Abrahamic Covenant
HaBrit Bein HaBetarim – The Covenant Between the Pieces
This study is intended to consider the significance of:
(i) The Covenant p.1;
(ii) Walking between the pieces p.2;
(iii) Covenant terms p.3;
(iv) Hagar & Yishma`el p.4;
(v) The Angel of Yahuah p.5;
(vi) Abram/Abraham p.6;
(vii) Circumcision p.7;
(viii)The Eighth Day p.8;
(ix) Sarai/Sarah p.8;
(x) Yitzkhak p.9;
(xi) The Two Sons of Abraham (Gal. 4:21-31) p.10;
(xii) References and Credits p.11.
The term “covenant” is of Latin origin (con venire), meaning a coming together. It presupposes two or more parties who come together to make a contract, agreeing on promises, stipulations, privileges, and responsibilities (www.biblestudytools.com).
Gen. 15:1 – “After these things the word of Yahuah came to Abram in a vision, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” From the very beginning of this account, the covenantal-keeping name Yahuah is used. This is the third affirmation of the covenant (cf Gen. 12:1-3; 13:14-17).
This episode takes place shortly after Abram’s rescue of the captives, including his nephew Lot. It may have been due to the battle at Hovah (Gen. 14:15), that Abram realised that, should he have been killed, there would have been no heir through which to carry on the family name (Num. 27:4).
Gen. 15:2, 3 – “Abram said, ‘Yahuah `Elohiym, what will you give me, seeing I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is Eli`ezer of Dammesek?’ Abram said, ‘Behold, to me you have given no seed: and, behold, one born in my house is my heir.’” Abram was in his mid-seventies and Sarai was not much younger. For all this time the couple had remained childless, and so, in line with the custom of the time, Abram was looking to a member of his household in which he could name as heir.
Although Lot was Abram’s nephew, because he returned to S`dom, he was not to be considered as being of the House of Abram.
Gen. 15:4 – “Behold, the word of Yahuah came to him, saying, ‘This man will not be your heir, but he who will come forth out of your own body will be your heir.’” The Talmud claims that Abraham’s life was a series of ten tests (www.Chabad.org/..1324268 ), of which this is the beginning of one. Tests or trials of Yahuah are not meant to ‘trip people up’ or to lead them into sin, but are there to teach a lesson, both for the time and from which all future generations to learn. Some Abraham failed (cf Gen. 12:8-20) and some he passed (cf Gen. 22:1-19). It is vital that all Believers take note how this righteous man acted in the various trials.
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The testing took the form of this promise. In it, Abram was to father an heir, but there is no indication here that Sarai was to be the mother.
Gen. 15:5 – “Yahuah brought him outside, and said, ‘Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ He said to Abram, ‘So shall your seed be.’” This is a rhetorical question, as no-one can count the number of stars (although scientists are trying hard enough). Compare this to, Gen. 13:16 where Yahuah enumerates Abram’s descendants as the dust of the earth and Gen. 22.17 where Yahuah counts his descendants as the sand on the seashore. Many commentators have likened the counting of the dust as representing fallen Yisra`el and the stars as the ‘New Testament Church’. This is clearly done to further the doctrine of Replacement Theology, whereby the ‘New Testament Church’ as ‘Spiritual Yisra`el’ has replaced the Jewish people in Yahuah’s economy (Danieli p. 182).
Jewish tradition states that Yahuah assures Abram that those who obey His commands shall be lifted up as the stars, whereas those who disobey Yahuah shall be ground into dust under the feet of their enemies (Danieli p. 185 quoting Megillah 16a).
As v1 states that Yahuah appeared to Abram in a vision, then Abram was brought forth in the trance and not physically to observe the stars outside of his tent.
Gen. 15:6 – “He believed in Yahuah and He reckoned it to him for righteousness.” This is a declaration as to the promise regarding Abram’s descendants, as he already had faith in Yahuah because he had sh’ma Yahuah in leaving Ur-Kasdim. Abram was considered righteous prior to the giving of Torah so it is not Torah that justifies, but the faith in what it represents: the shed blood of the Master Yahusha.
Abram believed that Yahuah would provide, in some manner, a son, However, there is no indication of how long Abram would have to wait. This trust is shown by the surrendering unto the sovereign will of Yahuah, and is the basis of true religion (Hertz p. 54).
