4 `I -- lo, My covenant `is' with thee, and thou hast become father of a multitude of nations;
And God saith to him, `I `am' God Almighty; be fruitful and multiply, a nation and an assembly of nations is from thee, and kings from thy loins go out;
And I make thee become a great nation, and bless thee, and make thy name great; and be thou a blessing.
and the messenger of Jehovah saith to her, `Multiplying I multiply thy seed, and it is not numbered from multitude;'
that blessing I bless thee, and multiplying I multiply thy seed as stars of the heavens, and as sand which `is' on the sea-shore; and thy seed doth possess the gate of his enemies;
And Abraham addeth and taketh a wife, and her name `is' Keturah; and she beareth to him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah. And Jokshan hath begotten Sheba and Dedan; and the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim; and the sons of Midian `are' Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah: all these `are' sons of Keturah. And Abraham giveth all that he hath to Isaac; and to the sons of the concubines whom Abraham hath, Abraham hath given gifts, and sendeth them away from Isaac his son (in his being yet alive) eastward, unto the east country. And these `are' the days of the years of the life of Abraham, which he lived, a hundred and seventy and five years; and Abraham expireth, and dieth in a good old age, aged and satisfied, and is gathered unto his people. And Isaac and Ishmael his sons bury him at the cave of Machpelah, at the field of Ephron, son of Zoar the Hittite, which `is' before Mamre -- the field which Abraham bought from the sons of Heth -- there hath Abraham been buried, and Sarah his wife. And it cometh to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blesseth Isaac his son; and Isaac dwelleth by the Well of the Living One, my Beholder. And these `are' births of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, hath borne to Abraham; and these `are' the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their births: first-born of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam, and Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa, Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah: these are sons of Ishmael, and these their names, by their villages, and by their towers; twelve princes according to their peoples. And these `are' the years of the life of Ishmael, a hundred and thirty and seven years; and he expireth, and dieth, and is gathered unto his people; and they tabernacle from Havilah unto Shur, which `is' before Egypt, in `thy' going towards Asshur; in the presence of all his brethren hath he fallen.
and Thou -- Thou hast said, I certainly do good with thee, and have set thy seed as the sand of the sea, which is not numbered because of the multitude.'
And these `are' births of Esau, who `is' Edom. Esau hath taken his wives from the daughters of Canaan: Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite, and Aholibamah daughter of Anah, daughter of Zibeon the Hivite, and Bashemath daughter of Ishmael, sister of Nebajoth. And Adah beareth to Esau, Eliphaz; and Bashemath hath born Reuel; and Aholibamah hath born Jeush, and Jaalam, and Korah. These `are' sons of Esau, who were born to him in the land of Canaan. And Esau taketh his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance which he hath acquired in the land of Canaan, and goeth into the country from the face of Jacob his brother; for their substance was more abundant than to dwell together, and the land of their sojournings was not able to bear them because of their cattle; and Esau dwelleth in mount Seir: Esau is Edom. And these `are' births of Esau, father of Edom, in mount Seir. These `are' the names of the sons of Esau: Eliphaz son of Adah, wife of Esau; Reuel son of Bashemath, wife of Esau. And the sons of Eliphaz are Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz; and Timnath hath been concubine to Eliphaz son of Esau, and she beareth to Eliphaz, Amalek; these `are' sons of Adah wife of Esau. And these `are' sons of Reuel: Nahath and Zerah, Shammah and Mizzah; these were sons of Bashemath wife of Esau. And these have been the sons of Aholibamah daughter of Anah, daughter of Zibeon, wife of Esau; and she beareth to Esau, Jeush and Jaalam and Korah. These `are' chiefs of the sons of Esau: sons of Eliphaz, first-born of Esau: chief Teman, chief Omar, chief Zepho, chief Kenaz, chief Korah, chief Gatam, chief Amalek; these `are' chiefs of Eliphaz, in the land of Edom; these `are' sons of Adah. And these `are' sons of Reuel son of Esau: chief Nahath, chief Zerah, chief Shammah, chief Mizzah; these `are' chiefs of Reuel, in the land of Edom; these `are' sons of Bashemath wife of Esau. And these `are' sons of Aholibamah wife of Esau: chief Jeush, chief Jaalam, chief Korah; these `are' chiefs of Aholibamah daughter of Anah, wife of Esau. These `are' sons of Esau (who `is' Edom), and these their chiefs. These `are' sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, and Shobal, and Zibeon, and Anah, and Dishon, and Ezer, and Dishan; these `are' chiefs of the Horites, sons of Seir, in the land of Edom. And the sons of Lotan are Hori and Heman; and a sister of Lotan `is' Timna. And these `are' sons of Shobal: Alvan and Manahath, and Ebal, Shepho and Onam. And these `are' sons of Zibeon, both Ajah and Anah: it `is' Anah that hath found the Imim in the wilderness, in his feeding the asses of Zibeon his father. And these `are' sons