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

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

16And 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.”

17Abraham 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?”

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

19But 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.

20As 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.

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

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

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 15

Original words

Then Godאֱלֹהִים֙H430Noun - masculine pluralsaidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413PrepositionAbrahamאַבְרָהָ֔םH85Noun - proper - masculine singularAs for Saraiשָׂרַ֣יH8297Noun - proper - feminine singularyour wifeאִשְׁתְּךָ֔H802Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singulardo notלֹא־H3808Adverb - Negative particlecallתִקְרָ֥אH7121Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerherשְׁמָ֖הּH8034Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularSaraiשָׂרָ֑יH8297Noun - proper - feminine singularforכִּ֥יH3588Conjunctionher name [is to be]שְׁמָֽהּ׃H8034Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singularSarahשָׂרָ֖הH8283Noun - 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 herוּבֵרַכְתִּ֣יH1288Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular-אֹתָ֔הּH853Direct object marker | third person feminine singularand will surelyוְגַ֨םH1571Conjunctiongiveנָתַ֧תִּיH5414Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularyouלְךָ֖Preposition | second person masculine singulara sonבֵּ֑ןH1121Noun - masculine singularby herמִמֶּ֛נָּהH4480Preposition | third person feminine singularI will bless herוּבֵֽרַכְתִּ֙יהָ֙H1288Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singularand she will beוְהָֽיְתָ֣הH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person feminine singular[the mother] of nationsלְגוֹיִ֔םH1471Preposition-l | Noun - masculine pluralkingsמַלְכֵ֥יH4428Noun - masculine plural constructof peoplesעַמִּ֖יםH5971Noun - masculine pluralwill descendיִהְיֽוּ׃H1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralfrom herמִמֶּ֥נָּהH4480Preposition | third person feminine singular
Verse 17

Original words

Abrahamאַבְרָהָ֛םH85Noun - proper - masculine singularfell facedownוַיִּפֹּ֧לH5307Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .עַל־H5921Preposition. . .פָּנָ֖יוH6440Noun - common plural construct | third person masculine singularThen he laughedוַיִּצְחָ֑קH6711Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularand saidוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto himselfבְּלִבּ֗וֹH3820Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularCan a child be bornיִוָּלֵ֔דH3205Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .וְאִ֨ם־H518Conjunctionto a man who isהַלְּבֶ֤ןH1121Article, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular constructa hundredמֵאָֽה־H3967Number - feminine singularyears oldשָׁנָה֙H8141Noun - feminine singularCan Sarahשָׂרָ֔הH8283Noun - proper - feminine singular. . .הֲבַת־H1323Article | Noun - feminine singular constructgive birthתֵּלֵֽד׃H3205Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularat the age of ninetyתִּשְׁעִ֥יםH8673Number - common plural. . .שָׁנָ֖הH8141Noun - feminine singular
Verse 18

Original words

And Abrahamאַבְרָהָ֖םH85Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיֹּ֥אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413PrepositionGodהָֽאֱלֹהִ֑יםH430Article | Noun - masculine pluralO thatל֥וּH3863PrepositionIshmaelיִשְׁמָעֵ֖אלH3458Noun - proper - masculine singularmight liveיִחְיֶ֥הH2421Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularunder Your [blessing]לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃H6440Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 19

Original words

But Godאֱלֹהִ֗יםH430Noun - masculine pluralrepliedוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularYour wifeאִשְׁתְּךָ֗H802Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularSarahשָׂרָ֣הH8283Noun - proper - feminine singular{will} indeedאֲבָל֙H61Adverbbearיֹלֶ֤דֶתH3205Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singularyouלְךָ֙Preposition | second person masculine singulara sonבֵּ֔ןH1121Noun - masculine singularand you are to nameוְקָרָ֥אתָH7121Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerhimשְׁמ֖וֹH8034Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularIsaacיִצְחָ֑קH3327Noun - proper - masculine singularI will establishוַהֲקִמֹתִ֨יH6965Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerMy covenantבְּרִיתִ֥יH1285Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularwith himאִתּ֛וֹH854Preposition | third person masculine singularas an everlastingעוֹלָ֖םH5769Noun - masculine singularcovenantלִבְרִ֥יתH1285Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular constructfor his descendantsלְזַרְע֥וֹH2233Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularafter himאַחֲרָֽיו׃H310Preposition | third person masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Isaac means he laughs.
Verse 20

Original words

As for Ishmaelוּֽלְיִשְׁמָעֵ֘אלH3458Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singularI have heard youשְׁמַעְתִּיךָ֒H8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singular[and] I will surelyהִנֵּ֣ה׀H2009Interjectionblessבֵּרַ֣כְתִּיH1288Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singularhimאֹת֗וֹH853Direct object marker | third person masculine singularI will make him fruitfulוְהִפְרֵיתִ֥יH6509Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular-אֹת֛וֹH853Direct object marker | third person masculine singularand multiplyוְהִרְבֵּיתִ֥יH7235Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularhimאֹת֖וֹH853Direct object marker | third person masculine singulargreatlyבִּמְאֹ֣דH3966Preposition-b | Adverb. . .מְאֹ֑דH3966AdverbHe will become the fatherיוֹלִ֔ידH3205Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singularof twelveשְׁנֵים־H8147Number - md. . .עָשָׂ֤רH6240Number - masculine singularrulersנְשִׂיאִם֙H5387Noun - masculine pluraland I will make himוּנְתַתִּ֖יוH5414Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singularinto a greatגָּדֽוֹל׃H1419Adjective - masculine singularnationלְג֥וֹיH1471Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 21

Original words

Butוְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerI will establishאָקִ֣יםH6965Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singularMy covenantבְּרִיתִ֖יH1285Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularwithאֶת־H854PrepositionIsaacיִצְחָ֑קH3327Noun - proper - masculine singularwhomאֲשֶׁר֩H834Pronoun - relativeSarahשָׂרָה֙H8283Noun - proper - feminine singularwill bearתֵּלֵ֨דH3205Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singularto youלְךָ֤Preposition | second person masculine singularat thisהַזֶּ֔הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singulartimeלַמּוֹעֵ֣דH4150Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularnextהָאַחֶֽרֶת׃H312Article | Adjective - feminine singularyearבַּשָּׁנָ֖הH8141Preposition-b, Article | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 22

Original words

When He had finishedוַיְכַ֖לH3615Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularspeakingלְדַבֵּ֣רH1696Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive constructwith [Abraham]אִתּ֑וֹH854Preposition | third person masculine singularGodאֱלֹהִ֔יםH430Noun - masculine pluralwent upוַיַּ֣עַלH5927Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularfromמֵעַ֖לH5921Preposition-m[him]אַבְרָהָֽם׃H85Noun - proper - masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.