There has only ever been, and is, and ever will be, one way to be justified: by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8). However, there are various types by which faith can be appropriated. It is not faith in the type that saves, but in faith in the anti-type that it foreshadows – the blood of the Master Yahusha (Col. 2:17).
Adamic Covenant – Adam (and future generations) was saved (Prophetic Perfect Tense) by ‘seeing’ salvation in the slaughtered animals that provide their covering, “Yahuah `Elohiym made coats of skins for Adam and for his wife, and clothed them.” (Gen. 3:21).
Noakhic Covenant – Noakh ((and future generations) was saved (Prophetic Perfect Tense) by ‘seeing’ salvation in the Adamic Covenant and in the teibah (Ark), “Yahuah said to Noakh, ‘Come with all of your household into the teibah, for I have seen your righteousness before me in this generation.’” (Gen. 7:1).
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Abrahamic Covenant – Abraham (and future generations) was saved (Prophetic Perfect Tense) by ‘seeing’ salvation in the Adamic Covenant, Noakhic Covenant and in the resurrection of Yitzkhak, “Abraham said, `Elohiym will provide Himsel,f the Lamb, for a burnt offering, my son.’ So they both went together.” (Gen. 22:8).
Mosaic Covenant – Moshe (and future generations) was saved (Prophetic Perfect Tense) by ‘seeing’ salvation in the Adamic Covenant, Noakhic Covenant, Abrahamic Covenant and in Torah, “He took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people, and they said, ‘All that Yahuah has spoken will we do, and be obedient.’ Moshe took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, ‘Look, this is the blood of the covenant, which Yahuah has made with you concerning all these words.’” (Exod. 24:7, 8).
Davidic Covenant – Dawid (and future generations) was saved (Prophetic Perfect Tense) by ‘seeing’ salvation in the Adamic Covenant, Noakhic Covenant, Abrahamic Covenant, Mosaic Covenant and in the Temple, “Then Dawid gave to Shlomo his son the pattern of the porch of the Temple, and of the houses of it, and of the treasuries of it, and of the upper rooms of it, and of the inner chambers of it, and of the place of the mercy seat; and the pattern of all that he had by the Spirit, for the courts of the house of Yahuah, and for all the chambers round about, for the treasuries of the house of `Elohiym, and for the treasuries of the dedicated things;” (1 Chron. 28:11, 12).
Each and every one of these types all point to a future (for them) event, “When Yahusha therefore had received the vinegar, He said ‘It is accomplished’. He bowed His head, and gave up His spirit.”; “For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise from the dead.”; “Yahusha said to him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed.’” (John 19:30; 20:9, 29).
Believers today are saved (Perfect Tense) by ‘seeing’ the completed works of the Messiah.
Now if all pre-Resurrection Believers were saved (Prophetic Perfect Tense) by the shed blood of the Lamb, and all post-Resurrection Believers were saved (Perfect Tense) by the same shedding of the blood of the Lamb, all must, therefore have been saved at the same time, even before the world began, “knowing that you were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from the useless way of life handed down from your fathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb without spot, the blood of the Messiah; who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was revealed at the end of times for your sake, who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead, and gave Him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.” (1 Peter 1:18-21).
The Abrahamic Covenant was unconditional i.e. Abram’s descendants would number as the stars and shall inherit the Land, neither of which, Abram was assured, could be forfeited by Abram or his descendants’ sin. Abram was justified by faith demonstrated by his willingness to obey Yahuah (James 2:21-23).
Gen. 15:7 – “He said to him, ‘I am Yahuah who brought you out of Ur of the Kasdim, to give you this land to inherit it.’” This, of its self, should have been sufficient for Abram. However, Abram’s faith had yet to be fully matured.
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Gen. 15:8 – “He said, ‘Yahuah `Elohiym, how will I know that I will inherit it?’” Therefore, Abram needed further reassurance that he would be a father of a son, let alone nations.
