Genesis 17 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

Abram Is Named Abraham

(Exo 12:43—13:2 )

Gen 17:1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life.

Gen 17:2

Gen 17:2I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.”

Gen 17:3

Gen 17:3At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him,

Gen 17:4

Gen 17:4“This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations!

Gen 17:5

Gen 17:5What’s more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham,[fn] for you will be the father of many nations.

Gen 17:6

Gen 17:6I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!

Gen 17:7

Gen 17:7“I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants[fn] after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you.

Gen 17:8

Gen 17:8And I will give the entire land of Canaan, where you now live as a foreigner, to you and your descendants. It will be their possession forever, and I will be their God.”

The Mark of the Covenant

Gen 17:9

Gen 17:9Then God said to Abraham, “Your responsibility is to obey the terms of the covenant. You and all your descendants have this continual responsibility.

Gen 17:10

Gen 17:10This is the covenant that you and your descendants must keep: Each male among you must be circumcised.

Gen 17:11

Gen 17:11You must cut off the flesh of your foreskin as a sign of the covenant between me and you.

Gen 17:12

Gen 17:12From generation to generation, every male child must be circumcised on the eighth day after his birth. This applies not only to members of your family but also to the servants born in your household and the foreign-born servants whom you have purchased.

Gen 17:13

Gen 17:13All must be circumcised. Your bodies will bear the mark of my everlasting covenant.

Gen 17:14

Gen 17:14Any male who fails to be circumcised will be cut off from the covenant family for breaking the covenant.”

Sarai Is Named Sarah

Gen 17:15

Gen 17:15Then God said to Abraham, “Regarding Sarai, your wife—her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah.[fn]

Gen 17:16

Gen 17:16And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants.”

Gen 17:17

Gen 17:17Then Abraham bowed down to the ground, but he laughed to himself in disbelief. “How could I become a father at the age of 100?” he thought. “And how can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety years old?”

Gen 17:18

Gen 17:18So Abraham said to God, “May Ishmael live under your special blessing!”

Gen 17:19

Gen 17:19But God replied, “No—Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac,[fn] and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant.

Gen 17:20

Gen 17:20As for Ishmael, I will bless him also, just as you have asked. I will make him extremely fruitful and multiply his descendants. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.

Gen 17:21

Gen 17:21But my covenant will be confirmed with Isaac, who will be born to you and Sarah about this time next year.”

Gen 17:22

Gen 17:22When God had finished speaking, he left Abraham.

Gen 17:23

Gen 17:23On that very day Abraham took his son, Ishmael, and every male in his household, including those born there and those he had bought. Then he circumcised them, cutting off their foreskins, just as God had told him.

Gen 17:24

Gen 17:24Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised,

Gen 17:25

Gen 17:25and Ishmael, his son, was thirteen.

Gen 17:26

Gen 17:26Both Abraham and his son, Ishmael, were circumcised on that same day,

Gen 17:27

Gen 17:27along with all the other men and boys of the household, whether they were born there or bought as servants. All were circumcised with him.