Circumcision

How Nave’s arranged it

• Institution ofGenesis 17:10–14Leviticus 12:3John 7:22Acts 7:8Romans 4:11
• A seal of righteousnessRomans 2:25–29Romans 4:11
• Performed on all males on the eighth dayGenesis 17:12Genesis 17:13Leviticus 12:3Philippians 3:5
• Rite of, observed on the SabbathJohn 7:23
• A prerequisite of the privileges of the passoverExodus 12:48
• Child named at the time ofGenesis 21:3Genesis 21:4Luke 1:59Luke 2:21
• Neglect of, punishedGenesis 17:14Exodus 4:24
• NeglectedJoshua 5:7
• Covenant promises ofGenesis 17:4–14Acts 7:8Romans 3:1Romans 4:11Romans 9:7–13Galatians 5:3
• Necessity of, falsely taught by Judaizing ChristiansActs 15:1
• Paul's argument against the continuance ofRomans 2:25Romans 2:28Galatians 6:13
• Characterized by Paul as a yokeActs 15:10

The passages, in Bible order (58)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Genesis 17:4–14

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

   ›Commentary on Genesis 17:4–141 voice

   “(Chapter 17—Verse 3 and following) And the Lord spoke to him, saying: Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. It should be noted that wherever we read Testament in Greek, in the Hebrew language it is the word covenant or pact, that is, Berith ().

   Everything gathered on Genesis 17:4–14→

   Verse page →Original language →

2. Genesis 17:10–14

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

   ›Commentary on Genesis 17:10–141 voice

   “Now, (1.) Circumcision was a bloody ordinance; for all things by the law were purged with blood, Heb. ix. But, the blood of Christ being shed, all bloody ordinances are now abolished; circumcision therefore gives way to baptism. (2.) It was peculiar to the males, though the women were also included in the covenant, for the man is the head of the woman.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 17:10–14→

   Verse page →Original language →

3. Genesis 17:12

   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.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 17:121 voice

   “He that is eight days old - Because previously to this they were considered unclean, Lev 12:2, Lev 12:3, and circumcision was ever understood as a consecration of the person to God. Neither calf, lamb, nor kid, was offered to God till it was eight days old for the same reason, Lev 22:27.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 17:12→

   Verse page →Original language →

4. Genesis 17:13

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

   ›Commentary on Genesis 17:132 voices

   God's covenant is "in the flesh" of the person who "does not fight on the terms of the flesh" and who "always carries about in his body the death of Jesus."

   “He that is born in thy house - The son of a servant; he that is bought with thy money - a slave on his coming into the family. According to the Jewish writers the father was to circumcise his son; and the master, the servant born in his house, or the slave bought with money. If the father or master neglected to do this, then the magistrates were obliged to see it performed; if the neglect of this ordinance was unknown to the magistrates, then the person himself, when he came of age, was obliged to do it.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 17:13→

   Verse page →Original language →

5. Genesis 17:14

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

   ›Commentary on Genesis 17:141 voice

   “The uncircumcised - shall be cut off from his people - By being cut off some have imagined that a sudden temporal death was implied; but the simple meaning seems to be that such should have no right to nor share in the blessings of the covenant, which we have already seen were both of a temporal and spiritual kind; and if so, then eternal death was implied, for it was impossible for a person who had not received the spiritual purification to enter into eternal glory.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 17:14→

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Genesis 17:23–27

   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.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 17:23–272 voices

   “And Abraham took Ishmael, etc. - Had not Abraham, his son, (who was of age to judge for himself), and all the family, been fully convinced that this thing was of God, they could not have submitted to it. A rite so painful, so repugnant to every feeling of delicacy, and every way revolting to nature, could never have sprung up in the imagination of man. To this day the Jews practice it as a Divine ordinance; and all the Arabians do the same.

   “This is a good example to masters of families; they and their houses must serve the Lord. Though God's covenant was not established with Ishmael, yet he was circumcised; for children of believing parents, as such, have a right to the privileges of the visible church, and the seals of the covenant, whatever they may prove afterwards.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 17:23–27→

   Verse page →Original language →

7. Genesis 21:3

   And Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore to him.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 21:31 voice

   “And Abraham called the name of his son whom Sarah bore to him Isaac. Isaac is interpreted as Laughter or Joy, which very name is fitting for all the faithful, to whom among other goods of the heavenly inheritance, their Redeemer promises by saying: "Again …

   Everything gathered on Genesis 21:3→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. Genesis 21:4

   When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God had commanded him.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 21:41 voice

   “The covenant being established with him, the seal of the covenant was administered to him; and though a bloody ordinance, and he a darling, yet it must not be omitted, no, nor deferred beyond the eighth day. God had kept time in performing the promise, and therefore Abraham must keep time in obeying the precept.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 21:4→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Genesis 34:24

   All the men who went out of the city gate listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male of the city was circumcised.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 34:241 voice

   “Every male was circumcised - These simple people must have had very great affection for their chief and his son, or have been under the influence of the most passive obedience, to have come so readily into this measure, and to have submitted to this rite. But the petty princes in Asiatic countries have ever been absolute and despotic, their subjects paying them the most prompt and blind obedience.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 34:24→

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10. Exodus 4:24

    Now at a lodging place along the way, the LORD met Moses and was about to kill him.

