Genesis 17:5-7

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

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Genesis 17:7-14

Here is, I. The continuance of the covenant, intimated in three things:?1. It is established; not to be altered nor revoked. It is fixed, it is ratified, it is made as firm as the divine power and truth can make it. 2. It is entailed; it is a covenant, not with Abraham only (then it would die with him), but with his seed after him, not only his seed after the flesh, but his spiritual seed. 3. It is everlasting in the evangelical sense and meaning of it. The covenant of grace is everlasting. It... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 17:5

Neither shall thy name be any more called Abram ,.... Which signifies an "high father", which name he bore for many years before he was the father of anyone: but thy name shall be Abraham : with all addition of the letter ה inserted into it, and makes the last syllable two, "raham": which word in the Arabic language, as Hottinger F7 observes, signifies "numerous" F8 ; so that with this addition his name Abraham may be interpreted, the father of a numerous offspring; and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 17:6

And I will make thee exceeding fruitful ,.... In children, for he had not only a son by Sarai, from whom sprung a numerous offspring, but he had six sons by Keturah, who became the heads of large nations: and I will make nations of thee ; as the nations of Israel and Judah, of the Midianites and Edomites, of the Arabs, Saracens, and Turks: and kings shall come out of thee ; as the twelve princes of Ishmael, the kings of Edom and Midian, of the Arabs, Saracens, and Turks, and of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 17:7

And I will establish my covenant between me and thee ,.... Not only renew it, but confirm it by the following token of circumcision: and thy seed after thee, in their generation ; such blessings in it as belonged to his natural seed, as such he confirmed to them, to be enjoyed by them in successive ages; and such as belonged to his spiritual seed, to them also, as they should be raised up in future times in one place and another: for an everlasting covenant ; to his natural seed, as... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 17:5

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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 17:7

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

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 17:7

Verse 7 7.And thy seed after thee There is no doubt that the Lord distinguishes the race of Abraham from the rest of the world. We must now see what people he intends. Now they are deceived who think that his elect alone are here pointed out; and that all the faithful are indiscriminately comprehended, from whatever people, according to the flesh, they are descended. For, on the contrary, the Scripture declares that the race of Abraham, by lineal descent, had been peculiarly accepted by God.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 17:5

Neither shall thy name any mere be called Abram ,—Abram, i.e. high father ( vide Genesis 11:26 ); but Abraham —Abraham (in Arabic signifying a multitude); hence "the father of a multitude," as the next clause explains— for a father of many (or a multitude of) nations have I made thee. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Genesis 17:6

And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, —a promise fulfilled in the Ishmaelites, the descendants of Keturah, the Edomites, and the Israelites— and kings (e.g. David and Solomon) shall come out of thee . read more

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