
[[#Verse 11.]] You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskins. This will be a reminder of the covenant between me and you.
[[#Verse 12.]] Throughout your generations every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, whether born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not one of your descendants.Â
[[#Verse 13.]] They must indeed be circumcised, whether born in your house or bought with money. The sign of my covenant will be visible in your flesh as a permanent reminder.Â
[[#Verse 14.]] Any uncircumcised male who has not been circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin will be cut off from his people—he has failed to carry out my requirement.”
[[#Verse 15.]] Then God said to Abraham, “As for your wife, you must no longer call her Sarai; Sarah will be her name.Â
[[#Verse 16.]] I will bless her and will give you a son through her. I will bless her and she will become a mother of nations. Kings of countries will come from her!”
[[#Verse 17.]] Then Abraham bowed down with his face to the ground and laughed as he said to himself, “Can a son be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”Â
[[#Verse 18.]] Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live before you!”
[[#Verse 19.]] God said, “No, Sarah your wife is going to bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac. I will confirm my covenant with him as a perpetual covenant for his descendants after him.Â
[[#Verse 20.]] As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will indeed bless him, make him fruitful, and give him a multitude of descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes; I will make him into a great nation.
[[#Verse 21.]] But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year.”Â
[[#Verse 22.]]Â When he finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.
[[#Verse 23.]] Abraham took his son Ishmael and every male in his household (whether born in his house or bought with money) and circumcised them on that very same day, just as God had told him to do.Â
[[#Verse 24.]] Now Abraham was 99 years old when he was circumcised;Â
[[#Verse 25.]] his son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised.Â
[[#Verse 26.]]Â Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on the very same day.Â
[[#Verse 27.]]Â All the men of his household, whether born in his household or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
###### Verse 19.
###### Verse 20.
###### Verse 21.
###### Verse 22.
###### Verse 23.
###### Verse 24.
###### Verse 25.
###### Verse 26.
###### Verse 27.
## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Abram was 99 when God appeared to him here (17:1), thirteen years after Ishmael's birth.
2. *El Shaddai* is often translated "God Almighty."
3. Abram means "exalted father," and Abraham means "father of a multitude" (17:5).
4. Sarai and Sarah both mean "princess." The new name marks a new stage in God's promise.
5. Other ancient peoples practiced circumcision, but God gave it new meaning as a covenant sign.
6. Circumcision was to happen on the eighth day (17:12), the same day Jesus was circumcised (Luke 2:21).
7. Isaac's name means "he laughs" (17:19), recalling Abraham's laughter.
8. God promised that kings would come from Abraham and Sarah (17:6, 16).
9. Abraham obeyed the same day God gave the command (17:23).
10. God promised Ishmael would father twelve princes (17:20), fulfilled in 25:13-16.
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the true offspring of Abraham, and in Him we receive the circumcision of the heart (Colossians 2:11). God's promise to be God to Abraham's descendants (17:7) is fulfilled in all who belong to Christ (Galatians 3:29).
## 🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. God revealed Himself as the sovereign God before calling Abram to walk before Him (17:1). How does knowing who God is shape our obedience?
2. God changed Abram's and Sarai's names (17:5, 15). What does it mean that God gives us a new identity?
3. Abraham laughed at the promise (17:17). Which of God's promises are hard for you to believe right now?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verse 1: God reveals Himself as the sovereign God (*El Shaddai*) and calls Abram to walk before Him blamelessly.
- đź“– verse 5: Abram's name becomes Abraham, "father of a multitude."
- đź“– verse 7: God promises to be God to Abraham and his descendants.
## đź”— Related Passages
- đź”— [[Romans 04#Verse 09.|Romans 4:9-12]] - Abraham is the father of all who believe.
- đź”— [[Galatians 03#Verse 29.|Galatians 3:29]] - If you belong to Christ, you are Abraham's offspring.
- đź”— [[Colossians 02#Verse 11.|Colossians 2:11-12]] - Circumcision made without hands.
- đź”— [[Romans 02#Verse 28.|Romans 2:28-29]] - Circumcision of the heart.
- đź”— [[Deuteronomy 30#Verse 06.|Deuteronomy 30:6]] - God will circumcise your heart.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
đź“ť SOAP: [[Genesis 17- SOAP|The Promise and the Condition]]
## đź“‚ Internal Notes