Sarai signifies my lady, or my princess, which confines her dominion to one family; but Sarah signifies either a lady or princess, simply and absolutely without restriction, or the princess of a multitude, the Hebrew letter he being taken out of Hamon, and added to her name, as it was to Abram’s name. read more
He laughed, through admiration and holy rejoicing at so great a blessing, not through unbelief, as Sarah did, Genesis 18:12,Genesis 18:13, as appears from Romans 4:19,Romans 4:20. And though the outward act was the same in both, yet God discerned their differing dispositions and intentions therein. read more
Grant, O Lord, that the giving of one son may not be joined with the taking away of another; that Ishmael may faithfully serve thee, and may have a share in thy favour and gracious covenant. For this seems to be the meaning of this phrase of living before God, or in God’s presence, by comparing a parallel phrase, of walking before God, Genesis 17:1, and elsewhere, and an opposite phrase, from thy face shall I be hid, Genesis 4:14. read more
Isaac signifies laughter, not from Sarah’s laughter, which as yet had not happened, but from Abraham’s past laughter, Genesis 17:17, and future joy in his son. read more
Have heard thee, to wit, in part, or so far as is here expressed; and probably, as to the chief blessing of the covenant, to wit, the forgiveness of his sins, and eternal life, as the Hebrew doctors and some others collect from Genesis 25:17, and from other considerations. read more
The covenant of the promised Seed to come out of his loins, and of life and salvation to accrue to himself and to his posterity by virtue of that Seed; in comparison whereof God speaks slightly of all the temporal blessings conferred upon Ishmael, though in themselves they were great and glorious. By which it may sufficiently appear that Abraham’s faith, whereby he is said to be justified, Romans 4:1-25, had a further reach in it than to his own immediate child, even to the Messias, whose day... read more
To heaven in a visible manner, as it seems he conversed with him in some visible shape. Compare Genesis 35:13; Judges 13:20. read more
Circumcised the flesh of their foreskin; partly by his own hand, and partly by the help of others, whom he by Divine instinct called to and directed in that work; in the self-same day, in which God appeared to him and gave the command. So he made haste and delayed not to execute God’s command. And his servants also yielded a ready and cheerful obedience to this severe and painful precept, being moved thereunto by Abraham’s example and sovereign authority, by God’s powerful presence some way or... read more
CRITICAL NOTES.—Genesis 17:1. The Lord.] Heb. Jehovah, the Author of existence and performance—the Covenant God. Almighty God. Heb. El Shaddai. El, the name for God, which signifies strong, eternal, absolute. Shaddai. From a verb signifying to be strong—to destroy. Hence the Irresistible One, able to make and to destroy—the Almighty. “This is the name which expresses God’s Almightiness, and by which He says He was known to the patriarchs, rather than by the Covenant name Jehovah (Exodus 6:3).... read more
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Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible - Genesis 17:14
And the uncircumcised man-child; or rather, and as for the uncircumcised man-child. So the nominative is put absolutely, as is frequent in the Hebrew tongue. Whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, or, who shall not circumcise the flesh of his foreskin; for the Hebrew verb may be rendered actively, which seems best here; because the punishment seems more justly to belong to the parent, who was guilty of this neglect; than to the child, who was not capable of this precept, and therefore... read more