Hebrew Torah  - Transliterated & Translated - Verse by Verse & with Commentary

Bereishit Chapter 17

א וַיְהִי אַבְרָם בֶּן-תִּשְׁעִים שָׁנָה וְתֵשַׁע שָׁנִים וַיֵּרָא יְהוָה אֶל-אַבְרָם וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֲנִי-אֵל שַׁדַּי--הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי וֶהְיֵה תָמִים

Vayehi Avram ben-tish'im shanah vetesha shanim vayera HASHEM el-Avram vayomer elav ani kEl-Shakai hithalech lefanai veheyeh tamim.

1. Avram was 99 years old. HASHEM appeared to Avram and said to him, "I am Almighty G-d. Walk before Me and be perfect."

ב וְאֶתְּנָה בְרִיתִי בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ וְאַרְבֶּה אוֹתְךָ בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד

Ve'etnah vriti beini uveinecha ve'arbeh otecha bime'od me'od.

2. "I will set My covenant between Me and you; I will increase your numbers very much."

ג וַיִּפֹּל אַבְרָם עַל-פָּנָיו וַיְדַבֵּר אִתּוֹ אֱלֹהִים לֵאמֹר

Vayipol Avram al-panav vayedaber ito Elokim lemor.

3. Avram fell on his face. G-d spoke with him, saying,

ד אֲנִי הִנֵּה בְרִיתִי אִתָּךְ וְהָיִיתָ לְאַב הֲמוֹן גּוֹיִם

Ani hineh beriti itach vehayita le'av hamon goyim.

4. As far as I am concerned, here is My covenant with you: You shall be the father of a horde of nations.

ה וְלֹא-יִקָּרֵא עוֹד אֶת-שִׁמְךָ אַבְרָם וְהָיָה שִׁמְךָ אַבְרָהָם כִּי אַב-הֲמוֹן גּוֹיִם נְתַתִּיךָ

Velo-yikare od et-shimecha Avram vehayah shimcha Avraham ki av-hamon goyim netaticha.

5. You shall no longer be named Avram. Your name shall be Avraham, for I have set you up as the father of a horde of nations.

ו וְהִפְרֵתִי אֹתְךָ בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד וּנְתַתִּיךָ לְגוֹיִם וּמְלָכִים מִמְּךָ יֵצֵאוּ

Vehifreti otcha bime'od me'od unetaticha legoyim umelachim mimcha yetze'u.

6. I will increase your numbers very, very much, and I will set up nations from you; kings will descend from you."

ז וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת-בְּרִיתִי בֵּינִי וּבֵינֶךָ וּבֵין זַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ לְדֹרֹתָם--לִבְרִית עוֹלָם לִהְיוֹת לְךָ לֵאלֹהִים וּלְזַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ

Vahakimoti et-briti beini uveinecha uvein zar'acha acharecha ledorotam livrit olam lihyot lecha le-Elokim ulezar'acha acharecha.

7. I will maintain My covenant between Me and between you and your offspring following you throughout their generations for an eternal covenant, to be a G-d to you and to your offspring after you.

ח וְנָתַתִּי לְךָ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ אֵת אֶרֶץ מְגֻרֶיךָ אֵת כָּל-אֶרֶץ כְּנַעַן לַאֲחֻזַּת עוֹלָם וְהָיִיתִי לָהֶם לֵאלֹהִים

Venatati lecha ulezar'acha acharecha et eretz megurecha et kol-eretz Kena'an la'achuzat olam vehayiti lahem le-Elokim.

8. To you an dyour offspring I will give the land where you are now only a temporary resident. The whole land of Kena'an shall be an eternal possession, and I will be a G-d for them.

ט וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל-אַבְרָהָם וְאַתָּה אֶת-בְּרִיתִי תִשְׁמֹר--אַתָּה וְזַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ לְדֹרֹתָם

Vayomer Elokim el-Avraham ve'atah et-briti tishmor atah vezar'acha acharecha ledorotam.

9. G-d said to Avrhaam, "As far as you are concerned, you must keep My covenant - you and your offspring following you throughout their generations.

י זֹאת בְּרִיתִי אֲשֶׁר תִּשְׁמְרוּ בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם וּבֵין זַרְעֲךָ אַחֲרֶיךָ הִמּוֹל לָכֶם כָּל-זָכָר

Zot beriti asher tishmeru beini uveineichem uvein zar'acha acharecha himol lachem kol-zachar.

