God Expands the Covenant
Study note
Thirteen years have passed since Ishmael's birth. God appears to Abram and identifies himself as God Almighty (El Shaddai). He tells Abram to walk before him and be blameless. God changes Abram's name to Abraham, which means 'father of many nations.' This name change represents a new identity and destiny. God promises that Abraham will be the father of many nations, that kings will come from him, and that the covenant will be everlasting. God promises to give all of Canaan to Abraham's descendants as an everlasting possession.
1 When Abram reached ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty. Live your life close to me and be blameless." 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.
2 "I am going to set up my covenant between us. I will make your numbers grow beyond anything you can picture." And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly.
3 Abram dropped to the ground with his face down, and God continued speaking to him: And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
4 "As for me, here is my side of the deal: You are going to be the father of not just one nation, but many nations." As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.
5 "Therefore I'm changing your name. You won't be called Abram anymore — your new name is Abraham, because I am making you the 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.
6 "I will make your family grow like crazy. Whole nations will come from you, and some of your descendants will be kings." And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
7 "I am setting up an everlasting covenant between me, you, and every generation of your descendants that follows. I will be your God and the God of all your descendants." 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.
8 "The entire land of Canaan — where you are living right now as an outsider — I am giving to you and your descendants as a permanent possession. And I will be their God." 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.
The Sign of Circumcision
Study note
God gives Abraham and all his male descendants a physical sign of the covenant: circumcision. Every male must be circumcised at eight days old. This applies to everyone in Abraham's household, whether born there or purchased. Any uncircumcised male is to be cut off from his people for breaking the covenant. Circumcision becomes the defining mark of belonging to God's covenant people.
9 Then God told Abraham, "Here is your part of the deal. You and every future family line must keep this covenant." And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
10 "Here is what the covenant requires. Every male among you must be circumcised." 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.
11 "This circumcision will be the physical sign of the covenant between me and you." And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
12 "From now on, every baby boy must be circumcised when he is eight days old. This goes for every boy born in your household. It also goes for every boy bought from a foreigner — anyone who is not your own child." 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.
13 "Whether the boy was born in your house or bought with money, he must be circumcised. This will mark my covenant permanently in your flesh." 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.
14 "Any male who has not been circumcised must be cut off from his people. He has broken my 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.
The Promise of Isaac
Study note
God also changes Sarai's name to Sarah, meaning 'princess.' God promises to bless her and give Abraham a son through her. Abraham falls face down and laughs — he is nearly 100 years old and Sarah is 90. He suggests that God bless Ishmael instead, but God says the covenant will be established through Isaac, the son Sarah will bear within a year. God also promises to bless Ishmael, making him the father of twelve rulers and a great nation. The name Isaac means 'he laughs.'
15 God also told Abraham, "As for your wife — stop calling her Sarai. Her new name is Sarah." And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
16 "I am going to bless her and give you a son through her. I will bless her so much that she will become the mother of entire nations. Kings will be among her descendants." 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.
17 Abraham dropped to the ground, and he started laughing! He thought to himself, "A baby? For a man who is a hundred years old? And Sarah is going to have a child at ninety?" 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?
18 Then Abraham said to God, "What about Ishmael? Can't you bless him instead?" And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!
19 God replied, "No — Sarah, your wife, is definitely going to have a son for you. Name him Isaac. I will set up my everlasting covenant with him and with his descendants after him." 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.
20 "As for Ishmael, I heard your prayer. I will bless him. I will give him lots of children and make his family very large. Twelve rulers will come from him, and I will make his family into a great nation." 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.
21 "But my special covenant will be with Isaac — the son Sarah will give you by this time next year." But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
22 When God finished talking with Abraham, he went up and away from him. And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
Abraham Obeys
Study note
On that very same day, Abraham obeys God completely. He circumcises himself at age ninety-nine, his son Ishmael at age thirteen, and every male in his household. Abraham's immediate obedience, despite the personal cost, demonstrates his faith and commitment to the covenant.
23 That very same day, Abraham took his son Ishmael. He took every male in his home. Some were born there. Others were bought. He cut them all in the flesh, just as God had said. 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.
24 Abraham himself was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised. And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
25 His son Ishmael was thirteen years old at the time. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
26 Both Abraham and Ishmael were circumcised on the exact same day. In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.
27 Every male in Abraham's household was circumcised with him. This included those born there and those bought from an outsider. And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.