Genesis 17:17
ContextNETBible | Then Abraham bowed down with his face to the ground and laughed 1 as he said to himself, 2 “Can 3 a son be born to a man who is a hundred years old? 4 Can Sarah 5 bear a child at the age of ninety?” 6 |
XREF | Ge 17:3; Ge 18:12; Ge 21:6; Le 9:24; Nu 14:5; Nu 16:22,45; De 9:18,25; Jos 5:14; Jos 7:6; Jud 13:20; 1Ch 21:16; Job 1:20; Eze 1:28; Da 8:17; Mt 2:11; Joh 8:56; Ro 4:19,20; Re 5:8; Re 11:16 |
NET © Notes |
1 sn Laughed. The Hebrew verb used here provides the basis for the naming of Isaac: “And he laughed” is וַיִּצְחָק (vayyitskhaq); the name “Isaac” is יִצְחָק (yitskhaq), “he laughs.” Abraham’s (and Sarah’s, see 18:12) laughter signals disbelief, but when the boy is born, the laughter signals surprise and joy. 2 tn Heb “And he fell on his face and laughed and said in his heart.” 3 tn The imperfect verbal form here carries a potential nuance, as it expresses the disbelief of Abraham. 4 tn Heb “to the son of a hundred years.” 5 sn It is important to note that even though Abraham staggers at the announcement of the birth of a son, finding it almost too incredible, he nonetheless calls his wife Sarah, the new name given to remind him of the promise of God (v. 15). 6 tn Heb “the daughter of ninety years.” |