5 Neither shall thy name H8034 any more be called H7121 Abram, H87 but thy name H8034 shall be Abraham; H85 for a father H1 of many H1995 nations H1471 have I made thee. H5414
And the Gentiles H1471 shall see H7200 thy righteousness, H6664 and all kings H4428 thy glory: H3519 and thou shalt be called H7121 by a new H2319 name, H5344 which the mouth H6310 of the LORD H3068 shall name. H8034 Thou shalt also be a crown H5850 of glory H8597 in the hand H3027 of the LORD, H3068 and a royal H4410 diadem H6797 H6797 in the hand H3709 of thy God. H430 Thou shalt no more be termed H559 Forsaken; H5800 neither shall thy land H776 any more be termed H559 Desolate: H8077 but thou shalt be called H7121 Hephzibah, H2657 and thy land H776 Beulah: H1166 for the LORD H3068 delighteth H2654 in thee, and thy land H776 shall be married. H1166
And G1161 she shall bring forth G5088 a son, G5207 and G2532 thou shalt call G2564 his G846 name G3686 JESUS: G2424 for G1063 he G846 shall save G4982 his G846 people G2992 from G575 their G846 sins. G266 Now G1161 all G3650 this G5124 was done, G1096 that G2443 it might be fulfilled G4137 which G3588 was spoken G4483 of G5259 the Lord G2962 by G1223 the prophet, G4396 saying, G3004 Behold, G2400 a virgin G3933 shall be with child, G1722 G1064 G2192 and G2532 shall bring forth G5088 a son, G5207 and G2532 they shall call G2564 his G846 name G3686 Emmanuel, G1694 which G3739 being interpreted G3177 is, G2076 God G2316 with G3326 us. G2257
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.