וַיְהִ֣י אַבְרָ֔ם בֶּן־תִּשְׁעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְתֵ֣שַׁע שָׁנִ֑ים וַיֵּרָ֨א יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ אֲנִי־אֵ֣ל שַׁדַּ֔י הִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ לְפָנַ֖י וֶהְיֵ֥ה תָמִֽים׃

Abram was ninety-nine years old, and the Lord appeared to Abram; He said to him: I am God Almighty. According to the majority of commentaries, this name denotes God’s might and involvement in reality, as the One who destroys and rebuilds new systems in the world. Walk before Me, serve Me, and be wholehearted, perfect. God had already established the Covenant between the Parts with Abram, a covenant that consisted of the eternal acquisition of the land of Canaan, and the continuation of his lineage. The covenant established here was a more personal one.

וְאֶתְּנָ֥ה בְרִיתִ֖י בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ וְאַרְבֶּ֥ה אוֹתְךָ֖ בִּמְאֹ֥ד מְאֹֽד׃

I shall establish My covenant between Me and you. This covenant was established with Abram as a private individual, and also with each of his descendants personally. And I will multiply you exceedingly.

וַיִּפֹּ֥ל אַבְרָ֖ם עַל־פָּנָ֑יו וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתּ֛וֹ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֵאמֹֽר׃

Abram fell upon his face, in awe, due to the prophecy, and as an expression of his complete submission to whatever God was about to tell him, as the promise would no doubt include an obligation as well. And God spoke with him, saying:

אֲנִ֕י הִנֵּ֥ה בְרִיתִ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ וְהָיִ֕יתָ לְאַ֖ב הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִֽם׃

I, My covenant is hereby being established with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations.

וְלֹא־יִקָּרֵ֥א ע֛וֹד אֶת־שִׁמְךָ֖ אַבְרָ֑ם וְהָיָ֤ה שִׁמְךָ֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם כִּ֛י אַב־הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִ֖ם נְתַתִּֽיךָ׃

This is a new status, and therefore your name shall no longer be called Abram, with its simple meaning of lofty [ ram ] father [ av ]. But rather, your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. As part of the covenant, the name given to him by his parents was exchanged for a name chosen by God. The meaning of this name is far more complex, and the verse itself explains it: The father of a multitude [ av hamon ], or the lofty father of a multitude.

וְהִפְרֵתִ֤י אֹֽתְךָ֙ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֔ד וּנְתַתִּ֖יךָ לְגוֹיִ֑ם וּמְלָכִ֖ים מִמְּךָ֥ יֵצֵֽאוּ׃

God promised Abraham: As the father of a multitude of nations, I will make you exceedingly fruitful, I will make you into the progenitor of various nations, and kings shall emerge from you and rule, each in his own realm.

וַהֲקִמֹתִ֨י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֜י בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֗ךָ וּבֵ֨ין זַרְעֲךָ֧ אַחֲרֶ֛יךָ לְדֹרֹתָ֖ם לִבְרִ֣ית עוֹלָ֑ם לִהְי֤וֹת לְךָ֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים וּֽלְזַרְעֲךָ֖ אַחֲרֶֽיךָ׃

I will establish My covenant, a private, personal connection between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an eternal covenant, to be your God and for your descendants after you. The God and King of the universe, who created the entire universe with all of the planets and stars, now established a personal, family covenant with Abraham and his descendants. This covenant expresses a unique relationship with them, different from His relationship with the rest of humanity, other creatures, and worlds.

וְנָתַתִּ֣י לְ֠ךָ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֨ אַחֲרֶ֜יךָ אֵ֣ת ׀ אֶ֣רֶץ מְגֻרֶ֗יךָ אֵ֚ת כָּל־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן לַאֲחֻזַּ֖ת עוֹלָ֑ם וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָהֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִֽים׃

As part of this covenant, I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land of your residence, the entire land of Canaan, for an eternal portion. Here God repeats His earlier promise, thereby declaring that this covenant does not replace the Covenant between the Parts as a new spiritual arrangement. Rather, it exists in addition to the previous covenant. And He added an additional promise: I will be their God. From this point onward one finds the phrase, God of Abraham. From now on God is not only the Creator of heaven and earth (14:19, 22), but also our God, the God of Abraham’s descendants.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֔ם וְאַתָּ֖ה אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֣י תִשְׁמֹ֑ר אַתָּ֛ה וְזַרְעֲךָ֥ אַֽחֲרֶ֖יךָ לְדֹרֹתָֽם׃

God said to Abraham: And you, you shall observe My covenant; you, and your descendants after you throughout their generations, as it includes an obligation on your part as well:

זֹ֣את בְּרִיתִ֞י אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁמְר֗וּ בֵּינִי֙ וּבֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם וּבֵ֥ין זַרְעֲךָ֖ אַחֲרֶ֑יךָ הִמּ֥וֹל לָכֶ֖ם כָּל־זָכָֽר׃

This is My covenant that you shall observe, between Me and you and between your descendants after you: Circumcise every male among you.

