The Meaning of Genesis 17:14 Explained

Genesis 17:14

KJV: 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.

YLT: and an uncircumcised one, a male, the flesh of whose foreskin is not circumcised, even that person hath been cut off from his people; My covenant he hath broken.'

Darby: And the uncircumcised male who hath not been circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his peoples: he hath broken my covenant.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Genesis 17:14 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 17:14 mean?

And the uncircumcised male child who not is circumcised - in the flesh of his foreskin and shall be cut off person that from his people My covenant he has broken -
וְעָרֵ֣ל ׀ זָכָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־ יִמּוֹל֙ אֶת־ בְּשַׂ֣ר עָרְלָת֔וֹ וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מֵעַמֶּ֑יהָ בְּרִיתִ֖י הֵפַֽר ס

וְעָרֵ֣ל ׀  And  the  uncircumcised 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עָרֵל  
Sense: uncircumcised, having foreskin.
זָכָ֗ר  male  child 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָכָר  
Sense: male (of humans and animals) adj.
יִמּוֹל֙  is  circumcised 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מוּל 
Sense: to circumcise, let oneself be circumcised, cut, be cut off.
אֶת־  - 
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.
עָרְלָת֔וֹ  of  his  foreskin 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: הָעֲרָלֹות 
Sense: foreskin, uncircumcised.
וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה  and  shall  be  cut  off 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ  person 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.
הַהִ֖וא  that 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
מֵעַמֶּ֑יהָ  from  his  people 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
בְּרִיתִ֖י  My  covenant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
הֵפַֽר  he  has  broken 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּרַר 
Sense: to break, frustrate.
ס  - 
Parse: Punctuation