10. This is My covenant between Me and between you and your offspring after you that you must keep. You must circumcise every male.

יא וּנְמַלְתֶּם אֵת בְּשַׂר עָרְלַתְכֶם וְהָיָה לְאוֹת בְּרִית בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם

Unemaltem et besar orlatchem vehayah le'ot berit beini uveineichem.

11. You shall be circumcised through the flesh of your foreskin. This shall be the mark of the covenant between Me and you.

יב וּבֶן-שְׁמֹנַת יָמִים יִמּוֹל לָכֶם כָּל-זָכָר--לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם יְלִיד בָּיִת--וּמִקְנַת-כֶּסֶף מִכֹּל בֶּן-נֵכָר אֲשֶׁר לֹא מִזַּרְעֲךָ הוּא

Uven-shmonat yamim yimol lachem kol-zachar ledoroteichem yelid bayit umiknat-kesef mikol ben-nechar asher lo mizar'acha hu.

12. At eight days old shall every male be circumcised througout your generations. [This also includes] houseborn slaves as well as those purchased with cash from an outside who is not your descendant.

יג הִמּוֹל יִמּוֹל יְלִיד בֵּיתְךָ וּמִקְנַת כַּסְפֶּךָ וְהָיְתָה בְרִיתִי בִּבְשַׂרְכֶם לִבְרִית עוֹלָם

Himol yimol yelid beitcha umiknat kaspecha vehayetah vriti bivesarchem liverit olam.

13. Houseborn slaves and those purchased with your money must be circumcised. This shall be My covenant in your flesh, an eternal covenant.

יד וְעָרֵל זָכָר אֲשֶׁר לֹא-יִמּוֹל אֶת-בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתוֹ--וְנִכְרְתָה הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַהִוא מֵעַמֶּיהָ אֶת-בְּרִיתִי הֵפַר

Ve'arel zachar asher lo-yimol et-besar orlato venichretah hanefesh hahi me'ameiha et-beriti hefar.

14. The uncircumcised, a male whose uncircumcised flesh has not been circumcised - that soul shall be cut off from its people - he has broken My covenant.

טו וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל-אַבְרָהָם שָׂרַי אִשְׁתְּךָ לֹא-תִקְרָא אֶת-שְׁמָהּ שָׂרָי כִּי שָׂרָה שְׁמָהּ

Vayomer Elokim el-Avraham Sarai ishtecha lo-tikra et-shemah Sarai ki Sarah shemah.

15. G-d said to Avraham, "Sarai your wife - do not call her by the name Sarai, for Sarah is her name.

טז וּבֵרַכְתִּי אֹתָהּ וְגַם נָתַתִּי מִמֶּנָּה לְךָ בֵּן וּבֵרַכְתִּיהָ וְהָיְתָה לְגוֹיִם מַלְכֵי עַמִּים מִמֶּנָּה יִהְיוּ

Uverachti otah vegam natati mimenah lecha ben uverachtiha vehayetah legoyim malchei amim mimenah yihyu.

16. I will bless her and make her bear your son. I will bless her, and she will give rise to nations; kings of peoples will descend from her.

יז וַיִּפֹּל אַבְרָהָם עַל-פָּנָיו וַיִּצְחָק וַיֹּאמֶר בְּלִבּוֹ הַלְּבֶן מֵאָה-שָׁנָה יִוָּלֵד וְאִם-שָׂרָה הֲבַת-תִּשְׁעִים שָׁנָה תֵּלֵד

Vayipol Avraham al-panav vayitzchak vayomer belibo haleven me'ah-shanah yivaled ve'im-Sarah havat-tish'im shanah teled.

17. Avraham fell on his face and laughed (Yitzchak). He said to himself, "Can a hundred year old man have children? Can Sarah, who is ninety, give birth?"

יח וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָהָם אֶל-הָאֱלֹהִים לוּ יִשְׁמָעֵאל יִחְיֶה לְפָנֶיךָ

Vayomer Avraham el-ha'Elokim lu Yishma'el yichyeh lefanecha.

