Text -- Genesis 17:17 (NET)

17:17 Then Abraham bowed down with his face to the ground and laughed as he said to himself, “Can a son be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?”

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Gen 17:17

¹ sn Laughed. The Hebrew verb used here provides the basis for the naming of Isaac: “And he laughed” is וַיִּצְחָק (vayyitskhaq); the name “Isaac” is יִצְחָק (yitskhaq), “he laughs.” Abraham’s (and Sarah’s, see 18:12) laughter signals disbelief, but when the boy is born, the laughter signals surprise and joy.

² tn Heb “And he fell on his face and laughed and said in his heart.”

³ tn The imperfect verbal form here carries a potential nuance, as it expresses the disbelief of Abraham.

⁴ tn Heb “to the son of a hundred years.”

⁵ sn It is important to note that even though Abraham staggers at the announcement of the birth of a son, finding it almost too incredible, he nonetheless calls his wife Sarah, the new name given to remind him of the promise of God (v. 15).

⁶ tn Heb “the daughter of ninety years.”