1 And Abram was son of ninety and nine years: and the Lord was revealed to Abram, and said to him, I am EI-shadai; serve before Me, and be perfect; 2 And I will set a covenant between My Word and thee, and I will multiply thee exceedingly much. 3 And Abram fell on his face: and the Lord spake with him, saying, 4 Behold, I have dedicated My covenant with thee, and thou shalt be the father of many peoples, 5 and thy name shall no more be called Abram; but thy name shall be Abraham, because the father of many peoples have I appointed (given) thee. 6 And I will spread thee abroad very greatly, and I will appoint to thee that assemblies and kings who shall rule the peoples, from thee shall come forth. 7 And I will establish My covenant between My Word and thee, and thy sons after thee unto perpetual generations, to be unto thee a God, and to thy sons after thee. 8 And I will give to thee and to thy sons after thee the land of thy habitation, all the land of Kenaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be unto them Eloha.

9 And the Lord said to Abraham, And thou My covenant shalt keep, thou and thy sons after thee in their generations. 10 This is My covenant which you shall keep between My Word and you and thy sons after thee, to circumcise every male that is among you. 11 And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between My Word and you. 12 And the son of eight days shall be circumcised among you; every male in your generations, born in the house, or bought with money, of every son of the peoples, who is not of thy sons, circumcising you shall circumcise 13 the one born in the house, and him bought with money; and it shall be My covenant in your flesh for a covenant forever. 14 And the male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that man shall perish from the people (because) he hath made void My covenant.

15 And the Lord said to Abraham, The name of Sara thy wife shall not be called Sara, for Sarah shall be her name: 16 And I will bless her, and I will also give thee a son from her; and I will bless her, and assemblies and kings which have dominion over peoples from her shall be. 17 And Abraham fell upon his face and rejoiced, and said in his heart, Will the son of a hundred years have a child, and Sarah the daughter of ninety years bring forth? 18 And Abraham said before the Lord, O that Yishmael may be established before thee! 19 And the Lord said, In verity Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name Izhak; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant to his sons after him. 20 And concerning Yishmael I have accepted thy prayer. Behold, I have blessed him, and I will spread him abroad very greatly. Twelve princes will he beget, and I will set him (as) a great people. 21 But My covenant I will establish with Izhak, whom Sarah shall bear to thee, at this time, in the year following.

22 And when He had ended to speak with him, the Glory of the Lord ascended up from Abraham. 23 And Abraham took Yishmael his son, and everyone born in his house, and everyone bought with his money, every male, the men of the house of Abraham, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in that very same day when the Lord had spoken with him. 24 And Abraham was son of ninety and nine years, when he circumcised the flesh of his foreskin. 25 And Yishmael his son was son of thirteen years, when the flesh of his foreskin was circumcised. 26 In that same day Abraham was circumcised, and Yishmael his son, 27 And all the men of his house, (whether) born in his house, or bought with money from the sons of the Gentiles, were circumcised with him.

<- Genesis 16Genesis 18 ->