Abram is now 99 years old. God again promises him to make his descendants into a great nation of kings, and promised to be their God forever, and renames him Abraham. All of Canaan is also promised to him and his descendants.
The Covenant of Circumcision
In return for all that God has promised, Abraham and his descendants needed to keep his covenant and each male would be circumcised as a sign of this covenant.
Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring. Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.
God also promises that Sarai would have a son, and renames her Sarah. Interestingly, Abraham is skeptical at this idea:
Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!”
But God insists:
“Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.”
After God speaks to Abraham, Abraham, his son Ishmael (now 13 years old), and every other male with Abraham was circumcised.
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It seems strange that this ritual of circumcision would be given so much importance. So far, there is no moral or spiritual guidance in Genesis, and it sounds like being circumcised is the most important thing a man can do.
I’m also not sure why Abraham would laugh at the idea of Sarah giving birth given all of the other strange and miraculous things that have taken place in mankind’s journey with God so far. It’s an interesting detail – the skepticism of Abraham. And also interesting that God does not reprimand him for this, despite him falling on the ground laughing!
I also wonder what came of Ishmael’s 12 nations – who are these supposed to represent? I know there are 12 tribes of Israel, but 12 tribes of Ishmael? Very interesting – anyone with some knowledge, please share!