The Meaning of Genesis 17:12 Explained

Genesis 17:12

KJV: And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.

YLT: 'And a son of eight days is circumcised by you; every male to your generations, born in the house, or bought with money from any son of a stranger, who is not of thy seed;

Darby: And at eight days old shall every male in your generations be circumcised among you he who is born in the house, and he who is bought with money, any stranger who is not of thy seed.

ASV: And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any foreigner that is not of thy seed.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he that is eight  days  old  shall be circumcised  among you, every man child  in your generations,  he that is born  in the house,  or bought  with money  of any stranger,  which [is] not of thy seed. 

What does Genesis 17:12 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 17:12 mean?

And old when he is eight days shall be circumcised among you every male child in your generations he who is born in your house or bought with money from any man who is a foreigner who not your descendant is
וּבֶן־ שְׁמֹנַ֣ת יָמִ֗ים יִמּ֥וֹל לָכֶ֛ם כָּל־ זָכָ֖ר לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶ֑ם יְלִ֣יד בָּ֔יִת וּמִקְנַת־ כֶּ֙סֶף֙ מִכֹּ֣ל בֶּן־ נֵכָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹ֥א מִֽזַּרְעֲךָ֖ הֽוּא

וּבֶן־  And  old 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
שְׁמֹנַ֣ת  when  he  is  eight 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: שְׁמֹנֶה  
Sense: eight, eighth.
יָמִ֗ים  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
יִמּ֥וֹל  shall  be  circumcised 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּל 
Sense: to circumcise, let oneself be circumcised, cut, be cut off.
לָכֶ֛ם  among  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine plural
כָּל־  every 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
זָכָ֖ר  male  child 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָכָר  
Sense: male (of humans and animals) adj.
לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶ֑ם  in  your  generations 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: דֹּור 
Sense: period, generation, habitation, dwelling.
יְלִ֣יד  he  who  is  born  in 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יָלִיד  
Sense: born.
בָּ֔יִת  your  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
וּמִקְנַת־  or  bought 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מִקְנָה  
Sense: purchase.
כֶּ֙סֶף֙  with  money 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֶּסֶף  
Sense: silver, money.
מִכֹּ֣ל  from  any 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
בֶּן־  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
נֵכָ֔ר  who  is  a  foreigner 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֵכָר  
Sense: foreign, alien, foreignness, that which is foreign.
מִֽזַּרְעֲךָ֖  your  descendant 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: זֶרַע  
Sense: seed, sowing, offspring.