Genesis 17 should be understood as a complete literary unit which begins with the phrase, “Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him.” The chapter 17 as a literary unit contains three themes which could be divided the way God dealt to three individuals, to Abram (17:1-14), to Sarai (17:15-19) and to Ishmael (17:20-27). Yet these themes should be be understood as one literary unit because the idea from verse one of chapter 17 deals directly to circumcision of Abraham and his people.
The covenant of God between Abram was already given in Genesis 15 and been sealed by sacrificial rite. In chapter 17 served as the record of preparatory stage for the fulfillment of the covenant or promises. The declaration of covenant of God to Abram was personal, it was between God and Abram, but on this chapter the covenant should be declare or turn to be public from being private. The covenant sacrifice in Genesis was an unconditional declaration of God’s faithfulness and Abram has no part on it just to receive the condition and effect of the stipulated promises in the covenant. Our society need to be aware of our covenantal condition with the Lord. The people around
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Abram being with no son facing the impossibility of childbearing in old age. The life of Abram faced the challenge of trusting the LORD who promised the land will also convert his hopelessness to have descendant to a realization. In Genesis 16 Like a common man, Abram distrust the Lord, but He remained faithful to His covenant with Abram. Genesis 17 is the account where the covenant between the LORD and Abram was established. The covenant was given with clear description together with its attached conditions. The covenant between the Lord and Abram was manifested by the changing of Abram's name and circumcision which is the visible sign belonging to God. Until chapter 18 Abram remained