What does God require of Abraham’s household as the sign of his covenant?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

God requires circumcision of every male in the household, including those born there, bought servants, and those outside Abraham’s family line. Abraham carries out the command that same day. God also gives Abraham and Sara their new names and distinguishes the covenant with Isaac from the blessing promised to Ismael.

Chapter breakdown

When Abram was 99, the Lord appeared to him, identified himself as Almighty God, and told him to walk before him and be perfect. God promised to make a covenant with him and greatly increase his descendants. Abram fell flat on his face. God said that his covenant was with Abram and that Abram would be the father of many nations. His name would now be Abraham because God had made him a father of many nations.

Challoner explains the Hebrew names in a separate note: Abram means a high father, and Abraham means the father of the multitude. Sarai means “my Lady,” while Sara means “Lady,” without the “my.”

God promised to increase Abraham greatly, make nations of him, and bring kings from him. He would establish a lasting covenant with Abraham and his descendants through their generations, being their God. He would give them all Chanaan, the land where Abraham was living as a stranger, as a lasting possession. Abraham and his descendants were to keep this covenant.

Every male was to be circumcised. The removal of the foreskin would be the bodily sign of the covenant between God and them. Male infants were to be circumcised at eight days old. The rule included those born in the household, bought servants, and those not descended from Abraham. God’s covenant would be in their flesh as a lasting covenant. A male whose foreskin was not circumcised would be destroyed out of his people because he had broken the covenant.

God also changed Sarai’s name to Sara. He would bless her and give Abraham a son through her. He would bless that son, who would become nations, with kings of peoples coming from him. Abraham fell on his face and laughed. In his heart he asked whether a man of 100 could have a son and whether Sara, at 90, could give birth. He said to God that he wished Ismael might live before him.

God answered that Sara would bear Abraham a son, whom he was to name Isaac. God would establish a lasting covenant with Isaac and his descendants. He had also heard Abraham’s request for Ismael: he would bless Ismael, greatly increase his descendants, give him twelve chiefs, and make him a great nation. But the covenant would be established with Isaac, whom Sara would bear at this time the next year. When God finished speaking, he went up from Abraham.

Abraham took Ismael, all the males born in his household, and all those he had bought, and circumcised them that very day as God commanded. Abraham was 99 at his own circumcision, and Ismael was thirteen. They were circumcised on the same day, together with all the household’s men, including those born there, bought servants, and strangers.

The story inside

The covenant sign is described first as a rule and then as an action. God says that every male is included, and makes clear that birth into Abraham’s family is not the only condition: servants bought for the household and those outside his family line are included too. The sign is in their bodies, infants are to receive it at eight days, and an uncircumcised male faces the stated consequence of breaking the covenant. The closing account shows Abraham applying the command immediately across the household, including himself and thirteen-year-old Ismael. This action follows a promise that carefully distinguishes two sons. Ismael receives a blessing, twelve chiefs, and a great nation; Isaac, the son to be born to Sara the next year, is named as the one with whom God will establish the covenant. Circumcising Ismael therefore should not be confused with changing that distinction.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The household rule is broad and specific. It includes every male, infants at eight days, those born in the house, bought servants, and those outside Abraham’s family line. The bodily sign and the penalty for failing to receive it are part of the command. These details keep the reader from reducing the covenant sign to Abraham alone.
2
The renamed people are connected with stated promises. Abraham is to be father of many nations, and Sara is to bear the promised son. Challoner separately explains the meanings of their old and new names. Keeping the note in its own voice avoids replacing its simple meanings with unsupported claims about new titles or later practices.
3
The promises for Isaac and Ismael are different, and both are given. Ismael will be blessed and become a great nation with twelve chiefs. Isaac will be born to Sara at the appointed time the next year, and the lasting covenant will be established with him and his descendants. Abraham’s same-day obedience follows these words without cancelling either promise.

Test your recall

How do the covenant’s circumcision rules apply to Abraham’s whole household, and how does the closing account show him carrying them out?

