Genesis 17:7

17:7 I will confirm ¹  my covenant as a perpetual ²  covenant between me and you. It will extend to your descendants after you throughout their generations. I will be your God and the God of your descendants after you. ³ 

Genesis 17:9

17:9 Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep ⁴  the covenantal requirement ⁵  I am imposing on you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.

Genesis 17:12

17:12 Throughout your generations every male among you who is eight days old ⁶  must be circumcised, whether born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not one of your descendants.

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¹ tn The verb קוּם (qum, “to arise, to stand up”) in the Hiphil verbal stem means “to confirm, to give effect to, to carry out” (i.e., a covenant or oath; see BDB 878-79 s.v. קוּם).

² tn Or “as an eternal.”

³ tn Heb “to be to you for God and to your descendants after you.”

⁴ tn The imperfect tense could be translated “you shall keep” as a binding command; but the obligatory nuance (“must”) captures the binding sense better.

⁵ tn Heb “my covenant.” The Hebrew word בְּרִית (bÿrit) can refer to (1) the agreement itself between two parties (see v. 7), (2) the promise made by one party to another (see vv. 2-3, 7), (3) an obligation placed by one party on another, or (4) a reminder of the agreement. In vv. 9-10 the word refers to a covenantal obligation which God gives to Abraham and his descendants.

⁶ tn Heb “the son of eight days.”