Genesis 17

God appears to Abram and renews his promise and covenant verse 1 changeth his name Abram into Abraham 5 institueth circumcision for a sign of the covenant 9 changeth the name of Sarai to Sarah with a promise of a son and mighty seed by her 15 at which Abraham rejoiceth very much yet prayeth for Ishmael and obtained a temporal blessing for him 17 Abraham and all the male of his house are circumcised 23.

1. Now when Abraham was ninety nine years old [Heb. A son of ninety and nine years this was the twenty fifth year after that he had received the promise of the multiplying o the seed at Haran above chapter 12 verse 2,3,4] the LORD appeared unto Abram and said to him I am God the almighty [that is being not only strong and able to defend and protect thee against evil but likewise as sufficient to provide all good things for both thy body and soul as being thy God that in myself do everlastingly and unchangeable possess an all sufficiency in so much that he must need be in a happy condition whom I accept to be in covenant with me] walk before my face and be upright [without simulation and with an upright relying upon me and standing continually in fear and aw of me as in my presence so below chapter 24.40 compare above chapter 5.22,24 of the word upright see chapter 6 verse 9.]

2. And I will put my covenant between me and between thee [that is I will renew the same and establish it with a holy sacrament see verse 10] and I will multiply thee very much [Heb. In much.]

3. Then Abram fell upon his face [testifying thereby not only his nothingness and unworthiness but likewise his revering humble and thankful heart towards the almighty and gracious God so below verse 17 Leviticus 9:24 Ezekiel 43:3] and go spake with him saying.

4. As for me behold my covenant is with thee and thou shalt become a father of the multitude of people [not only according to the flesh of the Israelites, Ishmaelites, Idumeans, Kethureans, but especially according to the spirit of all true believers throughout the world of what stock nation or condition so ever they may be Romans 4:16,17 compare above chapter 12.2 and the annotations.]

5. And thy name shall no more call Abram but thy name shall be Abraham [in the name the letter He is inserted being the first letter of the word Hamon which God alludes unto signifying multitude or a main quantity this is the first name God changed and hence the custom obtained of his giving names circumcisions] for I have put thee a father of a multitude of nations.

6. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful and I will put or establish thee to or for nations [see above on verse 4] and shall come forth out of thee.

7. And I will erect or establish my covenant between me and between thee and between thy seed after thee in their generation for an everlasting covenant [everlasting for all believers in Christ in regard of the spiritual part but for the Israelites temporally unto the coming of Christ in regard of the corporal part together with the dependence thereof and especially this sacrament of circumcision] for to be a God unto thee [that is savior through the messiah to come this manner of speaking comprehends all the good an benefits which this covenant of grace brings along with it see Leviticus 26:12 psalms 33.12 & 144.15 Jeremiah 31:33] and unto thy seed after thee.

8. And I will give unto thee and thy seed after thee the land of thy sojourning strangers [into which thou art come and wherein thou hast travelled and sojourned hitherto and yet they shall sojourn for a time see below chapter 28.4 & 36.7 & 37.1 the word starship or sojourning is set down in the plural number to shew forth the continuance and length of time of his being a stranger in that land] the whole land of Canaan for an everlasting possession [Heb. Possession of eternity see above on verse 7.] and I shall be a God unto them.

9. Moreover god said unto Abraham thou now [that is as for thee or concerning thy part of the covenant after that God hath given and past his promises he recquireth likewise his peoples duty as the second completing part of the covenant compare this with verse 4] shalt keep my covenant thou and thy seed after thee in their generations.

10. This is my covenant [that is the sign and seal for my covenant as is declared verse 11 see Romans 4:11 this kind of speech whereby the son doth bear the name of the thing signified is frequently used about the sacraments not only to signify and declare unto the spiritual benefits but likewise to seal and confirm the same to every partaker of the covenant compare herewith Exodus 12:11 Matthew 26:17 Acts 22:16 & 1Corinthians 10.16 & chapter 11.24,25 Titus 3:7] that ye shall keep between me and between you [even as the natural impurity was common to both men and women so the promise of grace belonged likewise to both nevertheless God ordained a sacrament here which only could be administered unto men because that the men are the principal cause of progeny and consequently also propagating that natural impurity and corruption this was sufficient for that time until the Messiah should come and institute another sign applicable to both sexes that the women themselves are equally interested in the covenant appears chapter 34.14 Exodus 12:3 ,4 Joel 2 verse 15,16.]

11. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin [see Joshua 5:2, 3] and that shall be a token of the covenant between me and between you [here God speaketh properly of circumcision being that the same was properly a sign of the covenant and not the covenant itself as likewise he speaketh of the sacraments as of the Passover Exodus 13:9 of the holy baptism Matthew 3:11 and of the holy supper 1Corinthians 11.28.]

12. A son then of eight days shall be circumcised to you, all that is male in your generation, the in-born of the house [see above chapter 14.14 & chapter 15.3] and the bought one with money [Heb. The getting or buying of money that is those gotten or bought for money] of all or every stranger [Heb. Son of the stranger] who is not of thy seed.

13. The in-born of thy house and the bought with money shall surely be circumcised [Heb. Circumcising circumcised] and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant [see above on verse 7]

14. And that which is male having fore-skin whose fore-skin flesh shall not be circumcised [understand he being of age and through unbelief or contempt neglecting the circumcision or not amending afterwards his parents neglect about him in that behalf by receiving circumcision others that shall no circumcise the flesh of the foreskin] that same soul shall be destroyed out of her people the plural [that is the same man shall be excommunicated from the communion of gods people this phrase doth likewise according to the opinion of some imply a corporal punishment to be inflicted by the magistrate compare Exodus 31:14 Leviticus 17 on verse 4] he hath broken my covenant [see 1Corinthians 11.27,29.]

15. Moreover God said to Abraham thou shalt not call the name of thy wife Sarai , sarai; but her shall be Sarah [as the name of Abram was changed to Abraham by inserting the letter He so the name of Sarai is altered by exchanging the letter Jod or J into He or H at the end Sarai doth signify according to some my princess whereof Sarah doth properly signify whereof the reason is given in the next verse.]

16. For I will bless her [see chapter 1.28] and give thee likewise a son out of or by her yea I will bless her so that she shall become nations kings of nations shall grow or be out of her.

17. Then Abraham fell upon his face [see verse 3] and he laughed [viz. not doubting as Sarah chapter 18 verse 12 but wondering and rejoicing at it being strong in faith and fully persuaded God would and could make good his promise see Romans 4:19, 20, 21] and he said to his heart shall one that is an hundred years old have a child born? [Heb. A son of an hundred year &c.] And shall Sarah that is 90 year old [Heb. A Daughter of 90 year old] bear?

18. and Abraham said unto God ah that Ishmael might live before thy face [Abraham wisheth that Ishmael might wholly be abandoned by god but that God would have his eyes upon him to protect and bless him.]

19. And God said indeed Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son and shall call his name Isaac [Heb. Jitschak God give him this name by reason of fathers laughing see verse 17] and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant [see verse 7] to his seed after him.

20. And concerning Ishmael I have heard thee and behold I have blessed him and make him fruitful and exceedingly multiply him twelve princes he shall get [see the names of those princes chapter 25.13,14,15,16.] and I will put him to be a great people .

21. but my covenant I will establish with Isaac [observe this difference Ishmael hath outward or corporal good promised him but Isaac the covenant comprehending not only the corporal benediction but the spiritual also] whom Sarah shall bear or bring forth unto thee on this set time in the second year[that is the next ensuing]

22. And he finished the speaking with and God went up from Abraham [viz. to heaven in that form or shape in which he had appeared to him verse1.]

23. And Abraham took his son Ishmael and his in-born of his house all the bought ones with his money all that was male among the men of the house Abraham and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on that very day according as God had spoken with him.

24. And Abraham was 99 years old [Heb. A son of 99 years old so in the sequel] when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised.

25. And Ishmael his son was 13 when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised.

26. And on that same day Abraham was circumcised and his son Ishmael [that is very same day on which God hath joined Abraham the circumcision so that he may no delay at all compare verse 23.]

27. And all man of his house and the in-born of the house and brought ones with money even from the strangers were circumcised with him [Heb. From with the son of the stranger. The sense is that not only the in-born of Abrahams house and the bought ones were circumcised but the strangers also that served him being neither inborn nor bought others being of the strangers and not of Abrahams family others bought of the strangers Heb. From the son or child of a stranger as elsewhere.]