14
Butוְan uncircumcisedעָרֵלmaleזָכָרwhoאֲשֶׁרis notלֹאcircumcisedיִמּוֹלin the fleshאֶת בְּשַׂרof his foreskin,עָרְלָתוֹthatהַהִואpersonהַנֶּפֶשׁshall be cut offוְנִכְרְתָהfrom his people;מֵעַמֶּיהָhe has brokenהֵפַרmy covenant.”אֶת בְּרִיתִי
Genesis 17:14
Study it in the app“But an uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.””
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 17:14, word by word
- an uncircumcisedעָרֵלarel
uncircumcised
A man without the covenant sign; said with scorn.
Where else “arel” appears- maleזָכָרzachar
male
A person of the male sex, man or boy.
Where else “zachar” appears- circumcisedיִמּוֹלyimol
circumcise
To circumcise, also the heart.
Where else “yimol” appears- in the fleshבְּשַׂרbesar
flesh
The body of a person or animal, the soft part covering the bones.
Where else “besar” appears- of his foreskinעָרְלָתarlat
foreskin
The skin cut in circumcision.
Where else “arlat” appears- personנֶּפֶשׁnefesh
person
Someone as a whole; "my soul" can simply mean me.
Where else “nefesh” appears- shall be cut offנִכְרְתָהnichrta
cut off
To wipe out, or be shut out from the people.
Where else “nichrta” appears- from his peopleעַמֶּיame
kin
Relatives: "gathered to his people" at death.
Where else “ame” appears- he has brokenהֵפַרhefar
annul
To void a covenant or vow; spoil a plan.
Where else “hefar” appears- my covenantבְּרִיתִberiti
covenant
The commitment God makes with his people, with promises and commands.
Where else “beriti” appears
Translation note
The Hebrew says “that person shall be cut off from his peoples” (venichreta). The text does not say here what this consists of.
The context
13He must surely be circumcised, the one born in your house and the one bought with your silver; and my covenant will be in your flesh as an eternal covenant.
14 · This verse (above)
15Elohim said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, for Sarah will be her name.
To study Genesis 17 in a group
1. What it says
What new names did Abram and Sarai receive, and what did Elohim promise Abraham (vv. 5, 15-16)?
2. What it means
What does it show about Elohim’s plan that Abram becomes Abraham, “father of a multitude of nations” (v. 5)?
3. How I live it
What helps you remember each day what Elohim has said about you and your life?