of Anah: Dishon, and Aholibamah daughter of Anah. And these `are' sons of Dishon: Hemdan, and Eshban, and Ithran, and Cheran. These `are' sons of Ezer: Bilhan, and Zaavan, and Akan. These `are' sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. These `are' chiefs of the Horite: chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah, chief Dishon, chief Ezer, chief Dishan: these `are' chiefs of the Horite in reference to their chiefs in the land of Seir. And these `are' the kings who have reigned in the land of Edom before the reigning of a king over the sons of Israel. And Bela son of Beor reigneth in Edom, and the name of his city `is' Dinhabah; and Bela dieth, and reign in his stead doth Jobab son of Zerah from Bozrah; and Jobab dieth, and reign in his stead doth Husham from the land of the Temanite. And Husham dieth, and reign in his stead doth Hadad son of Bedad (who smiteth Midian in the field of Moab), and the name of his city `is' Avith; and Hadad dieth, and reign in his stead doth Samlah of Masrekah; and Samlah dieth, and reign in his stead doth Saul from Rehoboth of the River; and Saul dieth, and reign in his stead doth Baal-hanan son of Achbor; and Baal-hanan son of Achbor dieth, and reign in his stead doth Hadar, and the name of his city `is' Pau; and his wife's name `is' Mehetabel daughter of Matred, daughter of Me-zahab. And these `are' the names of the chiefs of Esau, according to their families, according to their places, by their names: chief Timnah, chief Alvah, chief Jetheth, chief Aholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon, chief Kenaz, chief Teman, chief Mibzar, chief Magdiel, chief Iram: these `are' chiefs of Edom, in reference to their dwellings, in the land of their possession; he `is' Esau father of Edom.
And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first of the second month, in the second year of their going out of the land of Egypt, saying: `Take ye up the sum of all the company of the sons of Israel by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names -- every male by their polls; from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host in Israel, ye do number them by their hosts, thou and Aaron; and with you there is a man for a tribe, each is a head to the house of his fathers. `And these `are' the names of the men who stand with you: `For Reuben -- Elizur son of Shedeur. `For Simeon -- Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. `For Judah -- Nahshon son of Amminadab. `For Issachar -- Nathaneel son of Zuar. `For Zebulun -- Eliab son of Helon. `For the sons of Joseph -- for Ephraim: Elishama son of Ammihud: for Manasseh -- Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. `For Benjamin -- Abidan son of Gideoni. `For Dan -- Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. `For Asher -- Pagiel son of Ocran. `For Gad -- Eliasaph son of Deuel. `For Naphtali -- Ahira son of Enan.' These `are' those called of the company, princes of the tribes of their fathers; they `are' heads of the thousands of Israel. And Moses taketh -- Aaron also -- these men, who were defined by name, and all the company they assembled on the first of the second month, and they declare their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names from a son of twenty years and upward, by their polls, as Jehovah hath commanded Moses; and he numbereth them in the wilderness of Sinai. And the sons of Reuben, Israel's first-born -- their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, by their polls, every male from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host -- their numbered ones, for the tribe of Reuben, are six and forty thousand and five hundred. Of the sons of Simeon -- their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, its numbered ones in the number of names, by their polls, every male from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host -- their numbered ones, for the tribe of Simeon, `are' nine and fifty thousand and three hundred. Of the sons of Gad -- their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host -- their numbered ones, for the tribe of Gad, `are' five and forty thousand and six hundred and fifty. Of the sons of Judah -- their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host -- their numbered ones, for the tribe of Judah, `are' four and seventy thousand and six hundred. Of the sons of Issachar -- their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host -- their numbered ones, for the tribe of Issachar, `are' four and fifty thousand and four hundred. Of the sons of Zebulun -- their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host -- their numbered ones, for the tribe of Zebulun, `are' seven and fifty thousand and four hundred. Of the sons of Joseph -- of the sons of Ephraim -- their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host -- their numbered ones, for the tribe of Ephraim, `are' forty thousand and five hundred. Of the sons of Manasseh -- their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host -- their numbered ones, for the tribe of Manasseh, `are' two and thirty thousand and two hundred. Of the sons of Benjamin -- their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host -- their numbered ones, for the tribe of Benjamin, `are' five and thirty thousand and four hundred. Of the sons of Dan -- their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host -- their numbered ones, for the tribe of Dan, `are' two and sixty thousand and seven hundred. Of the