Gen. 15:9 – “He said to him, ‘Take me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.’” A covenant between two parties usually only required a single animal for it to be ratified. However, this covenant was between Yahuah, Abram and all his descendants:
Heifer – for purification (cf Num. 19:1-22);
Goat – for a sin offering for all the people (cf Lev. 9:15);
Ram – for a trespass offering (cf Lev. 5:15);
Dove and pigeon – for a burnt offering for Sarai (cf Lev. 12:6).
Gen. 15:10 – “He took him all these, and divided them in the middle, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not divide the birds.” In a blood covenant, it was usual for both parties to walk between the pieces. Should one party break the conditions of the covenant, their blood would be forfeit. However, it was only Yahuah who was to walk through the animals as it was an unconditional covenant. When the people broke the covenant, their blood was required. Nevertheless, as they could not pay, the Master Yahusha became the blood sacrifice on their behalf.
Gen. 15:11 – “The birds of prey came down on the carcasses, and Abram drove them away.” Before the covenant could be sealed, carrion birds swooped down to try and despoil the sacrifices that had to be without spot or blemish. The birds may be a type of haSatan (cf John 10:10) that has come to steal or destroy and thus nullify the Covenant. This is indicative of the struggles Abram and his descendants would have in fully appropriating the promises of Yahuah.
Gen. 15:12 – “When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. Now terror and great darkness fell on him.” This was a supernatural trance-like state in which Abram was still conscious as Abram would not have been afraid nor able to listen to what Yahuah had to say.
Gen. 15:13 – “He said to Abram, ‘Know for sure that your seed will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four hundred years.’” This is the prophecy regarding the Egyptian slavery. The timing of four hundred and thirty years (Exod. 12:40) would correspond to the time between Ya`akob’s family entered Egypt (Gen. 47:1) and Yosef’s death (Exod. 1:8-14). The four hundred years being the time in bondage.
Some commentators (Fruchtenbaum p. 265) suggest that the four hundred years consists of one hundred and eighty-five between the weaning of Yitzkhak to the Egyptian slavery, and two hundred and fifteen years of bondage (Exod. 1:8-14) until the Exodus (Exod. 12:29-51).
Gen. 15:15 – “But you will go to your fathers in shalom. You will be buried in a good old age.” This indicates that there was a belief in the after-life. All of Abram’s forebearers were buried in Mesopotamia, whereas Abraham would be buried in the cave in the field of Makhpelah before Mamre (the same as Hevron), in the land of Kana`an (Gen. 25:9). Nevertheless, Yahuah assures Abram that he will go to be with them.
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Gen. 15:16 – “In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amori is not yet full.” The four generations, not of any specific length of time, were Levi, K`hat, Amram and Aharon and Moshe (Exod. 6:16-21).
The iniquity of the Amori is really that of all the Kena`anim peoples.
Gen. 15:17 – “It came to pass that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.” The smoke and flame allude to the Shekinah that leads the Yisra`elites through the wilderness (Exod. 13:21). “For Yahuah your `Elohiym is a devouring fire, a jealous `Elohiym.” (Deut. 4:24).
The burning torch is likened to the Light of the World, that is the Messiah.
Yahuah walked alone through the pieces, and He alone is the Ratifier of the Covenant. His Covenant promises depend upon nothing that Man can do.
Gen. 15:18 – “In that day Yahuah made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Perat:” The covenant is now sealed. Here Yahuah uses the Prophetic Perfect tense, in that the future event is absolutely assured that it is stated to already have been accomplished.
The Land stated is probably from the eastern most distributary of the Nile Delta, the Pelogiac or River Shihor in the south, to the River Euphrates in the north (Fruchtenbaum p. 268).
Although the Yisra`elites would be vomited out of the Promised Land on many occasions (2 Kgs. 17 – Assyrians and Yisra`el; 2 Kgs. 20 – Babylonians and Yahudah; Roman Diaspora), Yahuah always had the people return. No more so than in 1948 with the re-establishing of the nation of Yisra`el.
In spite of all that Yisra`el’s enemies have done to eradicate the people of Yisra`el and/or steal away the Land, Yahuah’s promises are inviolate. The promise of the Land is not only a reminder to the Yisra`elites of the Covenant, but it is irrevocable sign to the world that Yisra`el is, and always will be, Yahuah’s people. Less so, is the provision of a Redeemer but is equally assured (Rom. 11:25-32).
