Genesis 17:13 kjv

He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

Genesis 17:13 nkjv

He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

Genesis 17:13 niv

Whether born in your household or bought with your money, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant.

Genesis 17:13 esv

both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant.

Genesis 17:13 nlt

All must be circumcised. Your bodies will bear the mark of my everlasting covenant.

Genesis 17 verses

Genesis 17 13 Meaning

Genesis 17:13 is a divine command to Abraham, stipulating that every male born in his household and every male acquired by purchase must be circumcised. This act of physical cutting in the flesh is declared by God to be the perpetual sign and seal of His covenant, establishing it as an enduring, everlasting bond between God and Abraham's descendants across all generations. The verse emphasizes the absolute necessity and universal application of this rite within Abraham's expanded family and future lineage, ensuring the visual and physical continuity of the covenant mark.

Genesis 17 13 Context

Genesis chapter 17 is a pivotal chapter in the unfolding narrative of God's covenant with Abraham. After an interlude of thirteen years since the last divine encounter (Gen 16), God appears to Abram when he is 99 years old. In this encounter, God reiterates and expands His covenant promises, changing Abram's name to Abraham ("father of a multitude") and Sarai's to Sarah ("princess"), signifying their new roles in God's plan for nations. The central focus of the chapter is the establishment of circumcision as the enduring, external, physical sign of this everlasting covenant. Verse 13 specifically outlines the scope of this command, making it clear that all males within Abraham's household – whether born to him or acquired through purchase – must bear this covenant mark. This universal inclusion within his household reflects the comprehensive nature of the covenant and its significance for the collective identity of God's chosen people, distinguishing them physically and spiritually from the surrounding nations who practiced varying forms of scarification, but none as a specific divine covenant sign for a collective nation from God, covering future generations.

Genesis 17 13 Word analysis

• וְהָיָה (ve'haya - "and it shall be"): The waw-consecutive plus the perfect tense here indicates a strong, definitive, and consequential future action. It conveys a divine decree or certainty—not a suggestion, but a command that "will happen" or "shall certainly be." It links the prior divine instruction directly to this mandatory implementation.
• הַיִּלּוֹד (ha'yillod - "the one born" or "he who is born"): This noun emphasizes male offspring, born into the covenant community through natural descent within the household. It speaks to the propagation of the covenant through generations.
• בֵּיתְךָ (beitkha - "in your house" or "of your household"): The Hebrew "bayit" refers to more than just a physical dwelling. It signifies the extended family, including direct descendants, relatives, and all those residing within and dependent on Abraham's authority—his entire household or estate. This term is crucial, extending the covenant's physical sign beyond immediate blood relations to the entire communal unit under Abraham.
• וּמִקְנַת (u'miknat - "and one bought" or "and bought possession"): Refers to individuals who have been acquired through purchase, typically servants or slaves. This highlights the covenant's inclusivity; even those not ethnically or biologically related to Abraham but economically integrated into his household are brought under the covenant sign. It demonstrates that the community bound by the covenant is defined by its relationship with God through Abraham, not solely by kinship.
• כַּסְפֶּךָ (kaspékha - "with your silver"): Specifies the means of purchase, i.e., money. This detail underscores that bought servants are full members of the household for the purpose of the covenant, just as much as those born into it, indicating a transfer of legal and communal status.
• הִמּוֹל (himmol - "be circumcised," infinitive absolute): This form is the infinitive absolute, often used for emphasis. It functions as a strong imperative, commanding the action without allowing for exceptions or delays. It underlines the absolute necessity of the circumcision.
• יִמּוֹל (yimmol - "shall surely be circumcised," imperfect tense): The imperfect tense here indicates continuous or repeated action, often signifying a divine imperative or decree that must be done. The pairing of the infinitive absolute with the imperfect verb creates a superlative emphasis: "circumcised he shall be circumcised," "he shall surely be circumcised." It is an unshakeable, non-negotiable command.
• וְהָיְתָה (ve'hayta - "and it shall be" or "and it will become"): Similar to "ve'haya" but for a feminine subject ("briti" - my covenant). It continues the pronouncement of divine intention and certainty regarding the outcome of the commanded action.
• בְּרִיתִי (briti - "My covenant"): The term "covenant" (berit) is central. It denotes a solemn, binding agreement or promise, often initiated by a suzerain (God) to a vassal (Abraham), carrying reciprocal obligations. "My covenant" underscores God's ownership and establishment of this pact.
• בִּבְשַׂרְכֶם (biv'sarkhem - "in your flesh"): "Basar" refers to the body, particularly human flesh. This specifies the physical location and nature of the sign—it's an indelible mark on the male body, publicly visible (within the family context) and personally carried. It's a permanent identification.
• לִבְרִית (liv'rit - "for a covenant" or "as a covenant"): The preposition "le" indicates purpose or transformation, meaning the mark in the flesh serves as, or becomes, the covenant itself in its symbolic representation.
• עוֹלָם (olam - "everlasting" or "forever"): This word denotes perpetuity, enduring through an undefined long period or continually existing. It signifies that this covenant, and its physical sign, is meant to span all future generations of Abraham's descendants and household. It's a foundational, enduring relationship established by God.

