Genesis 17:23
in Genesis 17On 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.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.
KJV
And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.
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This verse in Genesis 17
Commentary
5 notes on this verseAnd 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 site's exposition
On that very day
on Genesis 17:23-24
Abraham obeys the same day, and the text says so twice. He is ninety-nine, and the command falls on his own body as much as on his household. Ishmael is circumcised with the rest, though the covenant has just been directed to Isaac. Henry takes the household sign as ground for counting believers' children with the church.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
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.
And Abraham took Ishmael his son,....
(3.) That a child so long waited for might be an Isaac, a son indeed, Isa. liv. The way in which God made this covenant with him: The Lord appeared to Abram, in the shechinah, some visible display of God's immediate glorious presence with him. Note, God first makes himself known to us, and gives us a sight of him by faith, and then takes us into his covenant.
The words behind it
29 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּקַּ֨ח | vaiyikach | and he took | H3947 → | 966 times |
| אַבְרָהָ֜ם | ʾavraham | Abraham | H85 → | 175 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל | yishmael | Ishmael | H3458 → | 48 times |
| בְּנ֗וֹ | beno | son his | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| וְאֵ֨ת | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| יְלִידֵ֤י | yelidei | those born of | H3211 → | 13 times |
| בֵיתוֹ֙ | veito | household his | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| וְאֵת֙ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מִקְנַ֣ת | miknat | [the] purchase of | H4736 → | 15 times |
| כַּסְפּ֔וֹ | kaspo | silver his | H3701 → | 403 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| זָכָ֕ר | zakhar | male | H2145 → | 82 times |
| בְּאַנְשֵׁ֖י | beanshei | among [the] men of | H582 → | 566 times |
| בֵּ֣ית | beit | [the] household of | H1004 → | 2046 times |
| אַבְרָהָ֑ם | ʾavraham | Abraham | H85 → | 175 times |
| וַיָּ֜מָל | vaiyamol | and he circumcised | H4135 → | 37 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בְּשַׂ֣ר | besar | [the] flesh of | H1320 → | 270 times |
| עָרְלָתָ֗ם | ʾarelatam | foreskin their | H6190 → | 16 times |
| בְּעֶ֙צֶם֙ | beetzem | on [the] substance of | H6106 → | 126 times |
| הַיּ֣וֹם | haiyom | the day | H3117 → | 2304 times |
| הַזֶּ֔ה | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| דִּבֶּ֥ר | diber | he had spoken | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אִתּ֖וֹ | ʾito | with him | H854 → | 929 times |
| אֱלֹהִֽים׃ | ʾelohim | God | H430 → | 2601 times |
וַיִּקַּ֨חand he took
vaiyikachH3947 →966 times
אַבְרָהָ֜םAbraham
ʾavrahamH85 →175 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אלIshmael
yishmaelH3458 →48 times
בְּנ֗וֹson his
benoH1121 →4930 times
וְאֵ֨תand <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
יְלִידֵ֤יthose born of
yelideiH3211 →13 times
בֵיתוֹ֙household his
veitoH1004 →2046 times
וְאֵת֙and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
מִקְנַ֣ת[the] purchase of
miknatH4736 →15 times
כַּסְפּ֔וֹsilver his
kaspoH3701 →403 times
כָּל־every
kol-H3605 →5413 times
זָכָ֕רmale
zakharH2145 →82 times
בְּאַנְשֵׁ֖יamong [the] men of
beansheiH582 →566 times
בֵּ֣ית[the] household of
beitH1004 →2046 times
אַבְרָהָ֑םAbraham
ʾavrahamH85 →175 times
וַיָּ֜מָלand he circumcised
vaiyamolH4135 →37 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
בְּשַׂ֣ר[the] flesh of
besarH1320 →270 times
עָרְלָתָ֗םforeskin their
ʾarelatamH6190 →16 times
בְּעֶ֙צֶם֙on [the] substance of
beetzemH6106 →126 times
הַיּ֣וֹםthe day
haiyomH3117 →2304 times
הַזֶּ֔ה<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֛רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
דִּבֶּ֥רhe had spoken
diberH1696 →1141 times
אִתּ֖וֹwith him
ʾitoH854 →929 times
אֱלֹהִֽים׃God
ʾelohimH430 →2601 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 27:1Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.
it leads to
- James 4:13–16
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.”
- Luke 12:19–20
Then I will say to myself, “You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry!”’
- 2 Corinthians 6:2
For He says: “In the time of favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is the time of favor; now is the day of salvation!
- James 4:13–16
Through
Genesis 18:19For I have chosen him, so that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, in order that…
it leads to
- 1 Timothy 3:4–5
An overseer must manage his own household well and keep his children under control, with complete dignity.
- Deuteronomy 6:6–7
These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your hearts.
- Deuteronomy 4:9–10
Only be on your guard and diligently watch yourselves, so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen, and so that they do not slip from your heart as long as…
- Ephesians 6:4
Fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath; instead, bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
- 2 Timothy 3:15
From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
- 1 Timothy 3:4–5
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsIshmaelAbraham's son by Hagar — blessed and made a great nation, but not the covenant heir; Paul's figure of the flesh (Gal 4:21–31).
- PersonPatriarchsAbrahamCalled out of Ur, the father of all who believe, justified by faith, and the friend of God through whose seed all nations are bles…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.