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Abraham's Covenants
The Covenant God made with Abraham begins a series of covenants that impact all of world history even to modern times. The details of that covenant matter. This article tracks each promise leading to the Covenant God made with Abraham.
Background
This covenant did not actually start with a formal covenant in the normal biblical sense. It started with a series of smaller promises. Considering that God is perfect, we know that he keeps his promises, we know that even from the start, everything he says to Abraham, everything God says he will do, that God is going to do them. So, we can start this exploration early in Abraham's life. The first reference of a promise to Abramham, at the time known as Abram, is found in Genesis 12:
1 Genesis 12:1-4
1 Genesis 12:1-4
1 Genesis 12:1-4
1 Genesis 12:1-4
1 Genesis 12:1-4
4¶ So Abram did as the LORD had spoken to him; and Lot went with him; and Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. (LAM)
1 Genesis 12:1-4
4So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. (RSV)
1 Genesis 12:1-4
4So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. (NIV)
1 Genesis 12:1-4
4So Abram went, as Yahweh had spoken to him. Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed out of Haran. (WEB)
1 Genesis 12:1-4
4So Abram went, as the LORD had spoken to him. Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed out of Haran. (WEB/HNV)
1 Genesis 12:1-4
4So Abram did as Yahvah had spoken to him; and Lot went with him; and Abram was 75 years old when he departed from Haran. (BRB)
This promise contains several parts that we will see again. Some parts will remain as is, others will grow and change. In this promise we see the following:
Great Nation Abraham is to be made into a great nation. A single nation. One with many people in it.
Blessed Abraham will be blessed.
Name to be Great His name is to be great. He will be known by many people. The name of someone biblically represents his authority. This passage is saying that Abraham will have great authority in the world.
Be a Blessing Abraham will be a blessing to others. Those around him, his family, people he knows.
Blessing/Curses Those that bless Abraham will in turn be blessed by God, those that curse Abraham will in turn be cursed by God.
All peoples Blessed Through Abraham all peoples on earth will be blessed.
The last entry on this list, probably because it will happen later in time, is generally thought to be a reference to the New Covenant and the covenant through which everyone is blessed. The others, though, are just promises being made to Abraham himself and his decendents.
This is just the start. As Abraham demonstrates faith, the covenant changes. We look now at the next round of covenant making with Abraham.
Firepot Covenant with Abraham
If the promises of God were not enough, they multiply as we go further up the record. By chapter 15 of Genesis we find the promises have multiplied greatly. The following are the relavant passages.
1 Genesis 15:5 5וַיּוֹצֵ֨א אֹת֜וֹ הַח֗וּצָה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַבֶּט־ נָ֣א הַשָּׁמַ֗יְמָה וּסְפֹר֙ הַכּ֣וֹכָבִ֔ים אִם־ תּוּכַ֖ל לִסְפֹּ֣ר אֹתָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ל֔וֹ כֹּ֥ה יִהְיֶ֖ה זַרְעֶֽךָ׃ (WLC)
1 Genesis 15:5 5And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. (KJV)
1 Genesis 15:5 5And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. (KJV/NC)
1 Genesis 15:5 5And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and number the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. (ASV)
1 Genesis 15:5 5And he brought him outside, and said to him, Look now toward heaven and number the stars, if you are able to number them; and he said to him, So shall your descendants be. (LAM)
1 Genesis 15:5 5And he brought him outside and said, "Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them." Then he said to him, "So shall your descendants be." (RSV)
1 Genesis 15:5 5He took him outside and said, "Look up at the heavens and count the stars -- if indeed you can count them." Then he said to him, "So shall your offspring be."(NIV)
1 Genesis 15:5 5Yahweh brought him outside, and said, 'Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.' He said to Abram, 'So shall your seed be.' (WEB)
1 Genesis 15:5 5The LORD brought him outside, and said, 'Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.' He said to Abram, 'So shall your seed be.' (WEB/HNV)
1 Genesis 15:5 5And he brought him outside, and said to him, Look now toward heaven and number the stars, if you are able to number them; and he said to him, So your descendants will be. (BRB)
Here the number of offspring has been increased. It is now likened to the stars in the sky. If, indeed, they can be counted. This is substantially larger than just a large nation, which was saw in Chapter 12.
