The Meaning of Genesis 17:11 Explained

Genesis 17:11

KJV: And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.

YLT: and ye have circumcised the flesh of your foreskin, and it hath become a token of a covenant between Me and you.

Darby: And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and that shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you.

ASV: And ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of a covenant betwixt me and you.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And ye shall circumcise  the flesh  of your foreskin;  and it shall be a token  of the covenant  betwixt me and you. 

What does Genesis 17:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 17:1-14 - God's Covenant With Abraham
At least thirteen years had passed since the promise of Isaac was first made. Years of sorrow and discipline, but God had not forgotten. Always under such circumstances the Eternal voice bids us to walk before him and be perfect. Our surrender must be complete, our obedience absolute, our faith fixed steadfastly on the Promiser. So only can God fulfill His covenant, which includes fruitfulness, the salvation of our households, the inheritance and abundance of spiritual reproductiveness. These promises were made to Abram, being yet uncircumcised, when he was yet a Gentile, proving that they were irrespective of any mere Hebrew interpretation. See Romans 4:11. But the rite was the sign and seal of the national covenant with the Hebrew race. Spiritually it stands for the separation of the believer; and though the rite passed away with Judaism, its spiritual significance is permanent, see Colossians 2:11. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 17

1  God renews the covenant with Abram,
5  and changes his name to Abraham, in token of a greater blessing
9  Circumcision is instituted
15  Sarai's name is changed to Sarah, and she is blessed
17  Isaac is promised, and the time of his birth fixed
23  Abraham and Ishmael are circumcised

What do the individual words in Genesis 17:11 mean?

And you shall be circumcised - in the flesh of your foreskins and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you
וּנְמַלְתֶּ֕ם אֵ֖ת בְּשַׂ֣ר עָרְלַתְכֶ֑ם וְהָיָה֙ לְא֣וֹת בְּרִ֔ית בֵּינִ֖י וּבֵינֵיכֶֽם

וּנְמַלְתֶּ֕ם  And  you  shall  be  circumcised 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: מָלַל 
Sense: (Qal) to circumcise, become clipped, be circumcised, be cut off.
אֵ֖ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בְּשַׂ֣ר  in  the  flesh 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בָּשָׂר  
Sense: flesh.
עָרְלַתְכֶ֑ם  of  your  foreskins 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: הָעֲרָלֹות 
Sense: foreskin, uncircumcised.
וְהָיָה֙  and  it  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לְא֣וֹת  a  sign 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, common singular construct
Root: אֹות  
Sense: sign, signal.
בְּרִ֔ית  of  the  covenant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
בֵּינִ֖י  between  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.
וּבֵינֵיכֶֽם  and  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition, second person masculine plural
Root: בַּיִן 
Sense: between, among, in the midst of (with other preps), from between.