God bestowed seven blessings upon Abraham, two of which were in the form of covenants, namely the Covenant between the Pieces and the Covenant of Circumcision.1 The latter was the second of these two covenants, and was the only one of the seven blessings bestowed upon Abraham under the name of God Elohim. The relevance of this will need to be discussed.

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The subject matter of the Covenant of Circumcision is very different from that of the proceeding Covenant between the Pieces. The Covenant between the Pieces related to the future historic mission of the Israelites and would not become relevant for hundreds of years.  By contrast, the Covenant of Circumcision became significant the day it was given. Abraham became an active participant in this covenant by circumcising himself and his household “on that very day” (ibid 17:26), and Jewish history will continue to be molded by this sign of the covenant thereafter.

 

Details of the Covenant of Circumcision

 

The aspect of God El Shaddai:

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The context of Covenant of Circumcision is that the issue of descendants had been preying on the minds of Sarah and Abraham. Abraham listened to Sarah’s advice and has a child with her servant Hagar. When this son Ishmael was 13 years old, God again appeared to Abraham. The initial revelation of this covenant was through the name YHWH, and then through the names of God El Shaddai and Elohim, with the majority through the name Elohim.

 

Its first three verses relate to Abraham’s obligation. There then follows two verses about Elohim’s obligations, followed by five verses regarding Abraham’s commitment to circumcision. There is then a separate paragraph about Sarai’s name change to Sarah, followed by a prophecy directed specifically to Abraham that Sarah will bear a son. Finally, there are prophecies about Ishmael’s future descendants.

The covenant opens as follows:

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And when Abram was ninety-nine years old, YHWH appeared to Abram, and said unto him: “I am El Shaddai; walk before Me, and be perfect/wholehearted. I will set My covenant between Me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly.” Abram fell upon his face; and Elohim spoke with him,

saying: “As for Me, this is My covenant with you:” (Genesis 17:1-4).

 

In this covenant, a new name for God, El Shaddai, is introduced by the Torah.

 

There are Jewish interpreters who explain this name as being derived from the two Hebrew words “she” and “dai, which mean “that” and “sufficient.” Accordingly, the meaning of this name is that there is sufficiency within Me for every creature and I have the wherewithal to provide for all.2 

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Cassuto and Grossman, on the other hand, suggest that the name has the connotation in the Torah of fertiligy.3 It appears to have this association, for example, in the following passage from the book of Ruth:

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Do not call me Naomi (pleasant one), call me Mara (embittered one), for Shaddai has dealt very bitterly with me. I was full when I went away, but YHWH has brought me back empty. Why should you call me Naomi; YHWH has testified against me, and Shaddai has brought misfortune upon me (Ruth 1:20-21).

 

Following the Covenant of Circumcision, this name of God appears again in a Jacob story when Isaac blesses him before he leaves for Padam Aram. Foremost in Isaac’s mind is that Jacob will be sufficiently fruitful to form the tribes of Israel. Jacob says to his son, also in an Elohim passage:

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May El Shaddai bless you and multiply you and make you numerous, and may you be a congregation of peoples (Genesis 28:3).

 

The emphasis in the Covenant of Circumcision is also on fertility, as its second sentence says: “and [God] will multiply you exceedingly” (Genesis 17:1).

 

That God has a separate name for His aspect of fertility may sound strange to us moderns. Nevertheless, common in the pagan world was that a chief male god of might partnered with a female god of fertility. The name of the God of might in the Bible is El (similar to Elohim) and God’s aspect of fertility is Shaddai. The Torah does not separate these two aspects of God but brings them together as a single Divinity in a way that would have been readily understandable to people at that time.

 

Abraham’s obligations in the Covenant:

 

Abraham’s obligation in this covenant is to “walk before Me and be perfect/wholehearted (tamim)” (ibid 17:1).

 

Elohim is saying — you, Abraham, are to walk in front of me and be my representative to the world. This is to be contrasted with Noah who walked “with” Elohim (Genesis 6:9). In what way Abraham is to walk before God is not delineated in this passage, but it will be mentioned in the section that follows that Abraham will teach “justice and righteousness” to his children (Genesis 13:19). God is the epitome of justice and righteousness. Abraham embodies these attributes and will disseminate these ideas to the rest of the world through his example and preaching. 

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To be “tamim” or perfect/wholehearted is variously explained by commentators, and a number of interpretations have been suggested. An issue they have to address is whether the instruction “walk before Me and be perfect/wholehearted (tamim)” is one directive or two. It could be that perfection is achieved by Abraham walking before God, and even by practicing circumcision.4

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On the other hand, explaining it as two directives, Sforno suggests that it means being wholehearted in how one emulates God’s ways. Similarly, Grossman relates it to the tamim which is the theme of Psalm 101 and which is achieved by walking with God, practicing kindness (chessed) and justice (mishpat).5 Nachmanides associates it with a similar use of this word in Deuteronomy when the Bible discusses forbidden magical practices and concludes with the phrase “you shall be perfect/wholehearted with YHWH your God” (Deuteronomy 18:13). He suggests that just as one is to avoid magical practices and retain one’s trust in God, so one should walk before God and maintain one’s belief in Him.6 

 

God’s promises:

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The covenant continues with seven promises that I have labelled for convenience #1 to #7:

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#1 - You shall be the father of a multitude of nations; 

#2 - Your name shall no longer be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.