Gen. 15:19-21 – “the Kinim, the Kenizzi, the Kadmoni, the Hitti, the Perizzi, the Refa’im, the Amori, the Kana`anim, the Girgashi, and the Yevusi.” Yahuah will later command the Yisra`elites to force out all the occupying tribes in order to remove the temptation into idolatry.
“He said, “Behold, I make a covenant: before all your people… Observe that which I command you this day. Behold, I drive out before you the Amori, the Kana`ani, the Hittite, the Perizzi, the Hivvi, and the Yevusi. for you shall worship no other god: for Yahuah, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous `Elohiym… and you take of their daughters to your sons, and their daughters play the prostitute after their gods, and make your sons play the prostitute after their gods.” (Exod. 34:10-16). However, this clearly did not happen and the Yisra`elites were to suffer greatly the consequences of disobeying this instruction in the Judges period, the Assyrian and Babylonian exiles and Roman Diaspora, which all would not have happened if the Yisra`elites had not shared the glory belonging to Yahuah `Elohiym with other gods, for, “I am Yahuah, that is my name; and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to engraved images.” (Isa. 42:8).
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Gen. 16:1 – “Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, bore him no children. She had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.” Sarai was barren, and past child-bearing age. This was part of the test of Yahuah imposed upon Abram, in that it looked impossible to have a child with Sarai (cf Rachel Gen. 30:1-5; Hannah 1Sam. 1:2, 5).
A childless couple is an anathema to most cultures, and it was always considered to be the fault of the woman, she being under judgement.
Gen. 16:2, 3 – “Sarai said to Abram, ‘See now, Yahuah has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my handmaid. It may be that I will obtain children by her.’ Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Kana`an, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife.” Historical evidence found on the Nuzi Tablets, known as the Code of Hammurabi states that it was the duty of a wife to have children (Fruchtenbaum p. 270).
If the wife was found to be barren, it was her obligation to find a substitute wife to bear her (not her husband’s) children, that she could raise as her own. However, the first wife must always have precedence over secondary wives and concubines. The husband must give the first wife primary status.
בָּנָה #H1129 ba-nar to build up. Commonly this is understood to mean that Hagar will have a son, and that it would become Sarai’s. This is where translations and cultural colouring misses a great deal.
בֵּן #H1121 ben son, descendant follower; *254 also refer to an adopted son;
~1037-A(N) bet-nun is represented in the Ancient Hebrew by a tent – seed, and means to build up. The concept of a House or Dynasty is based upon the birth of a son (a daughter leaves her father’s house to go to the house of her husband’s father’s). A son born to a man carries on the father’s name. Just as a tent is continually being repaired, built up again, so is the House with a son.
אֶבֶן #H68 eh-ben stone; ~1037-C(N) aleph-bet-nun is represented by an ox head-tent-seed. The son is the foundation and strength of the House. The basis of the bikkor, the first-born, is that this son will inherit the bulk of the father’s estate, ensuring the posterity of the father’s lineage, upon which the family will continue and in whom the family is represented.
בָּנָה #H1129 ba-nar is the primitive root for to build up, obtain children, son and stone.
Abram listened to his wife rather than Yahuah. This is similar to Gan `Eden when Khavah gave the Fruit to Adam (Gen. 3:6)…and we all know how that turned out!
Gen. 16:4 – “He went in to Hagar, and she conceived. When she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.” Having conceived, Hagar had nothing but contempt for her mistress (cf. Hannah/Peninnah 1Sam. 1:6).
Gen. 16:5 – “Sarai said to Abram, ‘This wrong is your fault. I gave my handmaid into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes. Yahuah judge between me and you.’” Although the idea (or obligation) was of Sarai, it would seem that Abram favoured his younger wife, now that she had conceived and producing an heir for Abram.
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Gen. 16:6 – “But Abram said to Sarai, ‘Behold, your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes.’ Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face.” Now that Hagar had conceived, there was no need for further sexual relations, so the distressed Sarai relegated Hagar back to slave status, now being sure that Hagar was carrying her child. Again, ancient history shows that a slave was little more than an object to the master, to do with as felt right.
