Genesis 17

01 Jan 2026 - Theology

Covenant of Circumcision

17:1 - The Lord (Adonai) appeared to Abram, and said unto him, “I am the Almighty God…” (Shadday El). This is the first time this name is used by the Lord.

Chiasm:

• A: “Abram fell on his face” (3)
• B: Change of Abram (exalted father) to Abraham (father of many) - removing the exaltedness
• C: “everlasting covenant” (7)
• D: “a stranger” (8)
• E: “the generations to come” (9)
• F: “Every male among you shall be circumcised” (10)
• E’: “the generations to come” (12)
• D’: “a stranger” (12)
• C’: “everlasting covenant” (13)
• B’: Change of Sarai (my princess) to Sarah (princess) - removing the possessive nature
• A’: Abraham fell upon his face” (17)

God sees the power struggle between Abram, Sarai, and Hagar, and He wants to equalize everyone in the family of God. He does this by removing their elevated status by changing their names, as well as with the covenant of circumcision for all males. God is making His people more like He wants them to be.

Circumcision

Other Eastern cultures practiced circumcision as a male right of passage. There is evidence of circumcision existing in Egypt for those in the priesthood. Abram and Sarai may have encountered this when they were in Egypt in Genesis 12b. Is God making a kingdom of priests?

1 Peter 2:9 - “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people; that ye should show forth the virtues of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:”

God says that all males are to be circumcised, so Abraham, Ismael, and all other males in the house were circumcised. How would women share in this covenant?

The Jewish community has a ritual called the Brit Milah, or Bris, which takes place on the eighth day after the birth of a son. During this ritual, the parents have the son circumcised by a trained professional called a mohel. After the son is circumcised, the mohel announces the child’s Hebrew name, and recites a blessing over a cup of Kosher wine. The baby would be given a few drops of the sweet wine with a finger or cloth to soothe his crying.

Participants of this ceremony include the parents of the boy, as well as both male and female guests. A designated woman (often a grandmother or one hoping for children) called a kvatterin would receive the baby from the mother and pass him to a male messenger called a kvatter (often the husband of the kvatterin). This male kvatter then carries the infant to the male sandek, who holds the baby during circumcision by the mohel. In this way, the covenant is not just a private covenant between the boy and God, but rather a very public covenant in which men and women are present and aware of the boy’s circumcision.

The New Covenant

1 Corinthians 11:25 - “After the same manner also he [Jesus Christ] took the cup, when he had supped, saying, ‘This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.’” (also Matthew 26:26-30, Mark 14:22-26, and Luke 22:14-23)

The word ‘testament’ is translated in the Greek as diatheke, and can also mean ‘covenant’.

I find it interesting that the guests, as well as even the baby boy, taste some of the wine for the blessing and ensuing celebration. I wonder if any of the twelve disciples (who were all Jewish) were thinking of this ceremony when Jesus said those words at the Last Supper.

Galations 3:8-9 - “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen [Gentiles] through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, ‘In thee shall all nations be blessed’ [Genesis 12:3]. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.”

Colossians 3:11 - “Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.”

Thank God that all nations and all people, circumcised or uncircumcised, can take part in this new covenant through faith!

References

1. The Hebrew - Greek Key Study Bible (KJV Version)
2. The BEMA Podcast, Episode 10: Walking the Blood Path
3. The Torah Portion-by-Portion by Rabbi Seymour Rossel (2007)