Discovery BoxGenesis 17:9 
Context17:9 Then God said to Abraham, “As for you, you must keep 1 the covenantal requirement 2 I am imposing on you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.
Genesis 21:2
Context21:2 So Sarah became pregnant 3 and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the appointed time that God had told him.
Genesis 21:22
Context21:22 At that time Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “God is with you 4 in all that you do.
1 tn The imperfect tense could be translated “you shall keep” as a binding command; but the obligatory nuance (“must”) captures the binding sense better.
2 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.
3 tn Or “she conceived.”
4 sn God is with you. Abimelech and Phicol recognized that Abraham enjoyed special divine provision and protection.
