Passage

Genesis 17

Book: Genesis · NASB95

Immediate context (±2 verses)

ASV (ASV)

"1. And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, Jehovah appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect. 2. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. 3. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 4. As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be the father of a multitude of nations. 5. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for the father of a multitude of nations have I made thee. 6. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 7. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. 8. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land of thy sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. 9. And God said unto Abraham, And as for thee, thou shalt keep my covenant, thou, and thy seed after thee throughout their generations. 10. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee: every male among you shall be circumcised. 11. And ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of a covenant betwixt me and you. 12. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any foreigner that is not of thy seed. 13. 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. And the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant. 15. And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. 16. And I will bless her, and moreover I will give thee a son of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be of her. 17. Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? 18. And Abraham said unto God, Oh that Ishmael might live before thee! 19. And God said, Nay, but Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him. 20. 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 covenant will I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. 22. And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. 23. 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. And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26. In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. 27. And all the men of his house, those born in the house, and those bought with money of a foreigner, were circumcised with him." (Genesis 17:1-27, ASV)

WEB (WEB)

"1. When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Yahweh appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty. Walk before me, and be blameless. 2. I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” 3. Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying, 4. “As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations. 5. Your name will no more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6. I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you. 7. I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your offspring after you. 8. I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God.” 9. God said to Abraham, “As for you, you will keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. 10. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of the covenant between me and you. 12. He who is eight days old will be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he who is born in the house, or bought with money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring. 13. He who is born in your house, and he who is bought with your money, must be circumcised. My covenant will be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14. The uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people. He has broken my covenant.” 15. God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name will be Sarah. 16. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her.” 17. Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, “Will a child be born to him who is one hundred years old? Will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?” 18. Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” 19. God said, “No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. 20. As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. 21. But my covenant I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year.” 22. When he finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham. 23. Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house, and all who were bought with his money; every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the same day, as God had said to him. 24. Abraham was ninety-nine years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25. Ishmael, his son, was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26. In the same day both Abraham and Ishmael, his son, were circumcised. 27. All the men of his house, those born in the house, and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him." (Genesis 17:1-27, WEB)

KJV (KJV)

"1. 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. ^{perfect: or, upright, or, sincere} 2. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. 3. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 4. As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. ^{many: Heb. multitude of nations} 5. 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. ^{Abraham: that is, Father of a great multitude} 6. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 7. 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. 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. ^{wherein: Heb. of thy sojournings} 9. And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. 10. 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. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. 12. 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. ^{he that is eight: Heb. a son of eight days} 13. 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. 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. 15. And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. ^{Sarah: that is Princess} 16. 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. ^{she: Heb. she shall become nations} 17. 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. And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! 19. 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. 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 covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. 22. And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. 23. 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. And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 25. And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. 26. In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. 27. And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him." (Genesis 17:1-27, KJV)

YLT (YLT)

"1. And Abram is a son of ninety and nine years, and Jehovah appeareth unto Abram, and saith unto him, 'I [am] God Almighty, walk habitually before Me, and be thou perfect; 2. and I give My covenant between Me and thee, and multiply thee very exceedingly.' 3. And Abram falleth upon his face, and God speaketh with him, saying, 4. 'I, lo, My covenant [is] with thee, and thou hast become father of a multitude of nations; 5. and thy name is no more called Abram, but thy name hath been Abraham, for father of a multitude of nations have I made thee; 6. and I have made thee exceeding fruitful, and made thee become nations, and kings go out from thee. 7. 'And I have established My covenant between Me and thee, and thy seed after thee, to their generations, for a covenant age-during, to become God to thee, and to thy seed after thee; 8. and I have given to thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land of thy sojournings, the whole land of Canaan, for a possession age-during, and I have become their God.' 9. And God saith unto Abraham, 'And thou dost keep My covenant, thou and thy seed after thee, to their generations; 10. this [is] My covenant which ye keep between Me and you, and thy seed after thee: Every male of you [is] to be circumcised; 11. and ye have circumcised the flesh of your foreskin, and it hath become a token of a covenant between Me and you. 12. 'And a son of eight days is circumcised by you; every male to your generations, born in the house, or bought with money from any son of a stranger, who is not of thy seed; 13. he is certainly circumcised who [is] born in thine house, or bought with thy money; and My covenant hath become in your flesh a covenant age-during; 14. and an uncircumcised one, a male, the flesh of whose foreskin is not circumcised, even that person hath been cut off from his people; My covenant he hath broken.' 15. And God saith unto Abraham, 'Sarai thy wife, thou dost not call her name Sarai, for Sarah [is] her name; 16. and I have blessed her, and have also given to thee a son from her; and I have blessed her, and she hath become nations, kings of peoples are from her.' 17. And Abraham falleth upon his face, and laugheth, and saith in his heart, 'To the son of an hundred years is one born? or doth Sarah, daughter of ninety years, bear?' 18. And Abraham saith unto God, 'O that Ishmael may live before Thee;' 19. and God saith, 'Sarah thy wife is certainly bearing a son to thee, and thou hast called his name Isaac, and I have established My covenant with him, for a covenant age-during, to his seed after him. 20. As to Ishmael, I have heard thee; lo, I have blessed him, and made him fruitful, and multiplied him, very exceedingly; twelve princes doth he beget, and I have made him become a great nation; 21. and My covenant I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah doth bear to thee at this appointed time in the next year;' 22. and He finisheth speaking with him, and God goeth up from Abraham. 23. And Abraham taketh Ishmael his son, and all those born in his house, and all those bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house, and circumciseth the flesh of their foreskin, in this self-same day, as God hath spoken with him. 24. And Abraham [is] a son of ninety and nine years in the flesh of his foreskin being circumcised; 25. and Ishmael his son [is] a son of thirteen years in the flesh of his foreskin being circumcised; 26. in this self-same day hath Abraham been circumcised, and Ishmael his son; 27. and all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money from the son of a stranger, have been circumcised with him." (Genesis 17:1-27, YLT)

Setting

Speaker: TBD
Audience: TBD
Location: TBD
Time period: TBD

Theological reading

Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap.

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Quoted in

Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.