Genesis 21:4 kjv
And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.
Genesis 21:4 nkjv
Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.
Genesis 21:4 niv
When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him.
Genesis 21:4 esv
And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.
Genesis 21:4 nlt
Eight days after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded.
Genesis 21 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 17:10-14 | This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you... every male among you shall be circumcised... | God's initial command and covenant sign established. |
| Lev 12:3 | On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. | Law later formalizing the command given to Abraham. |
| Lk 1:59 | And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child... | Zechariah and Elizabeth obeying the law for John the Baptist. |
| Lk 2:21 | And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus... | Jesus, the ultimate promised Seed, was also circumcised as per law. |
| Rom 4:9-12 | For circumcision is indeed of value if you observe the Law... But a man is not a Jew who is one outwardly... | Abraham's circumcision was a sign of faith already possessed. |
| Rom 2:28-29 | For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly... but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart. | Transition from physical to spiritual circumcision in NT. |
| Phil 3:2-3 | Look out for the dogs, look out for the evil workers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the true circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit... | Warns against reliance on physical circumcision for salvation. |
| Col 2:11-12 | In Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. | Spiritual circumcision through Christ, fulfilling the old sign. |
| Gal 5:6 | For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love. | Faith, not the outward act, is what truly matters in the New Covenant. |
| Acts 15:1-11 | Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."... | Apostolic Council discusses the requirement of circumcision for Gentile converts. |
| Gen 12:1-3 | Go forth from your country... and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you... | Foundation of the Abrahamic Covenant and the promises to Abraham. |
| Gen 15:6 | Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness. | Abraham's faith preceding the sign of circumcision. |
| Heb 11:8-19 | By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed... By faith he offered up Isaac... | Highlights Abraham's faith and obedience throughout his life. |
| Jas 2:21-23 | Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac... You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected. | Shows how Abraham's acts (like circumcision, offering Isaac) validated his faith. |
| Deut 6:4-5 | Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart... | Underlying principle of obedience stemming from love for God. |
| Josh 5:2-9 | At that time the Lord said to Joshua, "Make for yourself flint knives and circumcise again the sons of Israel a second time." | Re-institution of circumcision after wandering, signifying renewal of covenant. |
| Eze 44:7-9 | You have brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary... | Emphasizes both physical and spiritual aspects of covenant compliance. |
| Jer 9:25-26 | "Behold, the days are coming," declares the Lord, "that I will punish all who are circumcised and yet uncircumcised in heart." | God's judgment extends beyond outward practice to inward spiritual state. |
| Isa 52:1 | ...for the uncircumcised and unclean will no longer come into you. | Prophetic vision of future holiness requiring inward transformation. |
| Exod 4:24-26 | It came about at the lodging place on the way, that the Lord met him and sought to put him to death. But Zipporah...circumcised her son... | Severity of neglecting God's command concerning circumcision. |
Genesis 21 verses
Genesis 21 4 Meaning
Genesis 21:4 states that Abraham faithfully carried out God's command to circumcise his son Isaac on the eighth day after his birth. This act signified Abraham's unwavering obedience to the covenant established by God, affirming Isaac's identity as the divinely appointed heir of the Abrahamic promises and placing him within the physical sign of the covenant. It marked the formal entry of the promised seed into God's chosen lineage.
Genesis 21 4 Context
Genesis 21:4 takes place immediately after the miraculous birth of Isaac, the long-awaited son of promise, to Abraham and Sarah in their old age. God's covenant with Abraham, established in Genesis 12 and specifically detailed in Genesis 17 regarding circumcision as a perpetual sign, now finds its pivotal fulfillment through Isaac. Abraham's obedience in circumcising Isaac demonstrates his continued faithfulness to God's instructions and confirms Isaac's status as the true heir of the divine promises, contrasting with Ishmael's prior circumcision at a later age. This act firmly grounds the lineage through which God's plan of salvation would unfold.