וּנְמַלְתֶּ֕ם אֵ֖ת בְּשַׂ֣ר עָרְלַתְכֶ֑ם וְהָיָה֙ לְא֣וֹת בְּרִ֔ית בֵּינִ֖י וּבֵינֵיכֶֽם׃

You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it, this cutting of the flesh, shall be a mark of a covenant between Me and you. The covenant is the relationship itself, while the circumcision serves as a concrete symbol, an indication of, and reminder about the covenant.

וּבֶן־שְׁמֹנַ֣ת יָמִ֗ים יִמּ֥וֹל לָכֶ֛ם כָּל־זָכָ֖ר לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶ֑ם יְלִ֣יד בָּ֔יִת וּמִקְנַת־כֶּ֙סֶף֙ מִכֹּ֣ל בֶּן־נֵכָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹ֥א מִֽזַּרְעֲךָ֖ הֽוּא׃

This verse constitutes a normative commandment that forms a binding obligation in Jewish law, similar in style to the many commandments found in the later books of the Torah: And one who is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, whether born in the house, an actual member of the family or anyone else born into the household, even if not a biological descendant of Abraham, or purchased with silver, a slave purchased from any foreigner, who is not of your descendants. Not only must Abraham’s descendants be circumcised, but all males who are his property. The covenant applies to these people from the moment of their birth, although the mark of the covenant is placed on their flesh only on the eighth day.

הִמּ֧וֹל ׀ יִמּ֛וֹל יְלִ֥יד בֵּֽיתְךָ֖ וּמִקְנַ֣ת כַּסְפֶּ֑ךָ וְהָיְתָ֧ה בְרִיתִ֛י בִּבְשַׂרְכֶ֖ם לִבְרִ֥ית עוֹלָֽם׃

Circumcise those born in your house, or those purchased with your silver, and the mark of My covenant shall be in your flesh for an eternal covenant throughout the generations.

וְעָרֵ֣ל ׀ זָכָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יִמּוֹל֙ אֶת־בְּשַׂ֣ר עָרְלָת֔וֹ וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מֵעַמֶּ֑יהָ אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י הֵפַֽר׃ (ס)

And the uncircumcised male among your descendants who shall not circumcise the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be excised from his people. This is the most severe of punishments; the soul is cut off and destroyed, a penalty that begins with death and continues in the world of the souls after death. An individual who chooses to remain uncircumcised is deserving of such a severe punishment, since he has breached My covenant, by essentially declaring that he wants no part in it.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֔ם שָׂרַ֣י אִשְׁתְּךָ֔ לֹא־תִקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמָ֖הּ שָׂרָ֑י כִּ֥י שָׂרָ֖ה שְׁמָֽהּ׃

God said to Abraham, referring to him by his new name, by which he was to be forever known from that moment forward: Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, as Sarah is her name.

וּבֵרַכְתִּ֣י אֹתָ֔הּ וְגַ֨ם נָתַ֧תִּי מִמֶּ֛נָּה לְךָ֖ בֵּ֑ן וּבֵֽרַכְתִּ֙יהָ֙ וְהָֽיְתָ֣ה לְגוֹיִ֔ם מַלְכֵ֥י עַמִּ֖ים מִמֶּ֥נָּה יִהְיֽוּ׃

I will bless her with various blessings, and I will also give you a son from her; I will bless her, and she too shall become nations [ goyim ]. The word goyim can also mean tribes or leaders (see 20:4, 25:23) . Kings of peoples shall be descended from her.

וַיִּפֹּ֧ל אַבְרָהָ֛ם עַל־פָּנָ֖יו וַיִּצְחָ֑ק וַיֹּ֣אמֶר בְּלִבּ֗וֹ הַלְּבֶ֤ן מֵאָֽה־שָׁנָה֙ יִוָּלֵ֔ד וְאִ֨ם־שָׂרָ֔ה הֲבַת־תִּשְׁעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה תֵּלֵֽד׃

In the wake of these declarations, Abraham fell upon his face in submission, and he laughed. He said in his heart: Shall a child be born to one who is one hundred years old? Abraham was ninety-nine at the time. If Sarah were to become pregnant immediately, he would be one hundred years old at the time of the child’s birth. And if it is Sarah, shall a ninety-year-old woman give birth? This certainly goes against the laws of nature.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אַבְרָהָ֖ם אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים ל֥וּ יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל יִחְיֶ֥ה לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃

