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This chapter contains articles of agreement covenanted and concluded upon between the great Jehovah, the Father of mercies, on the one part, and pious Abram, the father of the faithful, on the other part. Abram is therefore called "the friend of God," not only because he was the man of his counsel, but because he was the man of his covenant; both these secrets were with him. Mention was made of this covenant (Ge 15:18), but here it is particularly drawn up, and put into the form of a covenant, that Abram might have strong consolation. Here are, I. The circumstances of the making of this covenant, the time and manner (Ge 17:1), and the posture Abram was in, Ge 17:3. II. The covenant itself. In the general scope of it, Ge 17:1. And, afterwards, in the particular instances. 1. That he should be the father of many nations (Ge 17:4,6), and, in token of this, his name was changed, Ge 17:5. 2. That God would be a God to him and his seed, and would give them the land of Canaan, Ge 17:7,8. And the seal of this part of the covenant was circumcision, Ge 17:9-14. 3. That he should have a son by Sarai, and, in token thereof, her name was changed, Ge 17:15,16. This promise Abram received, Ge 17:17. And his request for Ishmael, (Ge 17:18) was answered, abundantly to his satisfaction, Ge 17:19-22. III. The circumcision of Abram and his family, according to God's appointment, Ge 17:23-27, etc.

In the ninety-ninth year of Abram's life God again appears to him, announces his name as God Almighty, and commands him to walk perfectly before him, Genesis 17:1; proposes to renew the covenant, Genesis 17:2. Abram's prostration, Genesis 17:3. The covenant specified, Genesis 17:4. Abram's name changed to Abraham, and the reason given, Genesis 17:5. The privileges of the covenant enumerated, Genesis 17:6-8. The conditions of the covenant to be observed, not only by Abraham, but all his posterity, Genesis 17:9. Circumcision appointed as a sign or token of the covenant, Genesis 17:10, Genesis 17:11. The age at which and the persons on whom this was to be performed, Genesis 17:12, Genesis 17:13. The danger of neglecting this rite, Genesis 17:14. Sarai's name changed to Sarah, and a particular promise made to her, Genesis 17:15, Genesis 17:16. Abraham's joy at the prospect of the performance of a matter which, in the course of nature, was impossible, Genesis 17:17. His request for the preservation and prosperity of Ishmael, Genesis 17:18. The birth and blessedness of Isaac foretold, Genesis 17:19. Great prosperity promised to Ishmael, Genesis 17:20. But the covenant to be established not in his, but in Isaac's posterity, Genesis 17:21. Abraham, Ishmael and all the males in the family circumcised, Genesis 17:23-27

Genesis gen 17:0 INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 17 This chapter treats of a covenant made with Abram, sometimes called the covenant of circumcision, the time when God appeared to him, and promised to make it, and did, Gen 17:1; the particulars of it, both with respect to himself, whose name was now changed, and to his posterity, Gen 17:4; the token of it, circumcision, the time of its performance, and the persons obliged to it, Gen 17:9; the change of Sarai's name, and a promise made that she should have a son, to the great surprise of Abraham, Gen 17:15; a prayer of his for Ishmael, and the answer to it, with a confirmation of Sarah's having a son, whose name should be called Isaac, and the establishment of the covenant with him, Gen 17:18; and the chapter is closed with an account of the circumcision of Abraham, and all his family of the male sort, agreeably to the command of God, Gen 17:23.

Ch. 17. The Institution of the Rite of Circumcision. (P.)

1–8.  The Covenant with Abram.

9–14.  Circumcision the Token of the Covenant.

15–22.  The Promise to Sarai.

23–27.  Abraham circumcises his household.

The whole of this chapter is from P.

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.

The covenant in its spiritual aspect. "The Lord," the Author of existence and performance. "God Almighty," El Shaddai. "El," the Lasting, Eternal, Absolute. "Shaddai," the Irresistible, Unchangeable, Destructive Isaiah 13:6; Joel 1:15. This term indicates on the one hand his judicial, punitive power, and points to his holiness; and on the other hand, his alterative, reconstructive power, and points to his providence. The complex name, therefore, describes God as the Holy Spirit, who works in the development of things, especially in the punishment and eradication of sin and its works, and in the regeneration and defense of holiness. It refers to potence, and potence combined with promise affords ground for faith.

Walk before me and be perfect. - In the institution of the covenant we had "fear not" - an encouragement to the daunted or the doubting. In its confirmation we have a command, a rule of life, prescribed. This is in keeping with the circumstances of Abraham. For, first, he has now faith in the Lord, which is the fruit of the new man in him prevailing over the old, and is therefore competent to obey; and, next, the Lord in whom he believes is God Almighty, the all-efficient Spirit, who worketh both to will and to do in the destroying of sin and building up of holiness. "Walk" - act in the most comprehensive sense of the term; "before me," and not behind, as one conscious of doing what is, not displeasing, but pleasing to me; "and be perfect," not sincere merely, unless in the primitive sense of duty, but complete, upright, holy, not only in walk, which is provided for in the previous clause, but in heart, the spring of action.

