Genesis 17:18 kjv
And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!
Genesis 17:18 nkjv
And Abraham said to God, "Oh, that Ishmael might live before You!"
Genesis 17:18 niv
And Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!"
Genesis 17:18 esv
And Abraham said to God, "Oh that Ishmael might live before you!"
Genesis 17:18 nlt
So Abraham said to God, "May Ishmael live under your special blessing!"
Genesis 17 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:2 | "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you..." | Initial promise to Abraham of descendants. |
| Gen 16:2 | "Abraham listened to the voice of Sarai." | Sarai's idea to have a child through Hagar. |
| Gen 16:11 | "...you will name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard your affliction." | Ishmael's name significance; God's hearing. |
| Gen 17:17 | "Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed..." | Abraham's reaction immediately before this verse. |
| Gen 17:19 | "But God said, 'No, Sarah your wife will bear you a son...'" | God clarifies the covenant lineage through Isaac. |
| Gen 17:20 | "And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him..." | God answers Abraham's specific prayer for Ishmael. |
| Gen 21:2 | "For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age..." | Fulfillment of the promise of Isaac's birth. |
| Gen 21:13 | "But I will also make a nation of the son of the servant girl..." | God's further promise to Ishmael's descendants. |
| Gen 21:17 | "And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called..." | God hears Ishmael again in the wilderness. |
| Num 23:19 | "God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change His mind..." | God's faithfulness to His promises. |
| 1 Sam 15:29 | "The Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind..." | Reiterates God's unwavering character. |
| Ps 37:25 | "I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken..." | Living 'before God' implies blessing and care. |
| Rom 4:18 | "Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed..." | Abraham's faith in God's promises, even in the impossible. |
| Rom 4:20 | "No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God..." | Abraham's developing faith in God's power. |
| Rom 9:7 | "...Nor are they all children because they are his offspring..." | Not all physical descendants are children of the promise. |
| Rom 9:8 | "It is not the children of the flesh who are God's children, but the children of the promise..." | Distinguishing spiritual vs. physical lineage for God's promise. |
| Gal 4:23 | "But the son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, while the son by the free woman was born through promise." | Distinguishing Ishmael (flesh) and Isaac (promise). |
| Heb 6:15 | "And so after waiting patiently, Abraham obtained the promise." | Abraham's endurance and receipt of the promise. |
| Heb 10:23 | "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." | God's faithfulness encourages steadfastness. |
Genesis 17 verses
Genesis 17 18 Meaning
Genesis 17:18 reveals Abraham's immediate, heartfelt reaction to God's astonishing promise of a son through Sarah, Isaac, who would be the covenant heir. Abraham expresses a wish for his existing son, Ishmael, asking that he might receive God's divine favor and live a blessed, protected life in His presence. This plea signifies a father's deep affection and concern for his son, perhaps also an attempt to align God's new promise with his previous understanding and a lack of full comprehension regarding the distinctness of God's covenant through Isaac.
Genesis 17 18 Context
Genesis 17 unfolds a pivotal moment in the Abrahamic covenant. God appears to Abraham (then Abram), establishing a renewed and expanded covenant, re-naming him "Abraham" (father of a multitude) and Sarai to "Sarah" (princess), and instituting circumcision as the sign of this everlasting covenant. It is within this grand revelation—where Abraham, now ninety-nine, and Sarah, ninety, are told they will have a son, Isaac, through whom the covenant line will continue—that Abraham falls on his face in verse 17, laughs, and then speaks the words of verse 18 concerning Ishmael. This verse shows Abraham's immediate human response, a blend of surprise, paternal concern, and a momentary struggle to reconcile the divine, unexpected promise with his existing reality and hopes.
Genesis 17 18 Word analysis
- And Abraham said: The direct address by Abraham, signifying his immediate human response to God's extraordinary declaration.
- to God (אֶל־הָאֱלֹהִים - 'el-ha'Elohim): Emphasizes that Abraham is speaking directly to the Supreme Being, the Creator God, not a lesser deity.
- Oh that (לוּא - lu): An optative particle expressing a strong wish or longing, a heartfelt desire. It conveys a "would that" or "if only" sentiment, reflecting a plea rather than a demand.
- Ishmael (יִשְׁמָעֵאל - Yishma'el): Meaning "God hears" or "God will hear." His name directly links to God's attention and care for Hagar's and his own distress. Abraham's prayer for him underscores his status as Abraham's beloved firstborn, born out of human attempt to fulfill divine promise.
- might live (יִחְיֶה - yichyeh): From the root chayah, meaning to live, be preserved, flourish, prosper. More than mere existence, it implies a blessed life, full of vitality and wellbeing under God's favor.
- before you (לְפָנֶיךָ - l'faneicha): Literally "before your face" or "in your presence." This signifies a life lived under God's watchful eye, with His recognition, approval, and protective blessing. It points to a life of divine favor and intimacy.
Words-group analysis:
- "And Abraham said to God, 'Oh that...": This transition highlights the deeply personal and emotional nature of Abraham's interjection amidst a profound divine encounter. It underscores the human element in Abraham's faith journey—his affections and prior expectations conflicting with the new, radical divine revelation.
- "Oh that Ishmael might live before you!": This complete plea represents Abraham's profound love for his existing son and his initial inclination to see Ishmael as the primary heir to God's promises, a challenge to God's specific and sovereign choice of Isaac. Abraham desires Ishmael to receive the covenant blessing and perpetual favor that he imagines for the promised son.
Genesis 17 18 Bonus section
This verse stands as a testament to God's compassionate response to a father's prayer, even when that prayer seeks to alter His specific plan. It contrasts Abraham's human desire for a continuation of what he already possesses with God's sovereign initiative for something new and miraculous. The emphasis on "live before you" carries deep significance, illustrating that true life and blessing are found in God's continuous presence and favor, irrespective of one's specific role in the redemptive narrative. It also subtly prepares the reader for the eventual distinction between the physical lineage and the lineage of promise.
Genesis 17 18 Commentary
Genesis 17:18 vividly captures Abraham's humanity and paternal affection. After years of waiting for a promised heir, and taking matters into his own hands with Hagar, Ishmael had become his beloved firstborn. When God promises an even more miraculous birth through Sarah, Abraham's initial reaction is not outright joy for Isaac, but rather a profound wish for Ishmael's well-being and a place within the covenant. This shows Abraham's love for his son but also highlights his limited understanding of the specificity of God's sovereign choice. God had always intended for the covenant to come through Sarah and Abraham, signifying that His blessings flow not from human efforts or even heartfelt desires that circumvent His explicit word, but from His unmerited grace and precise design. Although Ishmael would not be the covenant heir, God's immediate answer in the following verses (Gen 17:19-20) graciously affirms Abraham's prayer for Ishmael's blessing, promising him to be a great nation, while steadfastly reiterating that the covenant line belongs to Isaac.