Genesis 17

God’s Covenant with Abram

1 When Abram was 99 years old, God showed up and said, ‘I am the Almighty God. Walk faithfully with Me and live right.’

2 ‘I am making a covenant with you, and I am going to multiply your descendants big time.’

3 Abram dropped to the ground, face down, and God kept talking to him.

4 ‘This is My promise to you: You will be the father of many nations.’

5 ‘Your name is not Abram anymore. It is Abraham now, because I am making you the father of many nations.’

6 ‘I will make you super fruitful. Nations and kings will come from you.’

7 ‘This covenant is forever, it is between Me, you, and your descendants. I will be your God and theirs too.’

8 ‘I am giving you and your descendants all this land of Canaan. It is yours forever, and I will be their God.’

The Covenant of Circumcision

9 Then God said, ‘You must keep this covenant, you and your descendants, generation after generation.’

10 ‘Here is the deal: Every male among you must be circumcised.’

11 ‘This will be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.’

12 ‘Every male baby, eight days old, must be circumcised. This goes for everyone, your kids and anyone born in your household or bought as a servant.’

13 ‘Everyone must be circumcised, whether they are your family or someone who joined your house. This is an everlasting covenant.’

14 ‘If any male is not circumcised, he is breaking the covenant, and he is out.’

God Renames Sarai and Promises Isaac

15 God also said, ‘Your wife Sarai, Her name is not Sarai anymore, it is Sarah now.’

16 ‘I am going to bless her and give you a son through her. She will become the mother of nations, and kings will come from her.’

17 Abraham fell facedown laughing and thought, ‘How is a guy 100 years old is going to have a son, And Sarah’s 90, how is she is going to have a baby,’

18 Abraham said to God, ‘What about Ishmael, Can You not just bless him?’

19 God said, ‘Nah, your wife Sarah is going to have a son. Name him Isaac. I will make My covenant with him and his descendants forever.’

20 ‘As for Ishmael, I heard you. I will bless him too. He will have 12 princes and become a great nation.’

21 ‘But My covenant is with Isaac, the son Sarah will have next year around this time.’

22 When God finished talking, He left.

Abraham Follows Through

23 That same day, Abraham took his son Ishmael and every male in his household, whether born there or bought, and circumcised them, just like God said.

24 Abraham was 99 years old when he was circumcised.

25 Ishmael was 13 when he was circumcised.

26 Abraham and Ishmael, along with all the men in his household, were circumcised that same day.