#3 - I will make you exceeding fruitful,

#4 - And I will make nations of you; 

#5 - And kings shall descend from you.

#6 - I will uphold (vehakimoti) My covenant between Me and you and your offspring after you, throughout their generations, as an everlasting covenant — to be a God to you and to your offspring after you.

#7 - And I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land of your sojourns (megurecha), all the Land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession (la’achuzat olam); and I will be a God to them” (ibid 17:4-7).

 

The first of these promises (#1) is that Abraham will become “a father of a multitude of nations.”

What nations the Torah is talking about is unclear. Many Jewish commentators assume they are the descendants of Isaac and that the Bible is talking about the Jewish people.7 Sarai is also promised a multitude of nations and she has only one pregnancy. However, they could also be the nations that Abraham has sired through Hagar and other concubines (Genesis 25:1 and 25:5). In fact, Abraham’s family can be considered even larger than this since a convert to Judaism is considered “a child of Abraham.” Muslims and Christians also consider themselves spiritual heirs to Abraham’s legacy. The Qur’an establishes its Abrahamic lineage through Ishmael. Christianity views Abraham as an exemplar of faith and a spiritual and possibly physical ancestor of Jesus.8 In the theology of Paul of Tarsus, all who believe in God are spiritual descendants of Abraham.  

 

To emphasize his broadened parenthood, Abraham’s name is changed (#2). Until now, he has been called Avram, meaning a father of Aram. From this point on, his name will be Avraham — meaning “a father of a multitude of nations.”9 Mentioned later in this passage is that Sarai’s name will also be changed to Sarah.

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In sentence #3, Abraham is promised that this covenant will bring in its wake fertility, which is the reason the fertility aspect of God, El Shaddai, is mentioned in the first sentence of this passage. God had previously pointed out to Abraham in the Covenant between the Pieces that his seed will be as many as “the stars in the heaven” (Genesis 15:5). In that YHWH covenant, Abraham’s descendants will become a large nation that will “inherit” “this land.” In this covenant promised by Elohim and El Shaddai, they are to become fruitful so they can receive “the land of Canaan” as a “possession.” In this instance, the passage uses the Hebrew word “ahuza” (possession) (Genesis 17:8). 

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Abraham will also become the progenitor of kings (#5). The term “kings” implies sovereignty and power. His offspring will not be a small and insignificant people tucked away in a remote corner of the globe, but a major and powerful actor on the world stage in a central location and between the great Mesopotamian and Egyptian superpowers.

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These promises are in a crescendo form building up to two promises related to eternity, namely (#6) for Elohim “throughout their generations …..  to be a God to you and to your offspring after you,” (Genesis 17:7) and (#7) to be a God eternally to the Jewish people in “all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession” (Genesis 17:8).

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In these sentences Elohim promises to forge a special relationship with Abraham and his descendants by being a God to them.10 At first glance these two sentences seem very similar. However, they do express different ideas. In #6, Elohim promises to be a God to Abraham and his seed forever, which would include periods of exile. In the last sentence (#7), He promises to be their eternal God in the land of Canaan. He thereby promises to be their God throughout Jewish history to enable them to fulfill their universal mission to the nations of the world.11  

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The eternal nature of this covenant is also expressed in other ways. In #6, God promises that the covenant will be “an everlasting covenant.” Another aspect of eternity is mentioned in the next promise (#7) that the land of Canaan will belong to the Jewish people “for an everlasting possession.”  The boundaries of the land of Canaan are different from those of “the land,” which extends from the Nile River to the Euphrates.12

 

In sum, an eternal people, the Jewish people, has been allocated a specific country, the land of Canaan, forever. 

 

The act and meaning of circumcision

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Abraham’s, and thus the Jewish people’s, further contribution to this covenant is the act of circumcision. The blessing continues:

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And God said unto Abraham: 'As for you, you shalt keep My covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant, which ye shall keep, between Me and you and your offspring after you: every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a sign of a covenant between Me and you. At the age of eight days every male among you shall be circumcised throughout your generations, he that is born in the household, or bought with money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring. He that is born in your household, and he that is bought with your money, must surely be circumcised; and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. An uncircumcised one, a male the flesh of whose foreskin shall not be circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from its people; he has broken My covenant' (Genesis 17:1-14).

 

Grossman has noted that this section has a chiastic structure, with the peak of the chiasm being at D1 and D2:13

A1. 'As for you, you shalt keep My covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.

B1. This is My covenant, which ye shall keep, between Me and you and your offspring after you: every male among you shall be circumcised.

C1. You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a sign of a covenant between Me and you.

D1. At the age of eight days every male among you shall be circumcised throughout your generations, he that is born in the household, or bought with money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring.

