171 Now when Abram was ninety-nine e years old , the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty ; Walk before Me, and be blameless . 2 "I will establish My covenant between Me and you, And I will multiply you exceedingly ." 3 Abram fell on his face , and God talked with him, saying ,
4 "As for Me, behold , My covenant is with you, And you will be the father of a multitude of nations . 5 "No longer shall your name be called Abram , But your name shall be Abraham ; For I will make you the father of a multitude of nations . 6 "I will make you exceedingly fruitful , and I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you.
7 "I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant , to be God to you and to your descendants after you. 8 " I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings , all the land of Canaan , for an everlasting possession ; and I will be their God ." 9 God said further to Abraham , "Now as for you, you shall keep My covenant , you and your descendants after you throughout their generations . 10 " This is My covenant , which you shall keep , between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised . 11 "And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin , and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you. 12 "And every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations , a servant who is born in the house or who is bought with money from any foreigner e , who is not of your descendants . 13 "A servant who is born in your house or who is bought with your money shall surely be circumcised ; thus shall My covenant be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant . 14 "But an uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin , that person shall be cut off from his people ; he has broken My covenant ."
15 Then God said to Abraham , "As for Sarai your wife , you shall not call her name Sarai , but Sarah shall be her name . 16 "I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations ; kings of peoples will come from her." 17 Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed , and said in his heart , "Will a child be born to a man one hundred years old ? And will Sarah , who is ninety years old , bear a child?" 18 And Abraham said to God , "Oh that Ishmael might live before You!" 19 But God said , "No , but Sarah your wife will bear you a son , and you shall call his name Isaac ; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. 20 "As for Ishmael , I have heard you; behold , I will bless him, and will make him fruitful and will multiply him exceedingly . He shall become the father of twelve e princes , and I will make him a great nation . 21 "But My covenant I will establish with Isaac , whom Sarah will bear to you at this season next year ."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Genesis 17:1-21
Commentary on Genesis 17:1-6
(Read Genesis 17:1-6)
The covenant was to be accomplished in due time. The promised Seed was Christ, and Christians in him. And all who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abram, being partakers of the same covenant blessings. In token of this covenant his name was changed from Abram, "a high father," to Abraham, "the father of a multitude." All that the Christian world enjoys, it is indebted for to Abraham and his Seed.
Commentary on Genesis 17:7-14
(Read Genesis 17:7-14)
The covenant of grace is from everlasting in the counsels of it, and to everlasting in the consequences of it. The token of the covenant was circumcision. It is here said to be the covenant which Abraham and his seed must keep. Those who will have the Lord to be to them a God, must resolve to be to him a people. Not only Abraham and Isaac, and his posterity by Isaac, were to be circumcised, but also Ishmael and the bond-servants. It sealed not only the covenant of the land of Canaan to Isaac's posterity, but of heaven, through Christ, to the whole church of God. The outward sign is for the visible church; the inward seal of the Spirit is peculiar to those whom God knows to be believers, and he alone can know them. The religious observance of this institution was required, under a very severe penalty. It is dangerous to make light of Divine institutions, and to live in the neglect of them. The covenant in question was one that involved great blessings for the world in all future ages. Even the blessedness of Abraham himself, and all the rewards conferred upon him, were for Christ's sake. Abraham was justified, as we have seen, not by his own righteousness, but by faith in the promised Messiah.
Commentary on Genesis 17:15-22
(Read Genesis 17:15-22)
Here is the promise made to Abraham of a son by Sarai, in whom the promise made to him should be fulfilled. The assurance of this promise was the change of Sarai's name into Sarah. Sarai signifies my princess, as if her honour were confined to one family only; Sarah signifies a princess. The more favours God confers upon us, the more low we should be in our own eyes. Abraham showed great joy; he laughed, it was a laughter of delight, not of distrust. Now it was that Abraham rejoiced to see Christ's day; now he saw it and was glad, John 8:56. Abraham, dreading lest Ishmael should be abandoned and forsaken of God, put up a petition on his behalf. God gives us leave in prayer to be particular in making known our requests. Whatever is our care and fear, should be spread before God in prayer. It is the duty of parents to pray for their children, and the great thing we should desire is, that they may be kept in covenant with Him, and may have grace to walk before him in uprightness. Common blessings are secured to Ishmael. Outward good things are often given to those children of godly parents who are born after the flesh, for their parents' sake. Covenant blessings are reserved for Isaac, and appropriated to him.