Genesis 17:17-19

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.

[17:17]  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.

[17:17]  ² tn Heb “And he fell on his face and laughed and said in his heart.”

[17:17]  ³ tn The imperfect verbal form here carries a potential nuance, as it expresses the disbelief of Abraham.

[17:17]  ⁴ tn Heb “to the son of a hundred years.”

[17:17]  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).

[17:17]  ⁶ tn Heb “the daughter of ninety years.”

[17:18]  ⁷ tn The wish is introduced with the Hebrew particle לוּ (lu), “O that.”

[17:18]  ⁸ tn Or “live with your blessing.”

[17:19]  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).

[17:19]  ¹⁰ tn Or “as an eternal.”