Genesis 17:1

The Sign of the Covenant

1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord ^aappeared to Abram and said to him, ^b“I am Almighty God; ^cwalk before Me and be ^dblameless.

2 And I will make My ^acovenant between Me and you, and ^bwill multiply you exceedingly.”

3 Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying:

4 “As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, and you shall be a ^afather of many nations.

5 No longer shall ^ayour name be called Abram, but your name shall be² Abraham; ^bfor I have made you a father of³ many nations.

6 I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations ^aof you, and ^bkings shall come from you.

7 And I will ^aestablish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, ^bto be God to you and ^cyour descendants after you.

8 Also ^aI give to you and your descendants after you the land ^bin which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and ^cI will be their God.”

9 And God said to Abraham: “As for you, ^ayou shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.

10 This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: ^aEvery male child among you shall be circumcised;

11 and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be ^aa sign of the covenant between Me and you.

12 He who is eight days old among you ^ashall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant.

13 He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

14 And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person ^ashall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

15 Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.

16 And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, ^aand she shall be a mother ^bof nations; ^ckings of peoples shall be from her.”

Commentaries:

Forerunner Commentary
What is the Forerunner Commentary?

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Genesis 17:2 >>

What Does Genesis 17:1 Mean?

The Hebrew word for blameless or perfect in Genesis 17:1 means complete, as do related Greek and English terms. The command requires Abraham to fulfill his part of the covenant by walking before God and being without sin. Only Christ met this condition at the end of His life. He remained blameless, satisfied every requirement, and thereby qualified as the sole inheritor of the promises made to Abraham.

Genesis 17:1-2

By the command, "Be blameless [perfect, KJV]," Abraham had to do something to fulfill his part of the covenant.

John W. Ritenbaugh
The Covenants, Grace, and Law (Part Twenty-Seven)

Genesis 17:1

The Hebrew word rendered "blameless" (NKJV) or "perfect" (KJV) in Genesis 17:1 means "entire, complete, full, without blemish." The Greek word found in Matthew 5:48 translated "perfect" means "finished, complete, having reached its end," and implies being fully grown or mature. The definition of the English word perfect is "lacking nothing essential to the whole, without defect, complete." All three definitions contain the word "complete."

Mike Ford
Perfection...Piece by Piece

Other Forerunner Commentary entries containing Genesis 17:1:

Genesis 13:14-15

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Genesis 17:2 >>

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The Sign of the Covenant

What Does Genesis 17:1 Mean?

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