Genesis 17

This chapter is a confirmation, elaboration, and further explanation of the covenant already in existence, the covenant God made with Abram in Genesis 12:1ff. Here, there began to appear some of the duties and obligations incumbent upon Israel and deriving from the covenant. Up until this point, it might have seemed that all of the wonderful things that God would do for the posterity of Abraham would be done regardless of any compliance on their part with any of the divine regulations pertaining to the covenant. All such notions were dramatically dispelled in the events of this chapter. The covenant that God had already made with Abraham was "reaffirmed in this chapter,"[1] and the rite of circumcision was initiated as the sign of the existing covenant. "The purpose of God's appearance in this chapter was to renew the covenant."[2] The simple truth thus attested and observable by any thoughtful scholar was beautifully summed up by Whitelaw:

"Therefore, this is not an additional covenant to that described in Genesis 15, nor a different traditional account of the transaction contained in Genesis 15, nor the original Elohistic narrative of which Genesis 15 was a later imitation; but it was an intimation that the covenant already concluded was about to be carried into execution, and the promise of a son was more specifically determined as the offspring of Sarai."[3]

If one desires to examine the "source" (singular) of the teachings in this chapter, let him read it. This is the original document (singular) authored by the great O.T. lawgiver, Moses, and it stands unique and unassailable above the vain speculations of unbelievers. If the splitters and perverters of the Bible would attain to any status of credibility, then let them produce any one of the document sources which are the "stock in trade" of their unreasonable guesses. Believers of the Bible are foolish indeed to be swept off their feet by that fantastic and fanciful fabric of prior sources imposed upon the sacred narrative by men without authority, without evidence, and without the faintest possibility of the truth of any of their theories. The Genesis record is all there is; let them confront that!