Read Genesis 17
This chapter is a focal point in the life of Abraham, both thematically and in the literary structure of the text itself. In this chapter Abraham and Sarah both receive a name change. One may read that from this point on God has changed their very characters. God also reveals the name of their promised son, and the specifics of his birth. So in a certain sense Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac all appear for the first time in this chapter.
Everything in Abraham’s life up until this chapter has led to the birth of Ishmael. If the story had ended in the last chapter, one may have assumed that the story ended with the birth of Ishmael as God’s promised son. It is in this chapter that God reveals for the first time that Ishmael is not the son of the promise, when he is already thirteen years old. Everything changes here.
In the Creation accounts of Genesis we saw a parallel structure occur in the first six days. The first eleven chapters of Genesis also have a parallel structure, with events happening in a cycle, matching previous events. Genesis 2:4, however, gives an example of a different kind of literary structure, called a chiasmus. The end of the verse mirrors the first half of the verse. The entire story of Abraham (Genesis 12-25) follows this special literary structure, the chiasmus. The first incident in Abraham’s life mirrors the last, the second mirrors the second last, and so on. According to this structure, Chapter 17 is near, or at, the centre of the mirrored episodes.
Any way you look at it, this chapter calls us to sit up and pay attention.
(For more on chiastic structure and the story of Abraham, see the next post)
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God changes Abram's name to Abraham
God changes Sarai's name to Sarah
God's blessing and covenant is not only with Abraham, but with Sarah as well. She is the mother of nations and kings of nations.
God’s covenant is established with Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac, their unborn son.
Abraham laughs at the idea of having children, and asks God to bless Ishmael.
God blesses Ishmael. He does not say he will establish the same covenant with him, but he does bless him. This is one of the examples of intercession by Abraham for those outside the covenant, and God’s willing response.
Twenty-five years after first calling Abram, God makes his first requirement of covenant, which is circumcision. YHWH is revealing himself and his plan to Abram very, very slowly.
God tells Abraham that he and his descendants must always obey him. The sign of their obedience is
circumcision. Abraham circumcised Ishmael that day.
Circumcision was a cultural rite of passage either into puberty or into a new family. Here, God adopts the practice to a rite of passage into his covenant community.
Circumcision is a great way to give a sign of covenant. It is painful and undesirable, so it won't be done lightly. It's a visible mark that separates you from others. It's irreversible, so the covenant and decision to make it are also intended to be permanent.
Abraham fathered Isaac AFTER he was circumcised according to the covenant.
Ishmael is thirteen years old. This is the first time we see God telling Abraham that Ishmael is not the son of the promise. That gave Abraham thirteen years of establishing a loving relationship with Ishmael, and placing upon him all his hopes and dreams for his legacy and birthright. A significant amount of time has passed between this chapter and the last chapter, when Hagar was sent away. Abraham loves his son, and it is not at all surprising that he should ask God to bless him.
Everlasting covenant - also Noah in 9:16.
Everlasting - 1 Sam 1:22, Num 25:13 - everlasting means "in perpetuity". There is no intention to end it; there is no plan for a replacement. This is different from "for all of eternity".
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