20 And as for Ishmael, H3458 I have heard thee: H8085 Behold, I have blessed H1288 him, and will make him fruitful, H6509 and will multiply H7235 him exceedingly; H3966 H3966 twelve H6240 H8147 princes H5387 shall he beget, H3205 and I will make him H5414 a great H1419 nation. H1471
Arise, H6965 lift up H5375 the lad, H5288 and hold H2388 him in thine hand; H3027 for I will make H7760 him a great H1419 nation. H1471
And also of the son H1121 of the bondwoman H519 will I make H7760 a nation, H1471 because he is thy seed. H2233
And the angel H4397 of the LORD H3068 said H559 unto her, I will multiply H7235 thy seed H2233 exceedingly, H7235 that it shall not be numbered H5608 for multitude. H7230 And the angel H4397 of the LORD H3068 said H559 unto her, Behold, H2009 thou art with child, H2030 and shalt bear H3205 a son, H1121 and shalt call H7121 his name H8034 Ishmael; H3458 because the LORD H3068 hath heard H8085 thy affliction. H6040 And he will be a wild H6501 man; H120 his hand H3027 will be against every man, and every man's hand H3027 against him; and he shall dwell H7931 in the presence H6440 of all his brethren. H251
Now these are the generations H8435 of Ishmael, H3458 Abraham's H85 son, H1121 whom Hagar H1904 the Egyptian, H4713 Sarah's H8283 handmaid, H8198 bare H3205 unto Abraham: H85 And these are the names H8034 of the sons H1121 of Ishmael, H3458 by their names, H8034 according to their generations: H8435 the firstborn H1060 of Ishmael, H3458 Nebajoth; H5032 and Kedar, H6938 and Adbeel, H110 and Mibsam, H4017 And Mishma, H4927 and Dumah, H1746 and Massa, H4854 Hadar, H2316 and Tema, H8485 Jetur, H3195 Naphish, H5305 and Kedemah: H6929 These are the sons H1121 of Ishmael, H3458 and these are their names, H8034 by their towns, H2691 and by their castles; H2918 twelve H8147 H6240 princes H5387 according to their nations. H523 And these are the years H8141 of the life H2416 of Ishmael, H3458 an hundred H3967 H8141 and thirty H7970 H8141 and seven H7651 years: H8141 and he gave up the ghost H1478 and died; H4191 and was gathered H622 unto his people. H5971 And they dwelt H7931 from Havilah H2341 unto Shur, H7793 that is before H6440 Egypt, H4714 as thou goest H935 toward Assyria: H804 and he died H5307 in the presence H6440 of all his brethren. H251
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 17
Commentary on Genesis 17 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 17
Ge 17:1-27. Renewal of the Covenant.
1. Abram … ninety years old and nine—thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael [Ge 16:16]. During that interval he had enjoyed the comforts of communion with God but had been favored with no special revelation as formerly, probably on account of his hasty and blameable marriage with Hagar.
the Lord appeared—some visible manifestation of the divine presence, probably the Shekinah or radiant glory of overpowering effulgence.
I am the Almighty God—the name by which He made Himself known to the patriarchs (Ex 6:3), designed to convey the sense of "all-sufficient" (Ps 16:5, 6; 73:25).
walk … and … perfect—upright, or sincere (Ps 51:6) in heart, speech, and behavior.
3. Abram fell on his face—the attitude of profoundest reverence assumed by Eastern people. It consists in the prostrate body resting on the hands and knees, with the face bent till the forehead touches the ground. It is an expression of conscious humility and profound reverence.
4. my covenant is with thee—Renewed mention is made of it as the foundation of the communication that follows. It is the covenant of grace made with all who believe in the Saviour.
5. but thy name shall be Abraham—In Eastern countries a change of name is an advertisement of some new circumstance in the history, rank, or religion of the individual who bears it. The change is made variously, by the old name being entirely dropped for the new, or by conjoining the new with the old; or sometimes only a few letters are inserted, so that the altered form may express the difference in the owner's state or prospects. It is surprising how soon a new name is known and its import spread through the country. In dealing with Abraham and Sarai, God was pleased to adapt His procedure to the ideas and customs of the country and age. Instead of Abram, "a high father," he was to be called Abraham, "father of a multitude of nations" (see Re 2:17).
8. I will give unto thee … the land—It had been previously promised to Abraham and his posterity (Ge 15:18). Here it is promised as an "everlasting possession," and was, therefore, a type of heaven, "the better country" (Heb 11:16).
10. Every man child among you shall be circumcised—This was the sign in the Old Testament Church as baptism is in the New, and hence the covenant is called "covenant of circumcision" (Ac 7:8; Ro 4:11). The terms of the covenant were these: on the one hand Abraham and his seed were to observe the right of circumcision; and on the other, God promised, in the event of such observance, to give them Canaan for a perpetual possession, to be a God to him and his posterity, and that in him and his seed all nations should be blessed.
15, 16. As for Sarai … I will … give thee a son also of her—God's purposes are gradually made known. A son had been long ago promised to Abraham. Now, at length, for the first time he is informed that it was to be a child of Sarai.
17. Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed—It was not the sneer of unbelief, but a smile of delight at the improbability of the event (Ro 4:20).
18. O that Ishmael might live before thee—natural solicitude of a parent. But God's thoughts are not as man's thoughts [Isa 55:8].
19, 20. The blessings of the covenant are reserved for Isaac, but common blessings were abundantly promised to Ishmael; and though the visible Church did not descend from his family, yet personally he might, and it is to be hoped did, enjoy its benefits.