Genesis 17:23

Genesis 17:23

And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.

a. NLT: On that very day Abraham took his son, Ishmael, and every male in his household, including those born there and those he had bought. Then he circumcised them, cutting off their foreskins, just as God had told him.

b. NIV: On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or bought with his money, every male in his household, and circumcised them, as God told him.

c. YLT: And Abraham taketh Ishmael his son, and all those born in his house, and all those bought with his money -- every male among the men of Abraham's house -- and circumciseth the flesh of their foreskin, in this self-same day, as God hath spoken with him.

d. Amplified Bible: And Abraham took Ishmael his son and all who were born in his house and all who were bought with his money, every male among [those] of Abraham’s house, and circumcised [them] the very same day, as God had said to him.

e. Septuagint: And Abraam took Ismael his son, and all his home-born [servants], and all those bought with money, and every male of the men in the house of Abraam, and he circumcised their foreskins in the time of that day, according as God spoke to him.

f. Stone Edition Chumash: Then Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those servants born in his household and all those he had purchased for money—all the male members of Abraham’s house—and he circumcised the flesh of their surplusage on that very day as God had spoken with him.

1. “And Abraham took Ishmael his son…”

a. Abraham [85 * ‘Abraham] [Strong: contracted from 1 and an unused root (probably meaning to be populous); father of a multitude; Abraham, the later name of Abram:--Abraham.]

b. took [3947 * laqach] [Strong: a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications):--accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, X many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.]

c. Ishmael [3458 * Yishma’el] [Strong: from 8085 and 410; God will hear; Jishmael, the name of Abraham's oldest son, and of five Israelites:--Ishmael.]

d. his son [1121 * ben] [Strong: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, + spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]

2. “…and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house…”

a. all that were born [3211 * yaliyd] [Strong: from 3205; born:--((home-))born, child, son.]

b. in his house [1004 * bayith] [Strong: probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court, daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet, temple, web, + within(-out).]

c. all that were bought [4736 * miqnah] [Strong: feminine of 4735; properly, a buying, i.e. acquisition; concretely, a piece of property (land or living); also the sum paid:--(he that is) bought, possession, piece, purchase.]

d. with his money [3701 * keceph] [Strong: from 3700; silver (from its pale color); by implication, money:--money, price, silver(-ling).]

e. every male [2145 * zakar] [Strong: from 2142; properly, remembered, i.e. a male (of man or animals, as being the most noteworthy sex):--X him, male, man(child, -kind).]

f. among the men [582 * ‘enowsh] [Strong:  from 605; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the more dignified 120); hence, a man in general (singly or collectively):--another, X (blood-)thirsty, certain, chap(-man); divers, fellow, X in the flower of their age, husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some ( X of them), + stranger, those, + their trade. It is often unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in apposition with another word.]

g. Abraham [85 * ‘Abraham] [Strong: contracted from 1 and an unused root (probably meaning to be populous); father of a multitude; Abraham, the later name of Abram:--Abraham.]

h. house [1004 * bayith] See “in his house” above.

3. “…and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.”

a. and circumcised [4135 * muwl] [Strong: a primitive root; to cut short, i.e. curtail (specifically the prepuce, i.e. to circumcise); by implication, to blunt; figuratively, to destroy:--circumcise(-ing), selves), cut down (in pieces), destroy, X must needs.]

b.the flesh [1320 * basar] [Strong: from 1319; flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphem.) the pudenda of a man:--body, (fat, lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-)kind, + nakedness, self, skin.]

c. of their foreskin [6190 * ‘orlah] [Strong: feminine of 6189; the prepuce:--foreskin, + uncircumcised.]

d. in the selfsame [6106 * ‘tsem] [Strong: from 6105; a bone (as strong); by extension, the body; figuratively, the substance, i.e. (as pron.) selfsame:--body, bone, X life, (self-)same, strength, X very.]

e. day [3117 * yowm] [Strong: from an unused root meaning to be hot; a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to the next), or figurative (a space of time defined by an associated term), (often used adverb):--age, + always, + chronicals, continually(-ance), daily, ((birth-), each, to) day, (now a, two) days (agone), + elder, X end, + evening, + (for) ever(-lasting, -more), X full, life, as (so) long as (... live), (even) now, + old, + outlived, + perpetually, presently, + remaineth, X required, season, X since, space, then, (process of) time, + as at other times, + in trouble, weather, (as) when, (a, the, within a) while (that), X whole (+ age), (full) year(-ly), + younger.]

f. as God [430 * ‘elohiym] [Strong: plural of 433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative:--angels, X exceeding, God (gods)(-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.]

g. had said to him [1697 * dabar] [Strong: from 1696; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause:--act, advice, affair, answer, X any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, + chronicles, commandment, X commune(-ication), + concern(-ing), + confer, counsel, + dearth, decree, deed, X disease, due, duty, effect, + eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-)ness, + glory, + harm, hurt, + iniquity, + judgment, language, + lying, manner, matter, message, (no) thing, oracle, X ought, X parts, + pertaining, + please, portion, + power, promise, provision, purpose, question, rate, reason, report, request, X (as hast) said, sake, saying, sentence, + sign, + so, some (uncleanness), somewhat to say, + song, speech, X spoken, talk, task, + that, X there done, thing (concerning), thought, + thus, tidings, what(-soever), + wherewith, which, word, work.]

1). It appears that all the men were circumcised the same day; that is a lot of circumcisions. About 15 or so years earlier there were 318 men in his house. It would also mean that all the men would be unable to do anything for a few days, even to the point of protecting themselves. In Genesis 34:25 two men killed every male of a city because they were still sore from the circumcision, three days previous.