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Genesis 17 :: Christian Standard Bible (CSB)

Covenant Circumcision
Gen 17:1

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him, saying, “I am God Almighty. Live[fn] in my presence and be blameless.

Gen 17:2

“I will set up my covenant between me and you, and I will multiply you greatly.”

Gen 17:3

Then Abram fell facedown and God spoke with him:

Gen 17:4

“As for me, here is my covenant with you: You will become the father of many nations.

Gen 17:5

“Your name will no longer be Abram;[fn] your name will be Abraham,[fn] for I will make you the father of many nations.

Gen 17:6

“I will make you extremely fruitful and will make nations and kings come from you.

Gen 17:7

“I will confirm my covenant that is between me and you and your future offspring throughout their generations. It is a permanent covenant to be your God and the God of your offspring after you.

Gen 17:8

“And to you and your future offspring[fn] I will give the land where you are residing ​— ​all the land of Canaan ​— ​as a permanent possession, and I will be their God.”

Gen 17:9

God also said to Abraham, “As for you, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations are to keep my covenant.

Gen 17:10

“This is my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you, which you are to keep: Every one of your males must be circumcised.

Gen 17:11

“You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskin to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and you.[fn]

Gen 17:12

“Throughout your generations, every male among you is to be circumcised at eight days old ​— ​every male born in your household or purchased from any foreigner and not your offspring.

Gen 17:13

“Whether born in your household or purchased, he must be circumcised. My covenant will be marked in your flesh as a permanent covenant.

Gen 17:14

“If any male is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that man will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

Gen 17:15

God said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, do not call her Sarai, for Sarah[fn] will be her name.

Gen 17:16

“I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will produce nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”

Gen 17:17

Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a hundred-year-old man? Can Sarah, a ninety-year-old woman, give birth? ”

Gen 17:18

So Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael were acceptable[fn] to you! ”

Gen 17:19

But God said, “No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac.[fn] I will confirm my covenant with him as a permanent covenant for his future offspring.

Gen 17:20

“As for Ishmael, I have heard you. I will certainly bless him; I will make him fruitful and will multiply him greatly. He will father twelve tribal leaders, and I will make him into a great nation.

Gen 17:21

“But I will confirm my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.”

Gen 17:22

When he finished talking with him, God withdrew[fn] from Abraham.

Gen 17:23

So Abraham took his son Ishmael and those born in his household or purchased ​— ​every male among the members of Abraham’s household ​— ​and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on that very day, just as God had said to him.

Gen 17:24

Abraham was ninety-nine years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised,

Gen 17:25

and his son Ishmael was thirteen years old when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised.

Gen 17:26

On that very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised.

Gen 17:27

And all the men of his household ​— ​whether born in his household or purchased from a foreigner ​— ​were circumcised with him.

CSB Footnotes
Or Walk
= The Father Is Exalted
= Father of a Multitude
Lit seed
You in v. 11 is pl.
= Princess
Lit alive
= He Laughs
Lit went up, or ascended
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