Abraham said to God: If only Ishmael shall live before You. You have promised me miracles, which go against the laws of nature. However, I already have a son, Ishmael. If only he could be considered my son and receive this blessing.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲבָל֙ שָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתְּךָ֗ יֹלֶ֤דֶת לְךָ֙ בֵּ֔ן וְקָרָ֥אתָ אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ יִצְחָ֑ק וַהֲקִמֹתִ֨י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֥י אִתּ֛וֹ לִבְרִ֥ית עוֹלָ֖ם לְזַרְע֥וֹ אַחֲרָֽיו׃

God said: But ndeed, in truth, Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. This name, which means “he will laugh,” is undoubtedly connected to Abraham’s laughter, as well as to that of Sarah, as seen below. And I will keep My covenant with him for an eternal covenant for his descendants after him. He, and not Ishmael, is the son through whom the special covenant will be preserved.

וּֽלְיִשְׁמָעֵ֘אל שְׁמַעְתִּיךָ֒ הִנֵּ֣ה ׀ בֵּרַ֣כְתִּי אֹת֗וֹ וְהִפְרֵיתִ֥י אֹת֛וֹ וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֥י אֹת֖וֹ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֤ר נְשִׂיאִם֙ יוֹלִ֔יד וּנְתַתִּ֖יו לְג֥וֹי גָּדֽוֹל׃

And as for your request with regard to Ishmael, I have heard you, and your wish shall not be entirely unfulfilled. Behold, I have blessed him, I will make him fruitful, and I will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him too into a great nation.

וְאֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י אָקִ֣ים אֶת־יִצְחָ֑ק אֲשֶׁר֩ תֵּלֵ֨ד לְךָ֤ שָׂרָה֙ לַמּוֹעֵ֣ד הַזֶּ֔ה בַּשָּׁנָ֖ה הָאַחֶֽרֶת׃

But My covenant I will keep with Isaac. God stressed the difference between Abraham’s two sons. Ishmael, his first son, who was raised in his home and was undoubtedly beloved by his father, was blessed with great fertility and power. However, the unique personal connection embodied by the covenant was reserved for Isaac alone, whom Sarah shall bear to you at the designated time, on the same date, in another year.

וַיְכַ֖ל לְדַבֵּ֣ר אִתּ֑וֹ וַיַּ֣עַל אֱלֹהִ֔ים מֵעַ֖ל אַבְרָהָֽם׃

He, God, concluded speaking with him, and God ascended from upon Abraham. By speaking to the prophet, God, as it were, descends to him, and when the prophecy concludes, He ascends back to the heights.

וַיִּקַּ֨ח אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בְּנ֗וֹ וְאֵ֨ת כָּל־יְלִידֵ֤י בֵיתוֹ֙ וְאֵת֙ כָּל־מִקְנַ֣ת כַּסְפּ֔וֹ כָּל־זָכָ֕ר בְּאַנְשֵׁ֖י בֵּ֣ית אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיָּ֜מָל אֶת־בְּשַׂ֣ר עָרְלָתָ֗ם בְּעֶ֙צֶם֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ אֱלֹהִֽים׃

Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all those born in his house, and all those purchased with his silver, every male among the people of Abraham’s household, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on that very day, the same day on which he had received God’s command, as God had spoken with him, in spite of his advanced age.

וְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם בֶּן־תִּשְׁעִ֥ים וָתֵ֖שַׁע שָׁנָ֑ה בְּהִמֹּל֖וֹ בְּשַׂ֥ר עָרְלָתֽוֹ׃

Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

וְיִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בְּנ֔וֹ בֶּן־שְׁלֹ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָ֑ה בְּהִ֨מֹּל֔וֹ אֵ֖ת בְּשַׂ֥ר עָרְלָתֽוֹ׃

And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. Although significantly younger than his father, circumcision is difficult at that age as well, for a variety of reasons.

בְּעֶ֙צֶם֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה נִמּ֖וֹל אַבְרָהָ֑ם וְיִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל בְּנֽוֹ׃

On that very day, Abraham was circumcised, and Ishmael his son.

וְכָל־אַנְשֵׁ֤י בֵיתוֹ֙ יְלִ֣יד בָּ֔יִת וּמִקְנַת־כֶּ֖סֶף מֵאֵ֣ת בֶּן־נֵכָ֑ר נִמֹּ֖לוּ אִתּֽוֹ׃ (פ)

And all the people of his household, whether born in the house or purchased with silver from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.