Genesis 17

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:8

Genesis 17:8. I will be their God— The spiritual and temporal covenant are blended together, and with propriety, as the latter was eminently typical of the former. The Scripture covenant with Abraham, and all his children by faith, is strictly everlasting; for it extends to the possession of that heavenly and better country, the celestial Canaan, where God will be the God of all faithful believers throughout eternity. See Rev 21:3 and Jeremiah 31:33. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:9

Genesis 17:9. God said unto Abraham, &c.— Having declared what he would himself perform, the Lord goes on to signify what he expected from Abraham, and to appoint a sign or token of his covenant with him. Thou shalt keep my covenant, i.e.. observe and fulfil thy part of it: and this is my covenant, i.e.. the token of the covenant betwixt me and you, Genesis 17:11. Every man-child shall be circumcised: a ceremony, which appears, as plain as words can make it, to have been now first... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:11

Genesis 17:11. A token of the covenant, &c.— Here circumcision is called a token, as before it was called the covenant; so the Paschal Lamb is called the Passover of the Lord, Exo 11:10 of which it was only a memorial: so the bread and wine are called the Body and Blood of Christ, of which they are only memorials, Matthew 26:26. &c. It is evident that circumcision was instituted solely as a token of that covenant which God entered into with Abraham, not as any peculiar mark of... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:14

Genesis 17:14. The uncircumcised man-child, &c.— It seems to follow very plainly from the foregoing verses, as well as from this, that nobody could possibly belong to Abraham's family who did not submit to this rite; but then, it follows as plainly, that the blessings of this Abrahamic covenant were not by any means confined to his descendants only: all who would embrace the terms and accept the sign of that covenant might share in its advantages. The eighth day was appointed for this... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:15

Genesis 17:15. As for Sarai thy wife, &c.— God now proceeds to reveal to Abraham, that the son of the promise should descend from his wife Sarai, whose name also he changes from Sarai, which signifies, say interpreters, my lady, to Sarah, which signifies, according to some, lady, or princess, absolutely, i.e.. not of one family only; or, according to others, princess of multitudes, which seems the most probable interpretation, not only from the occasion, but on account of the addition of... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:17

Genesis 17:17. And laughed— If we compare the twelfth verse of the following chapter, where Sarah expresses her incredulity by laughing, and consider the whole sentence here before us (especially the words, Genesis 17:18. O! that Ishmael might live before thee; as if he had said, to have a son by Sarah, in her advanced time of life, is too much for me to expect; it will be enough for me to be assured, that Ishmael shall live and share thy favour); and if, after this, we consider the reply which... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:19

Genesis 17:19. Thou shalt call his name Isaac— In remembrance of the laughter, both of the father and mother, Gen 17:17 chap. Genesis 18:12. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:20

Genesis 17:20. As for Ishmael, I have heard thee, &c.— The Lord is pleased to repeat to Abraham what he had promised Hagar before concerning Ishmael; namely, that he would make him fruitful and multiply him exceedingly; see notes on ch. Genesis 16:10. He is pleased, more particularly, to add, twelve princes shall he beget: a very extraordinary circumstance, as the Bishop of Bristol observes; but it was punctually fulfilled; and Moses hath given us the names of these twelve princes, or heads... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:21-22

Genesis 17:21-22. My covenant will I establish, &c.— This is an abundant proof, that the covenant which God entered into with Abraham, was of a spiritual as well as a temporal nature, by being thus limited to his descendants by Isaac only; whom he condescends to promise him at a short and fixed period approaching, this set time in the next year. Michaelis has it, "my spiritual covenant with Christ." After this information, the Lord left off talking with him, and went up from Abraham, most... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:23

Genesis 17:23. In the self-same day, &c.— Thus the great patriarch shewed the most prompt obedience to the Divine command; and there can be no doubt, but the ready obedience of all his family to an injunction so severe and painful, sprung from the assurance which Abraham gave them of the Divine command. Josephus informs us, that the descendants of Ishmael circumcised their children at the age of thirteen. Learn from this instant obedience of Abraham, that God's commands were law and reason... read more

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:8

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:9

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:11

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:14

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:15

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:17

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:19

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:20

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:21-22

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:23

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