עָנָה #H6031 a-nar to afflict, humble, inhuman affliction or torture. Sarai now cruelly treated Hagar, to the extent that Hagar thought that she had no other option but to escape. If Sarai treated her badly whilst pregnant, what would it be like after the birth? Hagar was most probably a servant not a slave, as she would have been pursued by the master and forced to return.
הָגָר #H1904 ha-gar fugitive.
Gen. 16:7 – “The Angel of Yahuah found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.” This is the first mention of one of the most important characters in Scripture, the pre-incarnate, second Person of the Triune `Elohiym.
Gen. 16:8 – “He said, ‘Hagar, Sarai’s handmaid, where did you come from? Where are you going?’ She said, ‘I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.’” First, Yahuah, in the form of the Angel asks Hagar a rhetorical question, not to garner information, but to, draw Hagar’s attention to her plight (cf Gen. 3:10-13; 4:9, 10). This is obvious by the fact that the Angel knew who she was.
Gen. 16:9 – “The Angel of Yahuah said to her, ‘Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hands.” The word submit is עָנָה #H6031 a-nar.
Gen. 16:11-15 – “The Angel of Yahuah said to her, ‘Behold, you are with child, and will bear a son. You shall call his name Yishma`el, because Yahuah has heard your affliction… Hagar bore a son for Abram. Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Yishma`el.” Yishma`el is the first in-vitro baby to be named in Scripture.
Gen. 17:1 – “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Yahuah appeared to Abram, and said to him, ‘I am El Shaddai. Walk before me, and be blameless.’” This is reminiscent of Noakh (Gen. 6:9).
שַׁדַּי #H7706 sha-dye almighty
אֵל #H410 ale God
אֵל שַׁדַּי This is the first mention of this term, stressing the fact that what Yahuah promises, there is nothing that can prevent the promise materialising. The name אֵל שַׁדַּי `El Shaddai has the connotation of all-sufficient or self-sufficient (Skinner p. 290), in that in being so, depends upon nothing or no-one but Himself to fulfil His promises.
This is the opening of a theophany where Yahuah appeared as opposed to His word coming to Abram in a vision.
Gen. 17:2 – “I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” Thirteen years have passed since the birth of Yishma`el.
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Gen.17:5 – “Neither will your name any more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for the father of a multitude of nations have I made you.”
אַבְרָם #H87 A-brarm exalted father
אַבְרָהָם #H85 A-bra-harm father of a multitude
אָב #H1 arb father + רָבַב #H7231 ra-berbmultitude + ם mem plurality
= Father of many multitudes
The promise was that Abraham’s descendants would be many nations: the Jewish nations Yisra`el and Yahudah and the Arab (Yishma`eli) nations.
Gen. 17:6 – “I will make you exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of you. Kings will come out of you.” The first part is a re-affirmation of the previous promise of nations. However, a secondary promise is made that kings will be numbered amongst Abraham’s descendants. Although the Covenant implies different multitudes, it keeps hold of their identity within a single group of people (Skinner p. 293).
Gen. 17:7 – “I will establish my covenant between me and you and your seed after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be an `Elohiym to you and to your seed after you.”
זֶרַע #H2233 zeh-rair seed. This is a masculine singular word, often mistranslated as descendants. This would refer to the yet-to-be-born Yitzkhak who, in turn, would be a type of הַזָּ֑רַע ha-Zeh-rair The Seed of Gen. 3:15, the Master Yahusha.
בְּכוֹרָה #H1062 bekh-or-rar first-born, this was to be Yishma`el.
This is the same Covenant that was given to Adam and Khavah, regarding the Seed, but is revealed in a different manner (Chartrand p. 122).
Gen. 17:8 – “I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land where you are sojourning, all the land of Kana`an, for an everlasting possession. I will be their `Elohiym.”
I will:
Make a covenant between me and you…Gen. 17:2;
Multiply you…Gen. 17:2;
Make you exceeding fruitful…Gen. 17:6;
Make nations of you…Gen. 17:6;
Make my covenant between me…and your seed…Gen. 17:7;
Give to your and your seed…the Land…Gen. 17:8;
Be their `Elohiym…Gen 17:8.
