The Meaning of Genesis 17:13 Explained

Genesis 17:13

KJV: He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

YLT: he is certainly circumcised who is born in thine house, or bought with thy money; and My covenant hath become in your flesh a covenant age-during;

Darby: He who is born in thy house, and he who is bought with thy money, must be circumcised; and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

ASV: He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

He that is born  in thy house,  and he that is bought  with thy money,  must needs  be circumcised:  and my covenant  shall be in your flesh  for an everlasting  covenant. 

What does Genesis 17:13 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 17:13 mean?

Must be circumcised he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money and shall be My covenant in your flesh for a covenant everlasting
הִמּ֧וֹל ׀ יִמּ֛וֹל יְלִ֥יד בֵּֽיתְךָ֖ וּמִקְנַ֣ת כַּסְפֶּ֑ךָ וְהָיְתָ֧ה בְרִיתִ֛י בִּבְשַׂרְכֶ֖ם לִבְרִ֥ית עוֹלָֽם

הִמּ֧וֹל ׀  Must 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Infinitive absolute
Root: מוּל 
Sense: to circumcise, let oneself be circumcised, cut, be cut off.
יִמּ֛וֹל  be  circumcised 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּל 
Sense: to circumcise, let oneself be circumcised, cut, be cut off.
יְלִ֥יד  he  who  is  born 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יָלִיד  
Sense: born.
בֵּֽיתְךָ֖  in  your  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
וּמִקְנַ֣ת  and  he  who  is  bought  with 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: מִקְנָה  
Sense: purchase.
כַּסְפֶּ֑ךָ  your  money 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: כֶּסֶף  
Sense: silver, money.
וְהָיְתָ֧ה  and  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בְרִיתִ֛י  My  covenant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
בִּבְשַׂרְכֶ֖ם  in  your  flesh 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine plural
Root: בָּשָׂר  
Sense: flesh.
לִבְרִ֥ית  for  a  covenant 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
עוֹלָֽם  everlasting 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֹולָם  
Sense: long duration, antiquity, futurity, for ever, ever, everlasting, evermore, perpetual, old, ancient, world.