Focused Passage

Genesis 17:15-22

God Reaffirms His Covenant, Renames Abram and Sarai, and Appoints Circumcision as the Covenant Sign

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, do not call her Sarai, for her name is to be Sarah.

16 And I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will descend from her.”

17 Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah give birth at the age of ninety?”

18 And Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live under Your blessing!”

19 But God replied, “Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.

20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you, and I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He will become the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.

21 But I will establish My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.”

22 When He had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 15

Original words

Then God אֱלֹהִים֙ H430 Noun - masculine plural said וַיֹּ֤אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Abraham אַבְרָהָ֔ם H85 Noun - proper - masculine singular As for Sarai שָׂרַ֣י H8297 Noun - proper - feminine singular your wife אִשְׁתְּךָ֔ H802 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular do not לֹא־ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle call תִקְרָ֥א H7121 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker her שְׁמָ֖הּ H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular Sarai שָׂרָ֑י H8297 Noun - proper - feminine singular for כִּ֥י H3588 Conjunction her name [is to be] שְׁמָֽהּ׃ H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular Sarah שָׂרָ֖ה H8283 Noun - proper - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Both Sarai and Sarah mean princess; the change in spelling may reflect the difference in dialect between Ur and Canaan.
Verse 16

Original words

And I will bless her וּבֵרַכְתִּ֣י H1288 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular - אֹתָ֔הּ H853 Direct object marker | third person feminine singular and will surely וְגַ֨ם H1571 Conjunction give נָתַ֧תִּי H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular you לְךָ֖ Preposition | second person masculine singular a son בֵּ֑ן H1121 Noun - masculine singular by her מִמֶּ֛נָּה H4480 Preposition | third person feminine singular I will bless her וּבֵֽרַכְתִּ֙יהָ֙ H1288 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular and she will be וְהָֽיְתָ֣ה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular [the mother] of nations לְגוֹיִ֔ם H1471 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural kings מַלְכֵ֥י H4428 Noun - masculine plural construct of peoples עַמִּ֖ים H5971 Noun - masculine plural will descend יִהְיֽוּ׃ H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural from her מִמֶּ֥נָּה H4480 Preposition | third person feminine singular
Verse 17

Original words

Abraham אַבְרָהָ֛ם H85 Noun - proper - masculine singular fell facedown וַיִּפֹּ֧ל H5307 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . פָּנָ֖יו H6440 Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singular Then he laughed וַיִּצְחָ֑ק H6711 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular and said וַיֹּ֣אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to himself בְּלִבּ֗וֹ H3820 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Can a child be born יִוָּלֵ֔ד H3205 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . וְאִ֨ם־ H518 Conjunction to a man who is הַלְּבֶ֤ן H1121 Article, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct a hundred מֵאָֽה־ H3967 Number - feminine singular years old שָׁנָה֙ H8141 Noun - feminine singular Can Sarah שָׂרָ֔ה H8283 Noun - proper - feminine singular . . . הֲבַת־ H1323 Article | Noun - feminine singular construct give birth תֵּלֵֽד׃ H3205 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular at the age of ninety תִּשְׁעִ֥ים H8673 Number - common plural . . . שָׁנָ֖ה H8141 Noun - feminine singular
Verse 18

Original words

And Abraham אַבְרָהָ֖ם H85 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיֹּ֥אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition God הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים H430 Article | Noun - masculine plural O that ל֥וּ H3863 Preposition Ishmael יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל H3458 Noun - proper - masculine singular might live יִחְיֶ֥ה H2421 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular under Your [blessing] לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃ H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 19

Original words

But God אֱלֹהִ֗ים H430 Noun - masculine plural replied וַיֹּ֣אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Your wife אִשְׁתְּךָ֗ H802 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular Sarah שָׂרָ֣ה H8283 Noun - proper - feminine singular {will} indeed אֲבָל֙ H61 Adverb bear יֹלֶ֤דֶת H3205 Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular you לְךָ֙ Preposition | second person masculine singular a son בֵּ֔ן H1121 Noun - masculine singular and you are to name וְקָרָ֥אתָ H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker him שְׁמ֖וֹ H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Isaac יִצְחָ֑ק H3327 Noun - proper - masculine singular I will establish וַהֲקִמֹתִ֨י H6965 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker My covenant בְּרִיתִ֥י H1285 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular with him אִתּ֛וֹ H854 Preposition | third person masculine singular as an everlasting עוֹלָ֖ם H5769 Noun - masculine singular covenant לִבְרִ֥ית H1285 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct for his descendants לְזַרְע֥וֹ H2233 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular after him אַחֲרָֽיו׃ H310 Preposition | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Isaac means he laughs.
Verse 20

Original words

As for Ishmael וּֽלְיִשְׁמָעֵ֘אל H3458 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular I have heard you שְׁמַעְתִּיךָ֒ H8085 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singular [and] I will surely הִנֵּ֣ה׀ H2009 Interjection bless בֵּרַ֣כְתִּי H1288 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular him אֹת֗וֹ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular I will make him fruitful וְהִפְרֵיתִ֥י H6509 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular - אֹת֛וֹ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular and multiply וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֥י H7235 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular him אֹת֖וֹ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine singular greatly בִּמְאֹ֣ד H3966 Preposition-b | Adverb . . . מְאֹ֑ד H3966 Adverb He will become the father יוֹלִ֔יד H3205 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular of twelve שְׁנֵים־ H8147 Number - md . . . עָשָׂ֤ר H6240 Number - masculine singular rulers נְשִׂיאִם֙ H5387 Noun - masculine plural and I will make him וּנְתַתִּ֖יו H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular into a great גָּדֽוֹל׃ H1419 Adjective - masculine singular nation לְג֥וֹי H1471 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 21

Original words

But וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker I will establish אָקִ֣ים H6965 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular My covenant בְּרִיתִ֖י H1285 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular with אֶת־ H854 Preposition Isaac יִצְחָ֑ק H3327 Noun - proper - masculine singular whom אֲשֶׁר֩ H834 Pronoun - relative Sarah שָׂרָה֙ H8283 Noun - proper - feminine singular will bear תֵּלֵ֨ד H3205 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular to you לְךָ֤ Preposition | second person masculine singular at this הַזֶּ֔ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular time לַמּוֹעֵ֣ד H4150 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular next הָאַחֶֽרֶת׃ H312 Article | Adjective - feminine singular year בַּשָּׁנָ֖ה H8141 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 22

Original words

When He had finished וַיְכַ֖ל H3615 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular speaking לְדַבֵּ֣ר H1696 Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct with [Abraham] אִתּ֑וֹ H854 Preposition | third person masculine singular God אֱלֹהִ֔ים H430 Noun - masculine plural went up וַיַּ֣עַל H5927 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular from מֵעַ֖ל H5921 Preposition-m [him] אַבְרָהָֽם׃ H85 Noun - proper - masculine singular

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