Now the story turns its attention to making this into a covenant, instead of just a promise. Abraham is asked to prepare the sign for the covenant, and then when it was time.
1 Genesis 15:17-21 17וַיְהִ֤י הַשֶּׁ֙מֶשׁ֙ בָּ֔אָה וַעֲלָטָ֖ה הָיָ֑ה וְהִנֵּ֨ה תַנּ֤וּר עָשָׁן֙ וְלַפִּ֣יד אֵ֔שׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָבַ֔ר בֵּ֖ין הַגְּזָרִ֥ים הָאֵֽלֶּה׃ 18בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא כָּרַ֧ת יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־ אַבְרָ֖ם בְּרִ֣ית לֵאמֹ֑ר לְזַרְעֲךָ֗ נָתַ֙תִּי֙ אֶת־ הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֔את מִנְּהַ֣ר מִצְרַ֔יִם עַד־ הַנָּהָ֥ר הַגָּדֹ֖ל נְהַר־ פְּרָֽת׃ 19אֶת־ הַקֵּינִי֙ וְאֶת־ הַקְּנִזִּ֔י וְאֵ֖ת הַקַּדְמֹנִֽי׃ 20וְאֶת־ הַחִתִּ֥י וְאֶת־ הַפְּרִזִּ֖י וְאֶת־ הָרְפָאִֽים׃ 21וְאֶת־ הָֽאֱמֹרִי֙ וְאֶת־ הַֽכְּנַעֲנִ֔י וְאֶת־ הַגִּרְגָּשִׁ֖י וְאֶת־ הַיְבוּסִֽי׃ (WLC)
1 Genesis 15:17
1 Genesis 15:17-21 17And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. 18In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: 19The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 20And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, 21And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.(KJV)
1 Genesis 15:17-21 17And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. 18In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: 19The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 20And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, 21And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.(KJV/NC)
1 Genesis 15:17-21 17And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch that passed between these pieces. 18In that day Jehovah made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: 19the Kenite, and the Kenizzite, and the Kadmonite, 20and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Rephaim, 21and the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Girgashite, and the Jebusite.(ASV)
1 Genesis 15:17-21 17¶ And it came to pass that when the sun had set and it was dark, behold there appeared a smoking furnace and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. 18On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, To your descendants have I given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates: 19The land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 20The Hittites, the Perizzites, the Giants, 21The Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites. (LAM)
1 Genesis 15:17-21 17When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. 18On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphra'tes, 19the land of the Ken'ites, the Ken'izzites, the Kad'monites, 20the Hittites, the Per'izzites, the Reph'aim, 21the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Gir'gashites and the Jeb'usites."(RSV)
1 Genesis 15:17-21 17When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces. 18On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates -- 19the land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, Kadmonites, 20Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, 21Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites and Jebusites."(NIV)
1 Genesis 15:17-21 17It came to pass that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. 18In that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying, 'To your seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates: 19the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.'(WEB)
1 Genesis 15:17-21 17It came to pass that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. 18In that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, 'To your seed I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates: 19the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, 20the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, 21the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.'(WEB/HNV)
1 Genesis 15:17-21 17And it came to pass that when the sun had set and it was dark, look, there appeared a smoking furnace and a burning torch that passed between those pieces. 18On that day Yahvah made a contract with Abram, saying, To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates: 19The land of the Kenites, Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 20The Hittites, the Perizzites, the Giants, 21The Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites. (BRB)
The symbolism of this event is often overlooked. Normally, both parties entering into a contract would walk between the pieces together. Symbolizing the covenant and reiterating that if either party broke their part of the bargan, the other had the right to cut the offender into two, just like the animals had been.
In this case Abraham is noticably absent. Only the firepot passes between the pieces. What does this signify? That God alone had passed through the pieces, and that if God failed to keep his part of the covenant, that he could be cut into pieces, but that Abraham was under no such threat. This pictured what was now an unconditional promise.
