Genesis 17

1 When Abram was 99, the Lord appeared to him and told him, “I am God Almighty. Live in my presence and don't do wrong.

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless.

2 I will make my agreement between me and you, and I will give you many, many descendants.”

I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.”

3 Abram bowed down with his face to the ground, and God told him,

Then Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,

4 “Listen! This is the agreement I'm making with you. You will be the father of many nations,

“As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.

5 so your name won't be Abram any longer. Instead, your name will be Abraham because I'm going to make you the father of many nations.

No longer will you be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.

6 I will make sure you have a large number of descendants. They will become many nations, and some of their kings will also come from your line.

I will make you exceedingly fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will descend from you.

7 I promise to continue my agreement with you, and with your descendants who come after you, for generations to come. This is an eternal agreement. I will always be your God, and the God of your descendants.

I will establish My covenant as an everlasting covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.

8 I will give you and your descendants the whole country of Canaan—where you've been living as a foreigner—as land to own forever, and I will be their God.”

And to you and your descendants I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as an eternal possession; and I will be their God.”

9 Then God told Abraham, “Your part is to keep my agreement—you and your descendants for generations to come.

God also said to Abraham, “You must keep My covenant—you and your descendants in the generations after you.

10 This is my agreement with you and your descendants who come after you, the agreement you are to keep: every male among you shall be circumcised.

This is My covenant with you and your descendants after you, which you are to keep: Every male among you must be circumcised.

11 You are to circumcise your foreskin, and this will be the sign of the agreement between me and you.

You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you.

12 From now and for all generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised. This includes not only your sons but also those born in your household or bought from foreigners.

Generation after generation, every male must be circumcised when he is eight days old, including those born in your household and those purchased from a foreigner—even those who are not your offspring.

13 You must circumcise those born in your household or bought from foreigners as a sign in your bodies of my eternal agreement.

Whether they are born in your household or purchased, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh will be an everlasting covenant.

14 Any uncircumcised male who refuses circumcision will be excluded from his people because he has broken my agreement.”

But if any male is not circumcised, he will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

15 Then God told Abraham, “Now about Sarai your wife. Don't call her Sarai any longer. Instead, her name will be Sarah.

Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, do not call her Sarai, for her name is to be Sarah.

16 I will bless her and I promise to give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will become the mother of nations, and kings will be among her descendants.”

And I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will descend from her.”

17 Abraham bowed down with his face to the ground. But inside he was laughing, asking himself, “How on earth could I have a son at the age of one hundred? How could Sarah have a child when she is ninety?”

Abraham fell facedown. Then he laughed and said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah give birth at the age of ninety?”

18 Abraham said to God, “May Ishmael always live under your blessing!”

And Abraham said to God, “O that Ishmael might live under Your blessing!”

19 “No, it's your wife Sarah who is going to have a son for you!” God replied. “You are to call him Isaac. I will keep my agreement with him and his descendants as an eternal agreement.

But God replied, “Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.

20 Now about Ishmael. I heard what you said, and I will also bless him. I will make sure he has a great many descendants. He will be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation.

As for Ishmael, I have heard you, and I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He will become the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.

21 But it's with Isaac that I will keep my agreement, the son Sarah will give birth to about this time next year.”

But I will establish My covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.”

22 When God had finished speaking with Abraham he left him.

When He had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.

23 That day Abraham circumcised his son Ishmael as well as all those born in his household or purchased, in fact every male among the members of Abraham's household, just as God had told him.

On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or purchased with his money—every male among the members of Abraham’s household—and he circumcised them, just as God had told him.

24 Abraham was 99 when he was circumcised,

So Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised,

25 and his son Ishmael was thirteen.

and his son Ishmael was thirteen;

26 Both Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on the same day.

Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on the same day.

27 All the males in Abraham's household, including those born in his household or purchased from foreigners, were circumcised with him.

And all the men of Abraham’s household—both servants born in his household and those purchased from foreigners—were circumcised with him.