מָגוּר #H4033 ma-goor sojourn, temporary dwelling place. Even though Abraham and his descendants have been promised the Land, Yahuah has made it known that this was only a temporary condition, inferring that it was a pause on the journey to somewhere better for, “You were made alive when you were dead in transgressions and sins…even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with the Messiah (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and made us to sit with Him in the heavenly places in the Messiah Yahusha,” (Eph. 2:1-6).
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Gen. 17:9 – `Elohiym said to Abraham, ‘As for you, you will keep my covenant, you and your seed after you throughout their generations.’” All that Yahuah has promised Abraham, He is going to fulfil. They are not conditional upon anything that Abraham does or not do.
Gen. 17:10, 11 – “This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your seed after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of a covenant between me and you. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of a covenant between me and you.” It is not apparent in English, but from now onwards Yahuah, when referring to ‘you’ does so in the masculine second-person plural. That is, Yahuah is now speaking to all generations through Abraham.
Circumcision is not a condition of the covenant, but an outward sign of having taken up the Covenant, akin to Immersion after salvation.
The physical act of circumcision, therefore, does not give access to the Covenant but it is the faith of the parent on behalf of the child. The faith required should rather be in belief in the Covenant-keeping `Elohiym and His promises and that the blood of the son must be shed as a memorial to the blood Covenant.
Such is the importance of the ritual of circumcision, that innumerable fathers and mothers have died in order to uphold their sons to be circumcised and entered into the Covenant.
Physical circumcision has no spiritual value, “Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of `Eloakh.” (1 Cor. 7:19). What is vital is the spiritual circumcision of the heart, “Also it was in union with Him that you were circumcised with a circumcision not done by human hands, but accomplished by stripping away the old nature’s control over the body. In this circumcision done by the Messiah…” (Col. 2:11).
The person with an uncircumcised heart (unregenerated spirit) can only be disobedient to Yahuah’s commands, even antagonistic towards Torah. That is why Yirmeyahu issues such a dire warning, “Behold, the days come, says Yahuah, that I will punish all those who are circumcised in their uncircumcision: Egypt, and Yehudah, and Edom, and the children of `Ammon, and Mo’av, and all that have the corners of their hair cut off, who dwell in the wilderness; for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Yisra`el are uncircumcised in heart.” (Jer. 9:25, 26). Unless there is a circumcision of the heart, circumcision of the flesh has no relevance. It may well be that those who are circumcised of the flesh think that they may appropriate the Covenant blessings by physical circumcision.
The Yochanan the Immerser and the Master Yahusha reaffirmed this warning, “Do not think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that `Eloakh is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the axe lies at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire.” (Matt. 3:9, 10); “They answered Him, ‘Our father is Abraham.’ Yahusha said to them, ‘If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.” (John 8:39).The Jewish leaders were not bearing good spiritual fruit based on faith, but rotten fruit based upon the flesh.
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It has been suggested that it is only the male to be circumcised, as it is the male reproductive organ that produces the seed (Fruchtenbaum p. 282). However, this alludes to the mistaken historical view that only the male was responsible for seed and the woman the fertile ‘soil’ in which it is to be planted.
Jewish tradition affirms in the Talmud Avodah Zarah 27a that a female child is born in a state of holiness, and thus not requiring circumcision (https://www.chabad.org/library/..4160682 ).
This sign of the Covenant pre-supposes the global dispersal of the Yisra`elites, yet being able to keep their national identity, by means of the Covenant.
Gen. 17:12 – “He who is eight days old will be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he who is born in the house, or bought with money of any foreigner who is not of your seed.” Circumcision or B`rit Milah/Bris is to be carried out on the eighth day, in accordance with this commandment.
The eighth day is significant throughout Scripture, as it is a type of regeneration or new birth. Rashi states that the Yisra`elites crossed over the Reed Sea on the night of the eighth day after Pesakh, only to see on the morning of the eighth day (Exod. 14:30) the realisation that they are finally free from the yoke of slavery of the Egyptians (Danieli p. 195). It was on the eighth that the Master Yahusha was circumcised (Luke 2:21). However, the most significant eighth day was, “Now on the first day of the week, Miryam from Magdala went early, while it was still dark, to the tomb, and saw the stone taken away from the tomb…For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise from the dead.” (John 20:1, 9). Even after all that the Master had taught, it was not until the disciples saw the risen Messiah that they finally realised that through His death and resurrection, all Believers were freed from the yoke of sin.