Would Abraham ever have to execute this threat? No. God is trustworthy. He keeps his promises. This entire picture is simply for Abraham's benefit, and ours, so that we understand this has the force of a full contract, like two people might enter into. But, unlike a human counterpart, God will not fail in keeping his side of the bargain.
What does that promise involve? In addition to what was mentioned before, it now included many more offspring, and it included a piece of land, the land from the border of Egypt to the Euphrates.
When God established the Sinai covenant he would make claim to this territory conditional on the good behavior of the nation, but for the purposes of all time, this is Abraham's territory. 1
As the nation would later experience, as they disobeyed God and his later covenant of possesion, the farthest parts of this empire would be the first to fall.2 3 As the nation would later disobey that covenant, the nation would itself be cut in two, like that pictured in this vision.
This was not the end of the story in Abraham's day. God switched to a conditional promise, and increased it still.
More Covenant with Abraham
As Abraham's story unfolds in Genesis we see it increasing still. The next relavant passages are found in Genesis 17. The following is the relavant text:
1 Genesis 17:3-10 3וַיִּפֹּ֥ל אַבְרָ֖ם עַל־ פָּנָ֑יו וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתּ֛וֹ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֵאמֹֽר׃ 4אֲנִ֕י הִנֵּ֥ה בְרִיתִ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ וְהָיִ֕יתָ לְאַ֖ב הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִֽם׃ 5וְלֹא־ יִקָּרֵ֥א ע֛וֹד אֶת־ שִׁמְךָ֖ אַבְרָ֑ם וְהָיָ֤ה שִׁמְךָ֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם כִּ֛י אַב־ הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִ֖ם נְתַתִּֽיךָ׃ 6וְהִפְרֵתִ֤י אֹֽתְךָ֙ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֔ד וּנְתַתִּ֖יךָ לְגוֹיִ֑ם וּמְלָכִ֖ים מִמְּךָ֥ יֵצֵֽאוּ׃ 7וַהֲקִמֹתִ֨י אֶת־ בְּרִיתִ֜י בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֗ךָ וּבֵ֨ין זַרְעֲךָ֧ אַחֲרֶ֛יךָ לְדֹרֹתָ֖ם לִבְרִ֣ית עוֹלָ֑ם לִהְי֤וֹת לְךָ֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים וּֽלְזַרְעֲךָ֖ אַחֲרֶֽיךָ׃ 8וְנָתַתִּ֣י לְ֠ךָ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֨ אַחֲרֶ֜יךָ אֵ֣ת׀ אֶ֣רֶץ מְגֻרֶ֗יךָ אֵ֚ת כָּל־ אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן לַאֲחֻזַּ֖ת עוֹלָ֑ם וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָהֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִֽים׃ 9וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־ אַבְרָהָ֔ם וְאַתָּ֖ה אֶת־ בְּרִיתִ֣י תִשְׁמֹ֑ר אַתָּ֛ה וְזַרְעֲךָ֥ אַֽחֲרֶ֖יךָ לְדֹרֹתָֽם׃ 10זֹ֣את בְּרִיתִ֞י אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁמְר֗וּ בֵּינִי֙ וּבֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם וּבֵ֥ין זַרְעֲךָ֖ אַחֲרֶ֑יךָ הִמּ֥וֹל לָכֶ֖ם כָּל־ זָכָֽר׃ (WLC)
1 Genesis 17:3-10 3And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 4As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 5Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. 6And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 7And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. 8And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
9And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. 10This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. (KJV)
1 Genesis 17:3-10 3And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 4As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. 5Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. 6And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 7And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. 8And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
9And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. 10This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. (KJV/NC)
1 Genesis 17:3-10 3And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, 4As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be the father of a multitude of nations. 5Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for the father of a multitude of nations have I made thee. 6And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. 7And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after thee. 8And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land of thy sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
9And God said unto Abraham, And as for thee, thou shalt keep my covenant, thou, and thy seed after thee throughout their generations. 10This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee: every male among you shall be circumcised. (ASV)
1 Genesis 17:3-10 3And Abram fell on his face; and God talked with him, saying,
4¶ As for me, behold, I am establishing my covenant with you, and you shall be a father of many peoples. 5Neither shall your name any more be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many peoples. 6And I will make you fruitful, and multiply you exceedingly; and I will make you father of many nations, and kings shall come out of your loins.