Show answer

The rule includes every male in the household: those born there and bought servants, even those outside Abraham’s family line. Male infants are to be circumcised at eight days old. The ending says that Abraham carries out the command that same day for himself, Ismael, and all the household’s men. Abraham is ninety-nine and Ismael thirteen at that time.

Quotes from Scripture

Exact Scripture quotations from the Douay–Rheims Bible, revised by Bishop Richard Challoner (1749–1752), the same edition used for these chapters. Source: Project Gutenberg no. 1581.

Neither shall thy name be called any more Abram: but thou shalt be called Abraham: because I have made thee a father of many nations.

Genesis 17:5 · Douay–Rheims / Challonerpg1581.txt · lines 1737–1738

And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and between thy seed after thee in their generations, by a perpetual covenant: to be a God to thee, and to thy seed after thee.

Genesis 17:7 · Douay–Rheims / Challonerpg1581.txt · lines 1747–1749

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 1721–1738
Genesis Chapter 17 The Covenant of circumcision. 17:1. And after he began to be ninety and nine years old, the Lord appeared to him: and said unto him: I am the Almighty God: walk before me, and be perfect. 17:2. And I will make my covenant between me and thee: and I will multiply thee exceedingly. 17:3. Abram fell flat on his face. 17:4. And God said to him: I am, and my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 17:5. Neither shall thy name be called any more Abram: but thou shalt be called Abraham: because I have made thee a father of many nations.
Lines 1740–1742
Abram.... in the Hebrew, signifies a high father: but Abraham, the father of the multitude; Sarai signifies my Lady, but Sara absolutely Lady.
Lines 1744–1756
17:6. And I will make thee increase exceedingly, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 17:7. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and between thy seed after thee in their generations, by a perpetual covenant: to be a God to thee, and to thy seed after thee. 17:8. And I will give to thee, and to thy seed, the land of thy sojournment, all the land of Chanaan, for a perpetual possession, and I will be their God. 17:9. Again God said to Abraham: And thou therefore shalt keep my covenant, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
Lines 1758–1773
17:10. This is my covenant which you shall observe between me and you, and thy seed after thee: All the male-kind of you shall be circumcised. 17:11. And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, that it may be for a sign of the covenant between me and you. 17:12. An infant of eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every manchild in your generations: he that is born in the house, as well as the bought servant, shall be circumcised, and whosoever is not of your stock: 17:13. And my covenant shall be in your flesh for a perpetual covenant. 17:14. The male whose flesh of his foreskin shall not be circumcised, that soul shall be destroyed out of his people: because he hath broken my covenant.
Lines 1775–1786
17:15. God said also to Abraham: Sarai thy wife thou shalt not call Sarai, but Sara. 17:16. And I will bless her, and of her I will give thee a son, whom I will bless, and he shall become nations, and kings of people shall spring from him. 17:17. Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, saying in his heart: Shall a son, thinkest thou, be born to him that is a hundred years old? and shall Sara that is ninety years old bring forth? 17:18. And he said to God: O that Ismael may live before thee.
Lines 1788–1800
17:19. And God said to Abraham: Sara thy wife shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name Isaac, and I will establish my covenant with him for a perpetual covenant, and with his seed after him. 17:20. And as for Ismael I have also heard thee. Behold, I will bless him, and increase, and multiply him exceedingly: he shall beget twelve chiefs, and I will make him a great nation. 17:21. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sara shall bring forth to thee at this time in the next year. 17:22. And when he had left off speaking with him, God went up from Abraham.
Lines 1802–1818
17:23. And Abraham took Ismael his son, and all that were born in his house: and all whom he had bought, every male among the men of his house: and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskin forthwith the very same day, as God had commanded him. 17:24. Abraham was ninety and nine years old, when he circumcised the flesh of his foreskin. 17:25. And Ismael his son was full thirteen years old at the time of his circumcision. 17:26. The self-same day was Abraham circumcised and Ismael his son. 17:27. And all the men of his house, as well they that were born in his house, as the bought servants and strangers, were circumcised with him.