As with many of Yahuah’s commandments, there are underlying scientific or medical blessings associated with obedience. For example, there are many medical reasons for observing dietary laws, but these are only secondary to the blessings due to obedience.
On the eighth day, there is a peak post-partum level of vitamin K necessary for blood coagulation. This is also the time at which the baby’s own immune system is established, ensuring the child’s ability to fend of post-circumcision infection (https://seattlebris.com).
Such is the importance of this ritual, that the Mohel who carries out the procedure, may do so on a Shabbat, thus seemingly superseding the prohibition to do work on a Shabbat in Exod. 20:10 (Fruchtenbaum p. 283 quoting Midrash Rabbah, Bereishit 46:12).
“Moshe has given you circumcision (not that it is of Moshe, but of the fathers), and on the Shabbat you circumcise a boy. If a boy receives circumcision on the Shabbat, that the law of Moshe may not be broken, are you angry with me, because I made a man every bit whole on the Shabbat?” (John 7:22, 23). The Master Yahusha was condemned for healing on the Shabbat by the hypercritical Jewish authorities, even though they carried out circumcision.
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Gen. 17:15 – “God said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name will be Sarah.’”
שָׂרַי #H8297 sa-rye (a) princess
שָׂרָה #H8283 sa-rar (the) princess, noblewoman.
Gen. 17:16 – “I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her.” This is the first mention that the covenantal promises to Abraham will come through Sarah and not Hagar.
Sarah is a descendant of Shem, whereas Hagar is a descendant of Kham. As the promise of the Seed would come through Shem, Hagar could never have been the mother of the Seed-son. Hence, when Abraham sought a wife for his son, Yitzkhak, he instructed his steward Eli`ezer “and I will make you swear by Yahuah, the `Elohiym of heaven and the `Elohiym of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Kana`anim, among whom I dwell; but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Yitzkhak.” (Gen. 24:3, 4).
Gen. 17:17 – “Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, ‘Will a child be born to him who is one hundred years old? Will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?’” It is to himself, that Abraham laughs, not out aloud.
Gen. 17:18 – “Abraham said to `Elohiym, ‘Oh that Yishma`el might live before you!’” Abraham now realises that his thirteen year old first-born son will not be the Seed, but cries out to `Elohiym to reverse His decision, to make Yishma`el the Covenantal son. This also shows Abraham pleading with Yahuah to have Yishma`el come under the protection of Yahuah, if not under the Covenant, then for Abraham’s sake.
Gen. 17:19 – “`Elohiym said, ‘No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You shall call his name Yitzkhak. I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him.’”
יִצְחָק #H3387 Yitz-khak he laughs. `Elohiym’s sense of irony shows in the naming of the as yet, unconceived son. It also confirms the Angel’s identity in that He was able to promise a son to such an old couple, and can see within the hearts of people for, “Will not `Elohiym search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart.’” (Psa. 44:21). It also signifies that the unborn Yitzkhak will also have at least one son to carry on the Seed lineage.
Yitzkhak, now as the (zehrair) Covenantal son, takes precedence over Yishma`el the (bekhorar) first-born.
Gen. 17:20 – “As for Yishma`el, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.” Yahuah repeats to Abraham the promises He made to Hagar. These are very similar to Yahuah’s promises to Abraham regarding Yitzkhak, except there is no covenantal aspect to them. Yishma`el’s descendants would become the Arab nations having many times more people than the Jewish nation.
Gen. 17:21 – “But my covenant I establish with Yitzkhak, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time in the next year.”
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קוּם #H6965 koom to establish or raise up. This is not the word used to cut a covenant.
כָּרַת #H3772 ka-rareth. The Covenant made initially with Abraham was cut as Yahuah walked amongst the pieces. It is an everlasting Covenant, handed down to Abraham’s descendants. It cannot be cut again, so Yahuah promises to reaffirm His promises to each and every Seed-son and to rise up a Seed-son in every generation.
Gen. 17:22 – “When He finished talking with him, `Elohiym went up from Abraham.” This marks the end of the theophany.