The Lord appeared to Abram - See note on Genesis 15:1.

I am the Almighty God - אני אל שדי ani El shaddai, I am God all-sufficient; from שדה shadah, to shed, to pour out. I am that God who pours out blessings, who gives them richly, abundantly, continually.

Walk before me - התהלך לפני hithhallech lephanai, set thyself to walk - be firmly purposed, thoroughly determined to obey, before me; for my eye is ever on thee, therefore ever consider that God seeth thee. Who can imagine a stronger incitement to conscientious, persevering obedience?

Be thou perfect - והיה תמים vehyeh thamim, and thou shalt be perfections, i.e., a together perfect. Be just such as the holy God would have thee to be, as the almighty God can make thee and live as the all-sufficient God shall support thee; for he alone who makes the soul holy can preserve it in holiness. Our blessed Lord appears to have had these words pointedly in view, Matthew 5:48 : Εσεσθε ὑμεις τελειοι, ὡσπερ ὁ Πατηρ ὑμων ὁ εν τοις ουρανοις τελειος εστι· Ye Shall Be perfect, as your Father who is in heaven is perfect. But what does this imply? Why, to be saved from all the power, the guilt, and the contamination of sin. This is only the negative part of salvation, but it has also a positive part; to be made perfect - to be perfect as our Father who is in heaven is perfect, to be filled with the fullness of God, to have Christ dwelling continually in the heart by faith, and to be rooted and grounded in love. This is the state in which man was created, for he was made in the image and likeness of God. This is the state from which man fell, for he broke the command of God. And this is the state into which every human soul must be raised, who would dwell with God in glory; for Christ was incarnated and died to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. What a glorious privilege! And who can doubt the possibility of its attainment, who believes in the omnipotent love of God, the infinite merit of the blood of atonement, and the all-pervading and all-purifying energy of the Holy Ghost? How many miserable souls employ that time to dispute and cavil against the possibility of being saved from their sins, which they should devote to praying and believing that they might be saved out of the hands of their enemies! But some may say, "You overstrain the meaning of the term; it signifies only, be sincere; for as perfect obedience is impossible, God accepts of sincere obedience." If by sincerity the objection means good desires, and generally good purposes, with an impure heart and spotted life, then I assert that no such thing is implied in the text, nor in the original word; but if the word sincerity be taken in its proper and literal sense, I have no objection to it. Sincere is compounded of sine cera, "without wax;" and, applied to moral subjects, is a metaphor taken from clarified honey, from which every atom of the comb or wax is separated. Then let it be proclaimed from heaven, Walk before me, and be Sincere! purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump unto God; and thus ye shall be perfect, as your Father who is in heaven is perfect. This is sincerity. Reader, remember that the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin. Ten thousand quibbles on insulated texts can never lessen, much less destroy, the merit and efficacy of the great Atonement.

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine,.... Which was thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael last mentioned; so many years more it was before be is expressly told he should have a son by Sarai, or had the promise of Isaac, which was for the trial of his faith; and his age is here observed, that the power of God might be more manifest in fulfilling his promise, and giving him a son by Sarai: the Lord appeared to Abram; in a visible manner, in an human form very probably, even the Logos, the Word and Son of God: it seems as if the Lord had not appeared to him since the birth of Ishmael, until this time; and if so, it may be thought to be a correction of him for listening to the voice of his wife in marrying Hagar, without asking counsel of God: and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; as the Word of God is, as appears by his creation of all things, his in sustaining of them, his government of the church, his redemption of it, and preservation of his people safe to glory, see Rev 1:8; and this epithet is very appropriate here, when the Lord was about to give out a promise of a son to Abram and Sarai, so much stricken in years. Some render it "all sufficient" (c), as Jehovah is, sufficient in and of himself, and for himself, and stands in no need of any, or of anything from another; and has a sufficiency for others, both in a way of providence and grace: walk before me: not as though Abram had not so walked, or had discontinued his walk before God, but that he would go on to walk by faith in a dependence on him for everything he wanted, both with respect to things temporal and spiritual; and to walk in all his commandments and ordinances, that he either had given, or should give him; and all this as in his presence, and under his watchful eye, that sees and observes all things, and before whom all things are naked and open, as all are to the essential Word of God, Heb 4:12, and be thou perfect: upright and sincere in acts of faith, and in duties of religion, and go on to perfection; which though a sinless one is not attainable in this life, is desirable, and is to be had in Christ, though not in ourselves: but here it chiefly denotes an holy and unblamable life and conversation, which though not entirely free from sin, yet without any notorious ones, which bring dishonour to God, and disgrace upon a man's character and profession, see Gen 6:9. This respects not perfection in his body or flesh, as the Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it, through circumcision, by which the Jews (d) fancy Abram became perfect, but was not till circumcised. (c) "Deus sufficiens", Cocceius; so Jarchi and Ainsworth. (d) Jarchi in loc. Pirke Eliezer, c. 29. Misn. Nedarim, c. 13. sect. 11.