sons of Asher -- their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host -- their numbered ones, for the tribe of Asher, `are' one and forty thousand and five hundred. `Of' the sons of Naphtali -- their births, by their families, by the house of their fathers, in the number of names, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host -- their numbered ones, for the tribe of Naphtali, `are' three and fifty thousand and four hundred. These `are' those numbered, whom Moses numbered -- Aaron also, and the princes of Israel, twelve men -- each for the house of his fathers, they have been. And they are, all those numbered of the sons of Israel, by the house of their fathers, from a son of twenty years and upward, every one going out to the host in Israel, yea, all those numbered are six hundred thousand, and three thousand, and five hundred and fifty. And the Levites, for the tribe of their fathers, have not numbered themselves in their midst, seeing Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying, `Only, the tribe of Levi thou dost not number, and their sum thou dost not take up in the midst of the sons of Israel; and thou, appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, and over all its vessels, and over all that it hath; they bear the tabernacle, and all its vessels, and they serve it; and round about the tabernacle they encamp. `And in the journeying of the tabernacle, the Levites take it down, and in the encamping of the tabernacle, the Levites raise it up; and the stranger who is coming near is put to death.' And the sons of Israel have encamped, each by his camp, and each by his standard, by their hosts; and the Levites encamp round about the tabernacle of the testimony; and there is no wrath on the company of the sons of Israel, and the Levites have kept the charge of the tabernacle of the testimony. And the sons of Israel do according to all that Jehovah hath commanded Moses; so they have done.
And it cometh to pass, after the plague, that Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, and unto Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, saying, `Take up the sum of all the company of the sons of Israel, from a son of twenty years and upward, by the house of their fathers, every one going out to the host in Israel.' And Moses speaketh -- Eleazar the priest also -- with them, in the plains of Moab, by Jordan, `near' Jericho, saying, `From a son of twenty years and upward,' as Jehovah hath commanded Moses and the sons of Israel who are coming out from the land of Egypt. Reuben, first-born of Israel -- sons of Reuben: `of' Hanoch `is' the family of the Hanochite; of Pallu the family of the Palluite; of Hezron the family of the Hezronite; of Carmi the family of the Carmite. These `are' families of the Reubenite, and their numbered ones are three and forty thousand and seven hundred and thirty. And the son of Pallu `is' Eliab; and the sons of Eliab `are' Nemuel and Dathan and Abiram; this `is that' Dathan and Abiram, called ones of the company, who have striven against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, in their striving against Jehovah, and the earth openeth her mouth, and swalloweth them and Korah, in the death of the company, in the fire consuming the two hundred and fifty men, and they become a sign; and the sons of Korah died not. Sons of Simeon by their families: of Nemuel `is' the family of the Nemuelite; of Jamin the family of the Jaminite; of Jachin the family of the Jachinite; of Zerah the family of the Zarhite; of Shaul the family of the Shaulite. These `are' families of the Simeonite, two and twenty thousand and two hundred. Sons of Gad by their families: of Zephon `is' the family of the Zephonite; of Haggi the family of the Haggite; of Shuni the family of the Shunite; of Ozni the family of the Oznite; of Eri the family of the Erite: of Arod the family of the Arodite; of Areli the family of the Arelite. These `are' families of the sons of Gad, by their numbered ones, forty thousand and five hundred. Sons of Judah `are' Er and Onan; and Er dieth -- Onan also -- in the land of Canaan. And sons of Judah, by their families, are: of Shelah the family of the Shelanite; of Pharez the family of the Pharzite; of Zerah the family of the Zarhite; and sons of Pharez are: of Hezron the family of the Hezronite; of Hamul the family of the Hamulite. These `are' families of Judah, by their numbered ones, six and seventy thousand and five hundred. Sons of Issachar by their families; `of' Tola `is' the family of the Tolaite; of Pua the family of the Punite; of Jashub the family of the Jashubite; of Shimron the family of the Shimronite. These `are' families of Issachar, by their numbered ones, four and sixty thousand and three hundred. Sons of Zebulun by their families: of Sered `is' the family of the Sardite; of Elon the family of the Elonite; of Jahleel the family of the Jahleelite. These `are' families of the Zebulunite by their numbered ones, sixty thousand and five hundred. Sons of Joseph by their families `are' Manasseh and Ephraim. Sons of Manasseh: of Machir `is' the family of the Machirite; and Machir hath begotten Gilead; of Gilead `is' the family of the Gileadite. These `are' sons of Gilead: `of' Jeezer `is' the family of the Jeezerite; of Helek the family of the Helekite; and `of' Asriel the family of the Asrielite; and `of' Shechem the family of the Shechemite; and `of' Shemida the family of the Shemidaite; and `of' Hepher the family of the