Genesis 21 4 Word analysis
- And Abraham: Links this event directly to the preceding narrative of Isaac's birth and the ongoing story of Abraham's life and covenant relationship with God. Abraham is consistently presented as the patriarch whose actions carry immense weight.
- circumcised: Hebrew: muwl (מול). This verb denotes the act of cutting around or removing the foreskin. In the ancient Near East, circumcision was practiced by various cultures for reasons like hygiene, fertility rites, or initiation into adulthood. However, the specific command to Abraham was uniquely distinct, mandated by God as a sign of covenant rather than a general cultural practice. It was exclusively for males within the covenant lineage and not connected to fertility cults or general societal rites.
- his son Isaac: Emphasis on "his son," signifying direct lineage and heirship. Isaac (Hebrew: Yitzhak, יצחק) means "he laughs" or "laughter," reflecting Sarah's reaction to the news of his birth and God's joyous fulfillment of His promise. Naming him Isaac confirmed the divine origin and miraculous nature of his birth.
- when he was eight days old: Hebrew: biymat hashmonah yamim (ביום השמיני). The timing is critically specific. This "eighth day" requirement distinguishes the Israelite practice from others. It is observed by scholars that the eighth day is optimal for this procedure due to vitamin K levels in infants being at their highest, which aids in blood clotting. This detail highlights divine wisdom preceding scientific understanding. The "eighth day" also carries theological significance as a day of new beginnings, transcending the cycle of seven days, potentially hinting at spiritual rebirth or new creation. This also served as a polemic against practices in other cultures who might perform it later or not at all, making Israel distinct in their obedience to Yahweh's precise instruction.
- as God had commanded him: Hebrew: ka'asher tzivah oto Elohim (כאשר צוה אותו אלהים). This phrase underscores Abraham's absolute obedience to God's divine will, not just cultural tradition. It reiterates the divine origin of the practice, establishing its authority and spiritual weight. The covenant sign was not a human invention but a specific divine injunction, demanding faithful adherence.
Genesis 21 4 Bonus section
The specific timing of "eight days old" for circumcision holds both practical and profound theological significance beyond mere compliance. Medically, as mentioned, the infant's blood clotting ability is optimized due to elevated Vitamin K and prothrombin levels at this age, minimizing bleeding risks. This demonstrates God's intricate knowledge of human physiology, safeguarding the life of the newborn who was a vital link in the Messianic lineage. Theologically, the "eighth day" consistently appears in scripture as a marker for new beginnings, resurrection, and perfection, transcending the created week. The Law prescribed purification rituals extending to the eighth day (Leviticus 15) and offerings on the eighth day (Leviticus 23:36, 1 Chronicles 29:3-7). This numeric symbolism ties into New Covenant realities where baptism is often seen as the spiritual "circumcision of Christ" (Col 2:11-12) and the resurrection of Christ occurred on the first day of the week (making it the 'eighth day' in a weekly cycle of new creation), signifying a new covenant, new life, and spiritual rebirth for believers. Thus, Isaac's circumcision foreshadows this broader theological concept of new life found in Christ.
Genesis 21 4 Commentary
Genesis 21:4 succinctly captures Abraham's faithfulness in executing God's specific command concerning the covenant sign for Isaac. This verse is far more than a simple record of a medical procedure; it is a profound declaration of Abraham's commitment to the covenant. The "eight days old" timing, precisely as God commanded, underscores both God's sovereign wisdom and Abraham's exact obedience. This act solidified Isaac's place as the divinely appointed heir, setting him apart as the seed through whom the promises of a great nation and a blessing to all peoples would flow. It established a perpetual physical marker that identified the covenant community, a practice that later became law for all Israelites (Lev 12:3). Moreover, it subtly contrasts the covenant between Abraham and Yahweh with other ancient practices, emphasizing that this was a divine mandate, unique in its purpose and timing. In the New Testament, this physical sign points forward to the spiritual circumcision of the heart in Christ (Col 2:11), where true identity is found not in outward ritual but in faith.