And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Any uncircumcised male who will not let himself be circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin -that person will be cut off from his people, because he has broken my covenant."
Berean Standard Bible:
But if any male is not circumcised, he will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”
American Standard Version:
And the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
¶ But the soul that doeth [ought] presumptuously, [whether he be] born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the LORD; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people.
Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.
Whatsoever soul [it be] that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.
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Commentary for Genesis 17:14
1. **Themes:**
- **Covenant:** The central theme of Genesis 17:14 is the covenant between God and Abraham, which includes the practice of circumcision as a sign of the covenant.
- **Identity and Belonging:** Circumcision serves as a physical marker of identity, distinguishing the Israelites as God's chosen people.
- **Obedience and Faithfulness:** The verse emphasizes the importance of following God's commands to remain in good standing within the community and the covenant.
- **Exclusion:** The consequence of not adhering to the covenant, particularly the rite of circumcision, is exclusion from the community ("cut off from his people").
2. **Historical Context:**
- **Abrahamic Covenant:** This verse is part of the Abrahamic covenant narrative, where God establishes an everlasting covenant with Abraham, promising land, numerous descendants, and blessings to him and his offspring.
- **Circumcision as a Rite:** Circumcision was already practiced in the ancient Near East, but in the context of Genesis, it takes on a new, religious significance as a sign of the covenant between God and Abraham's descendants.
- **Israelite Identity:** The commandment to circumcise male children on the eighth day of life became a defining characteristic of Israelite identity, setting them apart from other nations.
- **Patriarchal Period:** The events of Genesis 17 are set during the patriarchal period, approximately around the second millennium BCE, when the ancestors of the Israelites lived a semi-nomadic lifestyle in Canaan.
In summary, Genesis 17:14 underscores the importance of circumcision as a requirement of the covenant between God and Abraham, serving as a lasting symbol of faithfulness and identity for the Israelite people. Failure to comply with this rite meant exclusion from the community and a breaking of the divine covenant.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
Strong's Number: H6189 There are 32 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: עָרֵל Transliteration: ʻârêl Pronunciation: aw-rale' Description: from עָרֵל; properly, exposed, i.e. projecting loose (as to the prepuce); used only technically,; uncircumcised (i.e. still having the prepuce uncurtailed); uncircumcised (person).
Strong's Number: H2145 There are 80 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: זָכָר Transliteration: zâkâr Pronunciation: zaw-kawr' Description: from זָכַר; properly, remembered, i.e. a male (of man or animals, as being the most noteworthy sex); [idiom] him, male, man(child, -kind).
Strong's Number: H834 There are 220 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: אֲשֶׁר Transliteration: ʼăsher Pronunciation: ash-er' Description: a primitive relative pronoun (of every gender and number); who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.; [idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever, when, where ([phrase] -as, -in, -of, -on, -soever, -with), which, whilst, [phrase] whither(-soever), who(-m, -soever, -se). As it is indeclinable, it is often accompanied by the personal pronoun expletively, used to show the connection.
Strong's Number: H1320 There are 241 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: בָּשָׂר Transliteration: bâsâr Pronunciation: baw-sawr' Description: from בָּשַׂר; flesh (from its freshness); by extension, body, person; also (by euphemistically) the pudenda of aman; body, (fat, lean) flesh(-ed), kin, (man-) kind, [phrase] nakedness, self, skin.
Strong's Number: H6190 There are 16 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: עׇרְלָה Transliteration: ʻorlâh Pronunciation: or-law' Description: feminine of עָרֵל; the prepuce; foreskin, [phrase] uncircumcised.
Strong's Number: H4135 There are 32 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: מוּל Transliteration: mûwl Pronunciation: mool Description: 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, [idiom] must needs.
Strong's Number: H5315 There are 683 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: נֶפֶשׁ Transliteration: nephesh Pronunciation: neh'-fesh Description: from נָפַשׁ; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental); any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, [idiom] dead(-ly), desire, [idiom] (dis-) contented, [idiom] fish, ghost, [phrase] greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, [idiom] jeopardy of) life ([idiom] in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-) self, them (your) -selves, [phrase] slay, soul, [phrase] tablet, they, thing, ([idiom] she) will, [idiom] would have it.
Strong's Number: H3772 There are 280 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: כָּרַת Transliteration: kârath Pronunciation: kaw-rath' Description: a primitive root; to cut (off, down or asunder); by implication, to destroy or consume; specifically, to covenant (i.e. make an alliance or bargain, originally by cutting flesh and passing between the pieces); be chewed, be con-(feder-) ate, covenant, cut (down, off), destroy, fail, feller, be freed, hew (down), make a league (covenant), [idiom] lose, perish, [idiom] utterly, [idiom] want.
Strong's Number: H5971 There are 1654 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: עַם Transliteration: ʻam Pronunciation: am Description: from עָמַם; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock; folk, men, nation, people.
Strong's Number: H6565 There are 46 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: פָּרַר Transliteration: pârar Pronunciation: paw-rar' Description: a primitive root; to break up (usually figuratively), i.e. to violate, frustrate; [idiom] any ways, break (asunder), cast off, cause to cease, [idiom] clean, defeat, disannul, disappoint, dissolve, divide, make of none effect, fail, frustrate, bring (come) to nought, [idiom] utterly, make void.
Strong's Number: H1285 There are 264 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: בְּרִית Transliteration: bᵉrîyth Pronunciation: ber-eeth' Description: from בָּרָה (in the sense of cutting (like בָּרָא)); a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh); confederacy, (con-) feder(-ate), covenant, league.