17:17 Then Abraham bowed down with his face to the ground and laughed 1 as he said to himself, 2 “Can 3 a son be born to a man who is a hundred years old? 4 Can Sarah 5 bear a child at the age of ninety?” 6 17:18 Abraham said to God, “O that 7 Ishmael might live before you!” 8
17:19 God said, “No, Sarah your wife is going to bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac. 9 I will confirm my covenant with him as a perpetual 10 covenant for his descendants after him. 17:20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. 11 I will indeed bless him, make him fruitful, and give him a multitude of descendants. 12 He will become the father of twelve princes; 13 I will make him into a great nation. 17:21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year.” 17:22 When he finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him. 14
17:23 Abraham took his son Ishmael and every male in his household (whether born in his house or bought with money) 15 and circumcised them 16 on that very same day, just as God had told him to do. 17:24 Now Abraham was 99 years old 17 when he was circumcised; 18 17:25 his son Ishmael was thirteen years old 19 when he was circumcised. 17:26 Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on the very same day. 17:27 All the men of his household, whether born in his household or bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.
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.”
7 tn The wish is introduced with the Hebrew particle לוּ (lu), “O that.”
8 tn Or “live with your blessing.”
9 tn Heb “will call his name Isaac.” The name means “he laughs,” or perhaps “may he laugh” (see the note on the word “laughed” in v. 17).
10 tn Or “as an eternal.”
11 sn The Hebrew verb translated “I have heard you” forms a wordplay with the name Ishmael, which means “God hears.” See the note on the name “Ishmael” in 16:11.
12 tn Heb “And I will multiply him exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.
13 tn For a discussion of the Hebrew word translated “princes,” see E. A. Speiser, “Background and Function of the Biblical Nasi’,” CBQ 25 (1963): 111-17.
14 tn Heb “And when he finished speaking with him, God went up from Abraham.” The sequence of pronouns and proper names has been modified in the translation for stylistic reasons.
15 tn Heb “Ishmael his son and all born in his house and all bought with money, every male among the men of the house of Abraham.”
16 tn Heb “circumcised the flesh of their foreskin.” The Hebrew expression is somewhat pleonastic and has been simplified in the translation.
17 tn Heb “the son of ninety-nine years.”
18 tn Heb “circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin” (also in v. 25).
19 tn Heb “the son of thirteen years.”