Genesis 17:1-19

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Covenant Circumcision

17 When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him, saying, “I am God Almighty.^(A) Live in My presence and be blameless.^{(B) 2} I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you greatly.”

³ Then Abram fell facedown and God spoke with him: ⁴ “As for Me, My covenant is with you: you will become the father of many nations.^{[a] 5} Your name will no longer be Abram,^[b] but your name will be Abraham,^[c] for I will make you the father of many nations.^{(C) 6} I will make you extremely fruitful and will make nations and kings come from you. ⁷ I will keep My covenant between Me and you, and your future offspring throughout their generations, as an everlasting covenant^(D) to be your God and the God of your offspring after you.^{(E) 8} And to you and your future offspring^(F) I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as an eternal possession,^(G) and I will be their God.”

⁹ God also said to Abraham, “As for you, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations are to keep My covenant. ¹⁰ This is My covenant, which you are to keep, between Me and you and your offspring after you: Every one of your males must be circumcised. ¹¹ You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskin to serve as a sign of the covenant between Me and you.^{[d](H) 12} Throughout your generations, every male among you at eight days old is to be circumcised.^(I) This includes a slave born in your house and one purchased with money from any foreigner. The one who is not your offspring, ¹³ a slave born in your house, as well as one purchased with money, must be circumcised. My covenant will be marked in your flesh as an everlasting covenant. 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.”

¹⁵ God said to Abraham, “As for your wife Sarai, do not call her Sarai, for Sarah^[e] will be her name. ¹⁶ I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son by her.^(J) I will bless her, and she will produce nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”

¹⁷ Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed^(K) and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a hundred-year-old man? Can Sarah, a ninety-year-old woman, give birth?” ¹⁸ So Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael were acceptable to You!”^[f]

¹⁹ But God said, “No. Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac.^[g] I will confirm My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his future offspring.