Hepherite. And Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons but daughters, and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad `are' Mahlah, and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. These `are' families of Manasseh, and their numbered ones `are' two and fifty thousand and seven hundred. These `are' sons of Ephraim by their families: of Shuthelah `is' the family of the Shuthelhite; of Becher the family of the Bachrite; of Tahan the family of the Tahanite. And these `are' sons of Shuthelah: of Eran the family of the Eranite. These `are' families of the sons of Ephraim, by their numbered ones, two and thirty thousand and five hundred. These `are' sons of Joseph by their families. Sons of Benjamin by their families: of Bela `is' the family of the Belaite; of Ashbel the family of the Ashbelite; of Ahiram the family of the Ahiramite; of Shupham the family of the Shuphamite; of Hupham the family of the Huphamite. And sons of Bela are Ard and Naaman: `of Ard is' the family of the Ardite: of Naaman the family of the Naamite. These `are' sons of Benjamin by their families, and their numbered ones `are' five and forty thousand and six hundred. These `are' sons of Dan by their families: of Shuham `is' the family of the Shuhamite; these `are' families of Dan by their families; all the families of the Shuhamite, by their numbered ones, `are' four and sixty thousand and four hundred. Sons of Asher by their families: of Jimna `is' the family of the Jimnite; of Jesui the family of the Jesuite; of Beriah the family of the Beriite. Of sons of Beriah: of Heber `is' the family of the Heberite; of Malchiel the family of the Malchielite. And the name of the daughter of Asher `is' Sarah. These `are' families of the sons of Asher, by their numbered ones, three and fifty thousand and four hundred. Sons of Naphtali by their families: of Jahzeel `is' the family of the Jahzeelite; of Guni the family of the Gunite; of Jezer the family of the Jezerite; of Shillem the family of the Shillemite. These `are' families of Naphtali by their families, and their numbered ones `are' five and forty thousand and four hundred. These `are' numbered ones of the sons of Israel, six hundred thousand, and a thousand, seven hundred and thirty. And Jehovah speaketh unto Moses, saying, `To these is the land apportioned by inheritance, by the number of names; to the many thou dost increase their inheritance, and to the few thou dost diminish their inheritance; `to' each according to his numbered ones is given his inheritance. `Only by lot is the land apportioned, by the names of the tribes of their fathers they inherit; according to the lot is their inheritance apportioned between many and few.' And these `are' numbered ones of the Levite by their families: of Gershon `is' the family of the Gershonite; of Kohath the family of the Kohathite; of Merari the family of the Merarite. These `are' families of the Levite: the family of the Libnite, the family of the Hebronite, the family of the Mahlite, the family of the Mushite, the family of the Korathite. And Kohath hath begotten Amram, and the name of Amram's wife is Jochebed, daughter of Levi, whom `one' hath born to Levi in Egypt; and she beareth to Amram Aaron, and Moses, and Miriam their sister. And born to Aaron Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar; and Nadab dieth -- Abihu also -- in their bringing near strange fire before Jehovah. And their numbered ones are three and twenty thousand, every male from a son of a month and upwards, for they have not numbered themselves in the midst of the sons of Israel; for an inheritance hath not been given to them in the midst of the sons of Israel. These `are' those numbered by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who have numbered the sons of Israel in the plains of Moab, by Jordan, `near' Jericho; and among these there hath not been a man of those numbered by Moses, and Aaron the priest, who numbered the sons of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai, for Jehovah said of them, `They do certainly die in the wilderness;' and there hath not been left of them a man save Caleb son of Jephunneh, and Joshua son of Nun.
and a sign he did receive of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith in the uncircumcision, for his being father of all those believing through uncircumcision, for the righteousness also being reckoned to them, and father of circumcision to those not of circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of the faith, that `is' in the uncircumcision of our father Abraham. For not through law `is' the promise to Abraham, or to his seed, of his being heir of the world, but through the righteousness of faith; for if they who are of law `are' heirs, the faith hath been made void, and the promise hath been made useless; for the law doth work wrath; for where law is not, neither `is' transgression. Because of this `it is' of faith, that `it may be' according to grace, for the promise being sure to all the seed, not to that which `is' of the law only, but also to that which `is' of the faith of Abraham, who is father of us all (according as it hath been written -- `A father of many nations I have set thee,') before Him whom he did believe -- God, who is quickening the dead, and is calling the things that be not as being. Who, against hope in hope did believe, for his becoming father of many nations according to that spoken: `So shall thy seed be;'
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.