John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 17:4
As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee ,.... Who was gracious to make it, faithful to keep it, and immutable in it, though Abram was but a man, and sinful: and thou shalt be a father of many nations : as he was of many Arabian nations, and of the Turks in the line of Ishmael; and of the Midianites, and others, in the line of his sons by Keturah; and of the Israelites in the line of Isaac, as well as of the Edomites in the line of Esau; and in a spiritual sense the father of all... read more
Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 17:4-6
The promise here is introduced with solemnity: ?As for me,? says the great God, ?behold, behold and admire it, behold and be assured of it, my covenant is with thee;? as before (Gen. 17:2), I will make my covenant. Note, The covenant of grace is a covenant of God's own making; this he glories in (as for me), and so may we. Now here, I. It is promised to Abraham that he should be a father of many nations; that is, 1. That his seed after the flesh should be very numerous, both in Isaac and... read more