18. Avraham said to G-d, "It will be enough if Yishmael lives before You."

יט וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֲבָל שָׂרָה אִשְׁתְּךָ יֹלֶדֶת לְךָ בֵּן וְקָרָאתָ אֶת-שְׁמוֹ יִצְחָק וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת-בְּרִיתִי אִתּוֹ לִבְרִית עוֹלָם לְזַרְעוֹ אַחֲרָיו

Vayomer Elokim aval Sarah ishtecha yoledet lecha ben vekarata et-shemo Yitzchak vahakimoti et-briti ito livrit olam lezar'o acharav.

19. G-d said, "Still, your wife Sarah will give birth to a son, and you shall name him Yitzchak. I will keep My covenant with him as an eternal covenant to his offspring after him.

כ וּלְיִשְׁמָעֵאל שְׁמַעְתִּיךָ--הִנֵּה בֵּרַכְתִּי אֹתוֹ וְהִפְרֵיתִי אֹתוֹ וְהִרְבֵּיתִי אֹתוֹ בִּמְאֹד מְאֹד שְׁנֵים-עָשָׂר נְשִׂיאִם יוֹלִיד וּנְתַתִּיו לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל

Ule-Yishma'el shmaticha hineh berachti oto vehifreiti oto vehirbeiti oto bime'od me'od shneim-asar nesi'im yolid unetativ legoy gadol.

20. As for Yishmael, I have heard you. I will bless him, make him fruitful, and increase his numbers very very much. He will father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation.

כא וְאֶת-בְּרִיתִי אָקִים אֶת-יִצְחָק אֲשֶׁר תֵּלֵד לְךָ שָׂרָה לַמּוֹעֵד הַזֶּה בַּשָּׁנָה הָאַחֶרֶת

Ve'et briti akim et-Yitzchak asher teled lecha Sarah lamo'ed hazeh bashanah ha'acheret.

21. But My covenant will be kept with Yitzchak, who Sarah will bear you at this time next year."

כב וַיְכַל לְדַבֵּר אִתּוֹ וַיַּעַל אֱלֹהִים מֵעַל אַבְרָהָם

Vayechal ledaber ito vaya'al Elokim me'al Avraham.

22. When He had finished speaking with him, G-d went up, leaving Avraham.

כג וַיִּקַּח אַבְרָהָם אֶת-יִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּנוֹ וְאֵת כָּל-יְלִידֵי בֵיתוֹ וְאֵת כָּל-מִקְנַת כַּסְפּוֹ--כָּל-זָכָר בְּאַנְשֵׁי בֵּית אַבְרָהָם וַיָּמָל אֶת-בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתָם בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אִתּוֹ אֱלֹהִים

Vayikach Avraham et-Yishma'el beno ve'et kol-yelidei veito ve'et kol-miknat kaspo kol-zachar be'anshei beit Avraham vayamol et-besar orlatam be'etzem hayom hazeh ka'asher diber ito Elokim.

23. Avraham took his son Yishmael and all his [slaves,] both houseborn and purchased for cash - every male among the men of Avraham's household - and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on that very day, as G-d had told him.

כד וְאַבְרָהָם--בֶּן-תִּשְׁעִים וָתֵשַׁע שָׁנָה בְּהִמֹּלוֹ בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתוֹ

Ve'Avraham ben-tish'im vatesha shanah behimolo besar orlato.

24. Avraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised on the flesh of his foreskin.

כה וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּנוֹ בֶּן-שְׁלֹשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה בְּהִמֹּלוֹ--אֵת בְּשַׂר עָרְלָתוֹ

VeYishma'el beno ben-shlosh esreh shanah behimolo et-besar orlato.

25. His son Yishmael was thirteen years old when he was circcumcised on the flesh of his foreskin.

כו בְּעֶצֶם הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה נִמּוֹל אַבְרָהָם וְיִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּנוֹ

Be'etzem hayom hazeh nimol Avraham veYishma'el beno.

26. On that very day, Avraham and his son Yishmael were circumcised.

כז וְכָל-אַנְשֵׁי בֵיתוֹ יְלִיד בָּיִת וּמִקְנַת-כֶּסֶף מֵאֵת בֶּן-נֵכָר--נִמֹּלוּ אִתּוֹ

Vechol-anshei veyto yelid bayit umiknat-kesef me'et ben-nechar nimolo ito.

27. All the men of his household, both homeborn and bought for cash from a stranger, were circumcised with him.