Gen. 17:23 – “Abraham took Yishma`el his son, all who were born in his house, and all who were bought with his money; every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the same day, as `Elohiym had said to him.” Immediately after the theophany, Abraham obeys Yahuah and all his household is circumcised. Yishma`el was circumcised but would not be the beneficiary of the Covenantal promises.
Gen. 17:25 – “Yishma`el, his son, was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.” Yishma`el was circumcised at thirteen years of age, and is characteristic of the traditional age at which boys are circumcised (Skinner p. 296). At a similar age, Jewish tradition has boys with the onset of puberty, to enter into adulthood via bar mitzvah (girls having their bat mitzvah).
Not coming under the Covenant, Yishma`el was to be the progenitor of the Arabic nomadic nations.
The Two Sons of Abraham (Gal. 4:21-31)
Hagar is typified by Torah and Mt. Sinaithat was brought into effect by the sin of the people (Gal. 3:19), and thus was only a temporary and imperfect fix. Yishma`el was the Son of the Flesh but was only a temporary heir of the promise according to Abram. Torah was given, “So that the law has become our tutor to bring us to the Messiah, that we might be justified by faith.” (Gal. 3:24).
Haggar, therefore, is to be considered as the written Torah of Mt. Sinai that represents the flesh, and so is only temporary. In Abram’s mind, Yishma`el was the Son of Promise for thirteen years, before Yahuah promised that the Son of Promise would come from Sarah.
Sarah, on the other hand is typified by the Covenant of promise and was brought into effect by Yahuah walking through the pieces, and thus was a permanent fix, as typified by Mt. Tziyon.
“I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Tziyon, and with Him a number, one hundred forty-four thousand, having His name, and the name of His Father, written on their foreheads.” (Rev. 14:1); “I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth have passed away, and the sea is no more.” (Rev. 21:1). Yochanan saw these two scenes. Mt. Tziyon was in Heaven so is not part of the old earth, but eternal in nature. Mt. Sinai, on the other hand was only part of the old earth, and thus was subjected to destruction.
Hagar = Mt. Sinai = Yishma`el = flesh = temporary.
Sarah = Mt. Tziyon = Yitzkhak = spirit = eternal.
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It is of the utmost importance to realise that of all Covenants, there is only one Covenant of Salvation: ratified by the shed blood of the Master Yahusha. This was given to Adam and was passed down throughout the generations. This Covenant was not altered with the giving of Torah as it, in its entirety points to the shed blood. The Covenant was not replaced at Mt. Sinai and not when it was written on hearts (Jer. 31:31-33), as this was the same Covenant of Salvation that was renewed because it was broken by the people. This was emphasised at the Last Supper by the Master who a few hours later ratified the Covenant by shedding His blood.
Yahuah bless you and keep you,
Yahuah make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you,
Yahuah lift up His face toward you and give you peace.
All glory be to Yahuah,
Ameyn.
References and Credits
In using these references, it is in no way agreeing to or condoning the theological viewpoint of the authors.
Chartrand P. Torah Revealed, Book 1, An Hebraic Study of the Book of
(2016) Bereshit (Genesis), Torah Way of Life Books, U.S.A.
Danieli Y.R. (2020) Moses Wrote About Me – Genesis, Tour Your Roots Pub. Galilee, Israel.
Fruchtenbaum A.G. Ariel’s Bible Commentary: The Book Of Genesis, 6th. ed., Ariel,
(2023) San Antonio, TX.
Harris R.L., Archer Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, Moody, Chicago,
G.J. Jr., Waltke B.K.(1980) Il. (Denoted by *)
Hertz Dr. J.H. (1987) The Pentateuch and Haftorahs, Socino Press, London.
Skinner J. D.D.(1912) Genesis, T&T Clark, Edinburgh.
Strong J.(1994) Strong’s New Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, World Bible Publishers Inc., Madison. (Denoted by #H or #G).
Strong J.(1996) The New Strong’s Complete Dictionary of Bible Words, Thomas Nelson, Nashville. (Denoted by #H or #G).
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https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/covenant
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1324268/jewish/what_were_abrahams_10_
tests.htm
https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/4160682/jewish/20-facts-about-
Jewish-circumcision-everyone-should-know.htm
https://seattlebris.com/blog/circumcision-countdown-the-physiology-behind-
why-eight-days-matters
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First Generation Assembly 