    ›Commentary on Exodus 4:242 voices

    “To dishonor that sign and seal of the covenant was criminal in any Hebrew, peculiarly so in one destined to be the leader and deliverer of the Hebrews; and he seems to have felt his sickness as a merited chastisement for his sinful omission.

    “By the way in the inn - See Clarke’s note on Gen 42:27. The account in this and the following verse is very obscure.

    Everything gathered on Exodus 4:24→

    Verse page →Original language →

11. Exodus 4:25

    But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched it to Moses’ feet. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said.

    ›Commentary on Exodus 4:251 voice

    “Sharp stone - Not “knife,” as in the margin. Zipporah used a piece of flint, in accordance with the usage of the patriarchs. The Egyptians never used bronze or steel in the preparation of mummies because stone was regarded as a purer and more sacred material than metal. Cast it at his feet - Showing at once her abhorrence of the rite, and her feeling that by it she had saved her husband’s life. A bloody husband - Literally, “a husband of blood,” or “bloods.” The meaning is: The marriage bond between us is now sealed by blood.

    Everything gathered on Exodus 4:25→

    Verse page →Original language →

12. Exodus 6:12

    But in the LORD’s presence Moses replied, “If the Israelites will not listen to me, then why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I am unskilled in speech?”

    ›Commentary on Exodus 6:121 voice

    “Uncircumcised lips? - The word ערל aral, which we translate uncircumcised, seems to signify any thing exuberant or superfluous. Had not Moses been remarkable for his excellent beauty, I should have thought the passage might be rendered protuberant lips; but as this sense cannot be admitted for the above reason, the word must refer to some natural impediment in his speech; and probably means a want of distinct and ready utterance, either occasioned by some defect in the organs of speech, or impaired knowledge of the Egyptian language after an absence of forty years. See Clarke’s note on Exo 4:10.

    Everything gathered on Exodus 6:12→

    Verse page →Original language →

13. Exodus 12:48

    If a foreigner resides with you and wants to celebrate the LORD’s Passover, all the males in the household must be circumcised; then he may come near to celebrate it, and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised man may eat of it.

    ›Commentary on Exodus 12:481 voice

    “If in sincerity, and with that zeal which the thing required and deserves, we give up ourselves to God, we shall, with ourselves, give up all we have to him, and do our utmost that all ours may be his too. Here is an early indication of favour to the poor Gentiles, that the stranger, if circumcised, stands upon the same level with the home-born Israelite.

    Everything gathered on Exodus 12:48→

    Verse page →Original language →

14. Leviticus 12:3

    And on the eighth day the flesh of the boy’s foreskin is to be circumcised.

    ›Commentary on Leviticus 12:32 voices

    “And in the eighth day - Before this time the child could scarcely be considered as having strength sufficient to bear the operation; after this time it was not necessary to delay it, as the child was not considered to be in covenant with God, and consequently not under the especial protection of the Divine providence and grace, till this rite had been performed. On circumcision see Clarke’s note on Gen 17:

    “And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Or the foreskin of his flesh, that is, of the man child born according to the law, Gen 17:12 and this seems to furnish out a reason why a male child was not circumcised before the eighth day, and why it was then, because before that its mother was in her separation and uncleanness, and then was freed from it; and so the Targum of Jonathan.

    Everything gathered on Leviticus 12:3→

    Verse page →Original language →

15. Deuteronomy 10:16

    Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and stiffen your necks no more.

    ›Commentary on Deuteronomy 10:162 voices

    “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart--Here he teaches them the true and spiritual meaning of that rite, as was afterwards more strongly urged by Paul (Ro 2:25, 29), and should be applied by us to our baptism, which is "not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God" [1Pe 3:21].

    “Moses here resumes his address, and having made a passing allusion to the principal events in their history, concludes by exhorting them to fear the Lord and serve Him faithfully.

    Everything gathered on Deuteronomy 10:16→

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16. Deuteronomy 30:6

    The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.

    ›Commentary on Deuteronomy 30:61 voice

    “God will circumcise thine heart - This promise remains yet to be fulfilled. Their heart, as a people, has never yet been circumcised; nor have the various promises in this chapter been ever yet fulfilled. There remaineth, therefore, a rest for this people of God.

    Everything gathered on Deuteronomy 30:6→

    Verse page →Original language →