Genesis 17:9-14 NIV

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 17:13

He that is born in thy house - The son of a servant; he that is bought with thy money - a slave on his coming into the family. According to the Jewish writers the father was to circumcise his son; and the master, the servant born in his house, or the slave bought with money. If the father or master neglected to do this, then the magistrates were obliged to see it performed; if the neglect of this ordinance was unknown to the magistrates, then the person himself, when he came of age, was... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 17:14

The uncircumcised - shall be cut off from his people - By being cut off some have imagined that a sudden temporal death was implied; but the simple meaning seems to be that such should have no right to nor share in the blessings of the covenant, which we have already seen were both of a temporal and spiritual kind; and if so, then eternal death was implied, for it was impossible for a person who had not received the spiritual purification to enter into eternal glory. The spirit of this law... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 17:9

Verse 9 9.Thou shalt keep my covenant As formerly, covenants were not only committed to public records, but were also wont to be engraven in brass, or sculptured on stones, in order that the memory of them might be more fully recorded, and more highly celebrated; so in the present instance, God inscribes his covenant in the flesh of Abraham. For circumcision was as a solemn memorial of that adoption, by which the family of Abraham had been elected to be the peculiar people of God. The pious had... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 17:10

Verse 10 10.Every man-child among you shall be circumcised Although God promised alike to males and females, what he afterwards sanctioned by circumcision, he nevertheless consecrated, in one sex, the whole people to himself. For whereas, by this symbol, the promise which was given, indiscriminately, to males and females, is confirmed, and it is certain that females as well as males had need of confirmation, it is hence evident, that the symbol was ordained for the sake of both sexes. Nor is it... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 17:11

Verse 11 11.Ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin Very strange and unaccountable would this command at first sight appear. The subject treated of, is the sacred covenant, in which righteousness, salvation, and happiness are promised; whereby the seed of Abraham is distinguished from other nations, in order that it may be holy and blessed; and who can say that it is reasonable for the sign of so great a mystery to consist in circumcision? (408) But as it was necessary for Abraham to... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 17:12

Verse 12 12.And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised (409) God now prescribes the eighth day for circumcision; whence it appears that this was a part of that discipline, under which he intended to keep his ancient people; for greater liberty is at this day, permitted in the administration of baptism. Some, however maintain that we must not contend earnestly about the number of days, because the Lord spared the children on account of their tenderness, since it was not without danger to... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 17:13

Verse 13 13.For an everlasting covenant The meaning of this expression may be twofold: either that God promises that his grace, of which circumcision was a sign and pledge, should be eternal; or that he intended the sign itself to be perpetually observed. Indeed, I have no doubt that this perpetuity ought to be referred to the visible sign. But they who hence infer, that the use of it ought to flourish among the Jews even of the present time, are (in my opinion) deceived. For they swerve from... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 17:14

Verse 14 14.And the uncircumcised man-child In order that circumcision might be the more attended to, God denounces a severe punishment on any one who should neglect it. And as this shows God’s great care for the salvation of men; so, on the other hand, it rebukes their negligence. For since God thus benignantly offers a pledge of his love, and of eternal life, for what purpose does he add threatening but to rouse the sluggishness of those whose duty it is to run with diligence? Therefore, this... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 17:9

And God said unto Abraham, Thou —literally, and thou, the other party to the covenant, the antithesis to I ( Genesis 17:4 )— shalt keep my covenant —literally, my covenant thou shalt keep — therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 17:10

This is my covenant ( i.e. the sign of it, as in Genesis 9:12 ), which ye shall keep ( i.e. observe to. do), between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised . Literally, circumcise among . (or of ) you every male , the inf. abs. הִמּוֹל , when it stands abruptly at the commencement of a sentence, having the force of a command. read more

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 17:13

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 17:14

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 17:9

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 17:10

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 17:11

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 17:12

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 17:13

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 17:14

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 17:9

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 17:10

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