Genesis 17

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 17:5

(5) Abram.—That is, high father.Abraham = Father of a multitude, “raham” being an Arabic word, perhaps current in Hebrew in ancient times. Another interpretation of Abram is that it is equivalent to Abi-aram, Father of Aram, or Syria. This too is an Arabic form, like Abimael in Genesis 10:28. By some commentators the stress is thrown upon the insertion of the letter “h,” as being the representative of the name Yahveh or Yehveh. (Compare the change of Oshea into Jehoshua, Numbers 13:16.) read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 17:10

(10) Shall be circumcised.—It is stated by Herodotus (Book ii. 104) that the Egyptians were circumcised, and that the Syrians in Palestine confessed that they learned this practice from the Egyptians. Origen, however, seems to limit circumcision to the priesthood (Epist. ad Rom., § ii. 13); and the statement of Herodotus is not only very loose, but his date is too far posterior to the time of Abram for us to be able to place implicit confidence in it. If we turn to the evidence of Egyptian... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 17:12

(12) Eight days old.—That is, just one week after birth, as the day of birth was counted among the eight days. read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 17:13

(13) He that is born in thy house . . . —Two things follow from this wide extension of the rite of circumcision: the first, that all members of Abram’s household, being thus sharers in the covenant, were also numbered as belonging to the nations that sprang from him. We have seen that even in early days his followers must have numbered six or seven hundred men (Genesis 14:14), and they were growing in multitude all the rest of his life, and during the lifetime of Isaac. They were then divided... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 17:14

(14) Shall be cut off from his people.—Jewish commentators generally consider that this penalty consisted in the offender being left to the direct interposition of God, who would punish him with childlessness and premature death (Talmud: Tract Yebam, 55). Most Christian commentators suppose that the offender was to be put to death by the civil magistrate; but this view is untenable. For a distinction is constantly drawn between the penalty of death, and the being “cut off from among the... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 17:15

(15) Sarai.—Probably princely, an adjective of the same form as shaddai, Genesis 17:1; while Sarah means princess. The change of name shows that she was admitted to the covenant. (Comp. Genesis 17:10.) read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 17:16

(16) A son . . . of her.—This is the first place where it was definitely promised that Abram’s heir should be Sarah’s own son. This must be remembered in estimating the conduct of Abram and Sarah in the matter of Hagar. They had long waited, and hoped, before taking measures of their own for the fulfilment of the promise. The rest of the verse should be translated, “she shall become (grow into) nations: kings of peoples shall become of her, that is, “shall spring from her.” read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 17:17

(17) Abraham . . . laughed.—The Jewish interpreters regard Abraham’s laugh as one of joy, and Sarah’s (Genesis 18:12) as one of unbelief. We may, however, well doubt whether there really was this difference between them; but our Lord confirms the View that joy was uppermost in Abraham’s heart (John 8:56). Still with belief there was surprise, and the feeling that what was promised was so strange as to be well-nigh incredible. One who was ready to sacrifice his only son at God’s word (Hebrews... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 17:18

(18) O that Ishmael . . . —For thirteen years Ishmael had been the “son of the house” (Genesis 15:3), and regarded probably as the true heir. Mingled then with Abraham’s joy there was also the pain, natural to a father, of knowing that this transference of the promise to Sarah’s child meant the deposition and disappointment of one who for so long had held the post of honour. Stoicism would have repressed this upright and natural feeling, but God hears and accepts the father’s prayers; and while... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 17:19

(19) Indeed.—In the Hebrew this word comes first, and is intended to remove all doubt or desire for any other turn of affairs. It should be rendered, “And God said, For a certainty Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son.”Thou shalt call his name Isaac.—That is, he laughs. The name was to be a perpetual memorial that Isaac’s birth was naturally such an impossibility as to excite ridicule. read more

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 17:5

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 17:10

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 17:12

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 17:13

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 17:14

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 17:15

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 17:16

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 17:17

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 17:18

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 17:19

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