Words-Group by Words-Group Analysis:

• "הַיִּלּוֹד בֵּיתְךָ וּמִקְנַת כַּסְפֶּךָ" ("He who is born in your house and bought with your silver"): This phrase comprehensively defines the scope of individuals obligated to be circumcised. It includes all males living within Abraham's authority and dependent on his household, regardless of biological kinship, emphasizing the corporate identity of the covenant community. This inclusive directive extends the blessing and obligation of the covenant to those beyond direct bloodlines, pointing towards a broader definition of God's people.
• "הִמּוֹל יִמּוֹל" ("shall surely be circumcised"): This powerful repetition of the verb "circumcise" (infinitive absolute followed by the imperfect tense) conveys utmost emphasis and divine imperative. It's a non-negotiable, definite command, establishing the profound seriousness and binding nature of this covenant sign. This is not optional but divinely mandated for participation in the covenant.
• "וְהָיְתָה בְרִיתִי בִּבְשַׂרְכֶם לִבְרִית עוֹלָם" ("and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant"): This clause establishes the purpose and permanence of the physical act. The circumcision is not merely a custom but becomes the physical embodiment and perpetual reminder of God's specific, enduring covenant. The covenant itself is defined by its everlasting nature (brit olam), signifying that it is not a temporary agreement but one that spans all generations, establishing an unbreakable bond and identification with God.

Genesis 17 13 Bonus section

• Polemics: In the ANE, various forms of physical marking (scarification, branding, even forms of circumcision) existed, sometimes for cultic, ethnic, or medical reasons. The Abrahamic circumcision stood out as uniquely instituted by God Himself (Yahweh) specifically as the sign of His covenant, binding an entire corporate body to Him. This implicitly polemicized against the human-originated rituals of surrounding idol-worshipping cultures, asserting Yahweh's supreme authority and uniqueness.
• Corporate Identity: The inclusiveness of the command (born in the house, bought with money) powerfully defines the covenant community not just as a lineage, but as a corporate entity—a "people of God"—bound by divine election and specific marks of allegiance. This established a precedent for incorporating those outside immediate family, pointing forward to how diverse peoples could join the people of God.
• Evolution of Covenant Signs: Circumcision served as the primary physical sign of the Old Covenant with Abraham. In the New Covenant, with the coming of Christ and His sacrifice, physical circumcision is fulfilled and superseded by the "circumcision of the heart" through spiritual rebirth (Rom 2:29; Col 2:11), and symbolically represented by Christian baptism (Col 2:12), which encompasses all believers, male and female, as part of God's covenant family.

Genesis 17 13 Commentary

Genesis 17:13 is a forceful and direct divine command within the framework of God's covenant with Abraham. It expands on the general decree of circumcision given in Genesis 17:10-12, explicitly detailing the comprehensive range of males who must undergo the rite: not only Abraham’s direct descendants ("he who is born in your house") but also those incorporated into his extended household through purchase ("bought with your silver"). This detail reveals God's inclusive design for the covenant community, extending membership beyond bloodline to those economically and legally bound to Abraham.

The emphatic doubling of the verb, "himol yimmol" ("shall surely be circumcised"), highlights the absolute necessity and non-negotiable nature of this command. This was not a suggestion but a mandatory divine requirement, foundational for covenant membership and distinguishing God's chosen people from other nations.

The phrase "in your flesh for an everlasting covenant" underscores the profound theological significance of the physical act. Circumcision was more than a custom; it was the visible, indelible sign and seal of the Abrahamic covenant. It served as a constant reminder, an identifying mark, and a physical representation of the enduring relationship God initiated with Abraham and his seed. The term "everlasting" (olam) signifies its intended perpetuity across generations, linking them continually to this foundational divine promise.

While a physical act, circumcision pointed to a spiritual reality: devotion and identification with the one true God, setting apart a people for Himself. This physical sign foreshadowed later biblical themes, particularly the "circumcision of the heart" (Deut 10:16; Rom 2:29), emphasizing that true covenant membership required inner transformation and obedience, not just external ritual. This verse thus lays critical groundwork for understanding the nature of God's covenant, its initial inclusivity beyond strict biological descent, and the vital role of outward obedience as a sign of inward commitment, even as the New Covenant ultimately fulfills and transforms these external signs into spiritual realities.