7¶ And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, and I will be God to you and to your descendants after you. 8And I will give to you, and your descendants after you, the land in which you sojourn, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting inheritance; and I will be their God. 9And God said to Abraham, You shall keep my covenant, you, and your descendants after you throughout their generations. 10This is my covenant, which you shall keep between me and you and your descendants after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. (LAM)
1 Genesis 17:3-10 3Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, 4"Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. 5No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come forth from you. 7And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. 8And I will give to you, and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God."
9And God said to Abraham, "As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. 10This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your descendants after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. (RSV)
1 Genesis 17:3-10 3Abram fell facedown, and God said to him, 4"As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. 5No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations. 6I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. 7I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. 8The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."
9Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. 10This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. (NIV)
1 Genesis 17:3-10 3Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying, 4'As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations. 5Neither will your name any more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for the father of a multitude of nations have I made you. 6I will make you exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you. 7I will establish my covenant between me and you and your seed after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your seed after you. 8I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God.'
9God said to Abraham, 'As for you, you will keep my covenant, you and your seed after you throughout their generations. 10This is my covenant, which youP shall keep, between me and you and your seed after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised. (WEB)
1 Genesis 17:3-10 3Abram fell on his face. God talked with him, saying, 4'As for me, behold, my covenant is with you. You will be the father of a multitude of nations. 5Neither will your name any more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations. 6I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you. 7I will establish my covenant between me and you and your seed after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your seed after you. 8I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land where you are traveling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God.'
9God said to Abraham, 'As for you, you will keep my covenant, you and your seed after you throughout their generations. 10This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your seed after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised. (WEB/HNV)
1 Genesis 17:3-10 3And Abram fell on his face; and God talked with him, saying, 4As for me, look, I am establishing my contract with you, and you will be a father of many peoples. 5Nor will your name be Abram any longer, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many peoples. 6And I will make you fruitful, and multiply you exceedingly; and I will make you father of many nations, and kings will come out of your loins. 7And I will establish my contract between me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting contract, and I will be God to you and to your descendants after you. 8And I will give to you, and your descendants after you, the land in which you now reside temporarily, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting inheritance; and I will be their God.
9And God said to Abraham, You will keep my contract, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. 10This is my contract, which you will keep between me and you and your descendants after you: Every male among you will be circumcised. (BRB)
Here the promise grows still larger. Now Abraham is to become many nations which is mentioned twice and he is to be the father of kings and the whole land of Canaan is to become his as well.
Unlike the earlier promises, Abraham has a condition. He, and his household, must be circumcised. This is his part of this conditional promise. Abraham is faithful and does what God asks, and so keeps his side of the promise. God is now doing more than he would at first.
Seeing fulfullment
At this point we should stop and ask what has been fulfilled from this set of promises. The king, or kings, which would come from Abraham, are those who populate the house of David, some 1000 years later. 1000 years after that Jesus comes from David's line and will eventually permanently fulfill the king promise given here to Abraham.
What about the other promises? Especially, here, the promise of many nations? This is harder to find fulfillment of, but it is what we are actually headed for in this section. We must wait a little longer before we can reveal just how that is fulfilled. Let me say now, though, that the Jewish nation, those we today call the modern nation of Israel, were never more than one nation, not many nations as promised here. Abraham's decendents must include someone else.
