And God said unto Abraham, thou shalt keep my covenant therefore ,.... Observe the sign or token of it, circumcision, in the manner after related: thou, and thy seed after thee, in their generations ; in successive ages until the Messiah come, the end of the law for righteousness. read more
This is my covenant ,.... The token of it, for the promise itself was given before, which is more properly the covenant; circumcision is so called in an improper sense, being only the sign of it: which ye shall keep between me and you, and thy seed after thee ; which was to be observed by Abraham, and the males in his house then with him, as Ishmael, and those that were born in his house, or bought with his money, and by his posterity in succeeding ages, and it is what follows: ... read more
The Lord appeared to Abram - See note on Genesis 15:1 . I am the Almighty God - שדי אל אני ani El shaddai , I am God all-sufficient; from שדה shadah , to shed, to pour out. I am that God who pours out blessings, who gives them richly, abundantly, continually. Walk before me - לפני התהלך hithhallech lephanai , set thyself to walk - be firmly purposed, thoroughly determined to obey, before me; for my eye is ever on thee, therefore ever consider that God seeth thee. Who... read more
And Abram fell on his face - The eastern method of prostration was thus: the person first went down on his knees, and then lowered his head to his knees, and touched the earth with his forehead. A very painful posture, but significative of great humiliation and reverence. read more
Thy name shall be Abraham - Abram אברם literally signifies a high or exalted father. Ab - ra - ham אברהם differs from the preceding only in one letter; it has ה he before the last radical. Though this may appear very simple and easy, yet the true etymology and meaning of the word are very difficult to be assigned. The reason given for the change made in the patriarch's name is this: For a father of many nations have I made thee, גוים המון אב ab - hamon goyim , "a father... read more
An everlasting covenant - עולם ברית berith olam . See note on Genesis 13:15 . Here the word olam is taken in its own proper meaning, as the words immediately following prove - to be a God unto thee, and thy seed after thee; for as the soul is to endure for ever, so it shall eternally stand in need of the supporting power and energy of God; and as the reign of the Gospel dispensation shall be as long as sun and moon endure, and its consequences eternal, so must the covenant be on... read more
Everlasting possession - Here עולם olam appears to be used in its accommodated meaning, and signifies the completion of the Divine counsel in reference to a particular period or dispensation. And it is literally true that the Israelites possessed the land of Canaan till the Mosaic dispensation was terminated in the complete introduction of that of the Gospel. But as the spiritual and temporal covenants are both blended together, and the former was pointed out and typified by the latter,... read more
Every man - child - shall be circumcised - Those who wish to invalidate the evidence of the Divine origin of the Mosaic law, roundly assert that the Israelites received the rite of circumcision from the Egyptians. Their apostle in this business is Herodotus, who, lib. ii., p. 116, Edit. Steph. 1592, says: "The Colchians, Egyptians, and Ethiopians, are the only nations in the world who have used circumcision απ ' αρχης , from the remotest period; and the Phoenicians and Syrians who... read more
Verse 1 1.And when Abram was ninety years old and nine Moses passes over thirteen years of Abram’s life, not because nothing worthy of remembrance had in the meantime occurred; but because the Spirit of God, according to his own will, selects those things which are most necessary to be known. He purposely points out the length of time which had elapsed from the birth of Ishmael to the period when Isaac was promised, for the purpose of teaching us that he long remained satisfied with that son... read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 17:8
And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee ,.... To him in right, and to them in possession, and for an inheritance: the land wherein thou art a stranger ; or "the land of sojournings" or "pilgrimages" F12 ארץ מגריך "terram peregrinationum tuarum", Pagninus, Montanus, &c.; , which were many; for he often removed from place to place, and sometimes sojourned in one place, and sometimes in another: all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession ; this... read more