Source: http://yhwh-qra.com/gen-17-net-notes.aspx
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 16:09:32+00:00

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Heb "the son of ninety-nine years."
Heb "appeared to Abram and said to him." The proper name has been replaced by the pronoun ("him") and the final phrase "to him" has been left untranslated for stylistic reasons.
Or "Live out your life." The Hebrew verb translated "walk" is the Hitpael; it means "to walk back and forth; to walk about; to live out one’s life."Or "in my presence."There are two imperatives here: "walk…and be blameless [or "perfect"GEN." The second imperative may be purely sequential (see the translation) or consequential: "walk before me and then you will be blameless." How one interprets the sequence depends on the meaning of "walk before": (1) If it simply refers in a neutral way to serving the Elohim, then the second imperative is likely sequential. (2) But if it has a positive moral connotation ("serve me faithfully"), then the second imperative probably indicates purpose (or result). For other uses of the idiom see 1 Sam 2:30-35LEB, 1 Sam 12:2LEB (where it occurs twice).
Following the imperative, the cohortative indicates consequence. If Abram is blameless, then the Elohim will ratify the covenant. Earlier the Elohim ratified part of his promise to Abram (see Gen 15:18–21LEB), guaranteeing him that his descendants would live in the land. But the expanded form of the promise, which includes numerous descendants and eternal possession of the land, remains to be ratified. This expanded form of the promise is in view here (see vv. 2b, 4–8). See the note at Gen 15:18} and R. B. Chisholm, "Evidence from Genesis," A Case for Premillennialism, 35–54.
Heb "I will multiply you exceedingly, exceedingly." The repetition is emphatic.
Heb "And Abram fell on his face." This expression probably means that Abram sank to his knees and put his forehead to the ground, although it is possible that he completely prostrated himself. In either case the posture indicates humility and reverence.
Heb "Yahweh spoke to him, saying." This is redundant in contemporary English and has been simplified in the translation for stylistic reasons.
Heb "will your name be called."
Your name will be Abraham. The renaming of Abram was a sign of confirmation to the patriarch. Every time the name was used it would be a reminder of Yahweh’s promise. "Abram" means "exalted father," probably referring to Abram’s father Terah. The name looks to the past; Abram came from noble lineage. The name "Abraham" is a dialectical variant of the name Abram. But its significance is in the wordplay with אַב־הֲמוֹן (’av-hamon, "the father of a multitude," which sounds like אַבְרָהָם, ’avraham, "Abraham"). The new name would be a reminder of Yahweh’s intention to make Abraham the father of a multitude. For a general discussion of renaming, see O. Eissfeldt, "Renaming in the Old Testament," Words and Meanings, 70–83.
The perfect verbal form is used here in a rhetorical manner to emphasize Yahweh’s intention.
This verb starts a series of perfect verbal forms with vav (ו) consecutive to express Yahweh’s intentions.
Heb "exceedingly, exceedingly." The repetition is emphatic.
Heb "and I will make you into nations, and kings will come out from you."
The verb קוּם (qum, "to arise, to stand up") in the Hiphil verbal stem means "to confirm, to give effect to, to carry out" (i.e., a covenant or oath; see BDB 878-79 s.v. קוּם).
Heb "to be to you for Yahweh and to your descendants after you."
The verbal root is גּוּר (gur, "to sojourn, to reside temporarily," i.e., as a resident alienLEB). It is the land in which Abram resides, but does not yet possess as his very own.
The imperfect tense could be translated "you shall keep" as a binding command; but the obligatory nuance ("must") captures the binding sense better.
Heb "my covenant." The Hebrew word בְּרִית (bérit) can refer to (1) the agreement itself between two parties (see v. 7), (2) the promise made by one party to another (see vv. 2–3, 7LEB), (3) an obligation placed by one party on another, or (4) a reminder of the agreement. In vv. 9–10 the word refers to a covenantal obligation which Yahweh gives to Abraham and his descendants.
Heb "This is my covenant that you must keep between me and you and your descendants after you."
For a discussion of male circumcision as the sign of the covenant in this passage see M. V. Fox, "The Sign of the Covenant: Circumcision in the Light of the Priestly ‘ot Etiologies," RB 81 (1974LEB): 557-96.
Heb "the son of eight days."
The emphatic construction employs the Niphal imperfect tense (collective singularLEB) and the Niphal infinitive.
Heb "my covenant." Here in v. 13 the Hebrew word בְּרִית (bérit) refers to the outward, visible sign, or reminder, of the covenant. For the range of meaning of the term, see the note on the word "requirement" in v. 9.
The disjunctive clause calls attention to the "uncircumcised male" and what will happen to him.
Heb "that person will be cut off." The words "that person" have not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons.
The meaning of "cut off" has been discussed at great length. An entire tractate in the Mishnah is devoted to this subject (tractate Keritot). Being ostracized from the community is involved at the least, but it is not certain whether this refers to the death penalty.
Heb "he has broken my covenant." The noun בְּרִית (bérit) here refers to the obligation required by Yahweh in conjunction with the covenantal agreement. For the range of meaning of the term, see the note on the word "requirement" in v. 9.
Heb "[As for] Sarai your wife, you must not call her name Sarai, for Sarah [will be] her name."
Sarah. The name change seems to be a dialectical variation, both spellings meaning "princess" or "queen." Like the name Abram, the name Sarai symbolized the past. The new name Sarah, like the name Abraham, would be a reminder of what Yahweh intended to do for Sarah in the future.
Heb "she will become nations."
Laughed. The Hebrew verb used here provides the basis for the naming of Isaac: "And he laughed" is וַיִּצְחָק (vayyitskhaqLEB); the name "Isaac" is יִצְחָק (yitskhaq), "he laughs." Abraham’s (and Sarah’s, see 18:12) laughter signals disbelief, but when the boy is born, the laughter signals surprise and joy.
Heb "And he fell on his face and laughed and said in his heart."
The imperfect verbal form here carries a potential nuance, as it expresses the disbelief of Abraham.
Heb "to the son of a hundred years."
It is important to note that even though Abraham staggers at the announcement of the birth of a son, finding it almost too incredible, he nonetheless calls his wife Sarah, the new name given to remind him of the promise of Yahweh (v. 15).
Heb "the daughter of ninety years."
The wish is introduced with the Hebrew particle לוּ (lu), "O that."
Or "live with your blessing."
Heb "will call his name Isaac." The name means "he laughs," or perhaps "may he laugh" (see the note on the word "laughed" in v. 17).
The Hebrew verb translated "I have heard you" forms a wordplay with the name Ishmael, which means "Yahweh hears." See the note on the name "Ishmael" in Gen 16:11}.
Heb "And I will multiply him exceedingly, exceedingly." The repetition is emphatic.
For a discussion of the Hebrew word translated "princes," see E. A. Speiser, "Background and Function of the Biblical Nasi’," CBQ 25 (1963): 111-17.
Heb "And when he finished speaking with him, Yahweh went up from Abraham." The sequence of pronouns and proper names has been modified in the translation for stylistic reasons.
Yahweh went up from him. The text draws attention to Yahweh’s dramatic exit and in so doing brings full closure to the scene.
Heb "Ishmael his son and all born in his house and all bought with money, every male among the men of the house of Abraham."
Heb "circumcised the flesh of their foreskin." The Hebrew expression is somewhat pleonastic and has been simplified in the translation.
"the son of ninety-nine years."
Heb "circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin" (also in v. 25).
Heb "the son of thirteen years."

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