God Swears by Himself
As we follow the story still further, the promises we've seen so far become completely unconditional. God is pleased with Abraham. The story involves a test, a test where Abraham is asked to sacrifice his son, his only son. Forshadowing the cross, and God's sacrifice of his only son, Abraham obeys and travels to the region of Moriah where he nearly completes the test. At the last moment, the Lord provides a Ram to substitute and then confirms the covenant:
1 Genesis 22:15-18 15וַיִּקְרָ֛א מַלְאַ֥ךְ יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־ אַבְרָהָ֑ם שֵׁנִ֖ית מִן־ הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃ 16וַיֹּ֕אמֶר בִּ֥י נִשְׁבַּ֖עְתִּי נְאֻם־ יְהוָ֑ה כִּ֗י יַ֚עַן אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשִׂ֙יתָ֙ אֶת־ הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה וְלֹ֥א חָשַׂ֖כְתָּ אֶת־ בִּנְךָ֥ אֶת־ יְחִידֶֽךָ׃ 17כִּֽי־ בָרֵ֣ךְ אֲבָרֶכְךָ֗ וְהַרְבָּ֨ה אַרְבֶּ֤ה אֶֽת־ זַרְעֲךָ֙ כְּכוֹכְבֵ֣י הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וְכַח֕וֹל אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־ שְׂפַ֣ת הַיָּ֑ם וְיִרַ֣שׁ זַרְעֲךָ֔ אֵ֖ת שַׁ֥עַר אֹיְבָֽיו׃ 18וְהִתְבָּרֲכ֣וּ בְזַרְעֲךָ֔ כֹּ֖ל גּוֹיֵ֣י הָאָ֑רֶץ עֵ֕קֶב אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ בְּקֹלִֽי׃ (WLC)
1 Genesis 22:15
1 Genesis 22:15-18 15And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. (KJV)
1 Genesis 22:15-18 15And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven time 2, 16And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. (KJV/NC)
1 Genesis 22:15-18 15And the angel of Jehovah called unto Abraham a second time out of heaven, 16and said, By myself have I sworn, saith Jehovah, because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, 17that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the seashore. And thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. 18And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Because thou hast obeyed my voice. (ASV)
1 Genesis 22:15-18 15¶ And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16And said, I have sworn by myself, says the LORD, for because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, from me, 17I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is on the sea shore; and your descendants shall inherit the lands of their enemies; 18And by your seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed because you have obeyed my voice. (LAM)
1 Genesis 22:15-18 15And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16and said, "By myself I have sworn, says the LORD, because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17I will indeed bless you, and I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore. And your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies, 18and by your descendants shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves, because you have obeyed my voice." (RSV)
1 Genesis 22:15-18 15The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time 16and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, 18and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."(NIV)
1 Genesis 22:15-18 15The angel of Yahweh called to Abraham a second time out of the sky, 16and said, 'I have sworn by myself, says Yahweh, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17that in blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is on the seashore. Your seed will possess the gate of his enemies. 18In your seed will all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.'(WEB)
1 Genesis 22:15-18 15The angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time out of the sky, 16and said, 'I have sworn by myself, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son, 17that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your seed greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your seed will possess the gate of his enemies. 18In your seed will all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.'(WEB/HNV)
1 Genesis 22:15-18 15And the angel of Yahvah called to Abraham from heaven a 2nd time 16And said, I have sworn by myself, says Yahvah, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son, from me, 17I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your descendants as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is on the sea shore; and your descendants will inherit the lands of their enemies; 18And by your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed because you have obeyed my voice. (BRB)
"I swear by myself," is strong language for God. Nothing is going to stop him doing as he promised to Abraham. Nothing of the things we've looked at here are going to fail to come to pass. Unconditionally. Without any chance to fail.
Compared to the New Covenant, this covenant no longer has any conditions placed on Abraham or his family. It is also not the New Covenant, in that it does not lead to eternal life. This covenant is only hinted at in these passages, and Hebrews 11 demonstrates that Abraham is saved under the New Covenant, but that covenant awaits the arrival of Jesus before it is in view.
At this point there is no further covenant making with Abraham's sons. God does, though, come along and confirm this covenant with later generations in his family. We now turn our attention to the next generation, Isaac.
1Deuteronomy 11:22 -25
2Second Samuel 8:3
3Second Chronicles 18:3
File http://www.bibletribes.org/home/covenant/abrahamic/
Revision: 1.2
Last modified: 2007-11-15
at 05:29:53 GMT
