17:23 Abraham took his son Ishmael and every male in his household (whether born in his house or bought with money) 5 and circumcised them 6 on that very same day, just as God had told him to do. 17:24 Now Abraham was 99 years old 7 when he was circumcised; 8 17:25 his son Ishmael was thirteen years old 9 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 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.
2 tn Heb “And I will multiply him exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.
3 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.
4 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.
5 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.”
6 tn Heb “circumcised the flesh of their foreskin.” The Hebrew expression is somewhat pleonastic and has been simplified in the translation.
7 tn Heb “the son of ninety-nine years.”
8 tn Heb “circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin” (also in v. 25).
9 tn Heb “the son of thirteen years.”