Genesis 17:22 kjv

And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

Genesis 17:22 nkjv

Then He finished talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

Genesis 17:22 niv

When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.

Genesis 17:22 esv

When he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.

Genesis 17:22 nlt

When God had finished speaking, he left Abraham.

Genesis 17 verses

Genesis 17 22 Meaning

This verse marks the culmination and conclusion of the divine revelation to Abraham concerning the covenant of circumcision and the promise of Isaac, detailed in Genesis chapter 17. It signifies the formal end of the direct, personal communion between God and Abraham in this specific encounter, as God departs after delivering His full message. It highlights God's sovereignty, as He initiates, sustains, and concludes His revelation to humanity on His own terms.

Genesis 17 22 Context

Genesis chapter 17 describes a pivotal covenantal encounter between God and Abram (who is renamed Abraham in this chapter). It occurs thirteen years after Ishmael's birth. God establishes the covenant of circumcision as a perpetual sign, reaffirms the promise of countless descendants and land, and, significantly, promises a son, Isaac, through Sarah, who previously was thought to be barren. This promise to an old, childless couple emphasizes God's power and faithfulness. The verse in question, Gen 17:22, concludes this intense, divinely initiated dialogue, signifying that God's complete message for this moment has been delivered, leaving Abraham with a clear divine directive and profound promises.

Genesis 17 22 Word analysis

• When He finished speaking (כְּכַלֹּתוֹ דַּבֵּר – kəḵallōṯō dabbēr):

  • "When He finished" (kəḵallōṯō): Denotes the completion of an action. It emphasizes God's intentionality and precision. God concludes the discourse only when His entire message has been fully delivered. It indicates that the divine communication was a specific, bounded event, not open-ended.
  • "speaking" (dabbēr): Refers to a clear, articulate communication. This was a verbal, direct dialogue, highlighting the personal nature of God's revelation to Abraham. God doesn't just reveal, He speaks. This emphasizes the clarity and authority of the divine word.

• with him (אִתּוֹ – ʾittō):

  • Indicates a direct, personal interaction. It highlights the unique intimacy of the encounter, where God specifically engages with Abraham. It was a one-on-one divine audience.

• God (אֱלֹהִים – ʾĕlōhîm):

  • Refers to the Creator, the Supreme Being. In this covenant context, Elohim emphasizes God's power, authority, and faithfulness as the sovereign one who institutes and keeps covenants. He is transcendent yet condescends to speak.

• went up (וַיַּעַל – wayyaʿal):

  • Derived from the verb ʿālāh, meaning "to ascend" or "to go up." This is a recurring biblical motif for divine departure after a theophany (God's appearance). It signifies God's transcendence; He is not bound by earthly presence or location. It indicates a withdrawal from visible or tangible manifestation, returning to the heavenly realm. It implies a non-corporeal nature, as God is spirit. It is not a literal physical ascent as humans understand it, but a return to the divine sphere.

• from Abraham (מֵעַל אַבְרָהָם – mēʿal ʾaḇrāhām):

  • Clearly denotes separation and removal of God's immediate, manifest presence. It implies that God had been directly over or with Abraham during the speaking, indicating proximity. The departure signifies the end of the direct interaction, leaving Abraham with the responsibility to respond to the word received.

Word-groups analysis:

• "When He finished speaking with him": This phrase underscores God's sovereignty over the revelation process. God initiates the encounter, delivers His full message, and then concludes the dialogue at His own will. It's not Abraham who signals the end, but God. This ensures that the message is complete and authoritative.

• "God went up from Abraham": This significant phrase highlights the transcendent nature of God. Unlike human interaction that ends with a simple goodbye or a physical separation, God "goes up," symbolizing His return to the heavenly dwelling. It affirms that God is not part of creation, but distinct and superior to it. His departure after speaking means that His Word now stands on its own, demanding Abraham's faith and obedience in the absence of continued immediate divine presence.

Genesis 17 22 Bonus section

• The pattern of God speaking and then "going up" or departing is consistent with other Old Testament theophanies, for instance, with Jacob (Gen 35:13) and potentially inferred in other direct divine encounters (Gen 18:33). This reinforces the understanding that these are special, temporary manifestations of God, rather than continuous, embodied presences.
• This verse indirectly sets up the expectation for Abraham to act upon the word given, without further instruction or physical divine reinforcement. It is a transition point from receiving revelation to living it out in faith and obedience.
• The use of ʾĕlōhîm ("God") rather than the covenant name YHWH in this concluding statement subtly emphasizes God's universal power and majesty even as He departs from a specific covenant interaction, highlighting His ultimate sovereignty over all things, including the ending of His own revelations.

Genesis 17 22 Commentary

Genesis 17:22 serves as a succinct yet profound concluding statement to one of Abraham's most significant divine encounters. It marks the termination of a highly personal and impactful revelation where the Abrahamic covenant was extensively elaborated and confirmed, with the critical inclusion of circumcision and the promise of Isaac. The verse primarily emphasizes God's sovereign control over revelation – He speaks, His message is complete, and then He withdraws.

The depiction of God "going up" is not a literal, anthropomorphic description of a physical ascent, but a symbolic representation of the divine return to the heavenly realm, highlighting God's transcendence, distinctness, and omnipresence. It underscores that God is not localized or confined, but operates from a realm beyond human perception, interacting with humanity by choice and design. This withdrawal leaves Abraham with the word of God, not His constant manifest presence, setting the stage for Abraham's immediate act of faith and obedience in circumcising his household, as recounted in the very next verse. It implicitly teaches that faith involves trust in God's spoken word, even when His immediate visible or audible presence is no longer perceptible. This encounter moves Abraham from direct communion to living by faith in the delivered word.