D2. He that is born in your household, and he that is bought with your money, must surely be circumcised;

C2. and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.

B2. An uncircumcised one, a male the flesh of whose foreskin shall not be circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from its people;

A2. he has broken My covenant.

   

Circumcision was practiced in the ancient world well before the Jewish people adopted this custom. It was performed in ancient Egypt and may have been a mark of distinction of the elite. The priestly caste of Egypt also practiced circumcision.14 Perhaps related to this, the Jewish people are marked for a priestly function to the nations of the world. Later, the Torah will be explicit about this by calling on the Israelites to become a nation of priests — “You will be for me a kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19.6).

 

Rabbi Moshe Shulman provides a valuable insight in pointing out that circumcision is a form of branding, and a sign that a Jew is under the masterhood of God.15

 

In the ancient world, someone who became a slave to a master was often branded. Accordingly, an Israelite who gives up his rights to freedom and decides to remain enslaved to his master instead of going free after seven years is branded by boring a hole in his ear:

 

But if the servant declares: “I love my master and my wife and children — I shall not go free,” then his master shall bring him to the judge, and shall bring him to the door or to the doorpost, and his master shall bore through his ear with the awl, and he shall serve him forever (Exodus 21:5-6).

 

Why the ear? Based on the Talmud, Rashi explains:

 

The Tanna Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai said: “This ear that heard at Mount Sinai: ‘You shall not steal’ and nonetheless he went and stole, let it be bored [This reason applies in the case of one who is sold into servitude by the court because of theft] and he sold himself [because of poverty, the following reasoning applies]: An ear that heard at Mount Sinai “For the Children of Israel are slaves unto Me and he went and acquired a [different] master for himself, let it be bored.16

 

Historically, many ancient Near Eastern and Egyptian rulers had eunuchs in high government positions, particularly as court officials, advisors, and guardians of the royal harem. This was also a form of branding. Eunuchs were also considered loyal because they could not establish their own dynasties or pose a threat to the ruler's lineage.  The Hebrew word for a eunuch is saris (סָרִיס), although this word can also have the meaning of official.17

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In the book of Esther, Esther was likely brought into the king’s presence by a eunuch:

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Now when the turn came for Esther, daughter of Avichail the uncle of Mordechai, who had adopted her as his own daughter, to come to the king, she requested nothing beyond what Hegai, the king’s chamberlain (seris-hamelech), guardian of the women, had advised (Esther 2:13).

 

Of interest is that Potiphar of the Joseph story, to whom Joseph was sold, is also described in the Bible as "saris Pharaoh" (Genesis 37:36). This phrase is usually translated as "officer of Pharaoh," but it could also mean "eunuch of Pharaoh." Against this, it could be argued that Potiphar had a wife (ibid 39:7), suggesting more the meaning of officer, although this is not definitive. If he was a eunuch, it mihjt explain why Potiphar was relatively lenient with his wife and Joseph after her accusations against Joseph.

 

To sum up, in the circumcision ceremony, the Jewish child is distinguished from the rest of mankind by being branded as an exclusive servant of Elohim.18 The relationship to the genitals is not incidental. It is an indicator of fertility. It is pointedly the very opposite of castration.

 

Avram and Sarai’s name change

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t was not usual in the ancient world for a ruler to change a person’s name when he took him into his service in a subservient role. Hence, Pharaoh changed Joseph’s name to Zaphenath-paneah (Genesis 41:45). Pharaoh Necho also changed the name of the Judean king Eliakim, the son of Josiah, when he appointed him as a subservient vassal instead of his brother:

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Then Pharaoh Necho made Eliakim son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah, and he changed Eliakim's name to Jehoiakim. But Necho took Jehoahaz [who was also a son of Josiah and the previous king] and carried him off to Egypt, where he died (2 Kings 23:34).

 

It is not surprising, therefore, that Avram and Sarai will undergo a name change to Abraham and Sarah as part of the Covenant of Circumcision. These new names are formed by the addition of the Hebrew letter heh (ה), a letter occurring twice in God’s name YHWH.

 

Finally, in a passage which is separated from the covenant by a paragraph space, Sarai’s name is not only changed to Sarah, but the newly named Abraham is informed by Elohim that she will bear a child:

 

I will bless her, and I will also give you a son through her: I will bless her and she shall give to rise to nations; kings of people through her (ibid 17:16).

 

Only in a later episode is Sarah herself informed by the angels of YHWH that she will have a child.

 

Scholars enamored of the Documentary Hypothesis regard the Covenant of the Pieces and the Covenant of Circumcision as reflecting the product of two different sources that were joined together by a Redactor, the former being a J source and the latter a P source. However, there is much in the Torah that negates this hypothesis. Rather, the Torah is a carefully crafted literary work in which YHWH and Elohim passages are a fundamental part of its structure. Consider the following sentences in which YHWH recalls the passage in the Covenant of Circumcision spoken by Elohim:

 

And YHWH remembered Sarah as He had said and YHWH did for Sarah as He had spoken. Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age at the appointed time of which Elohim had spoken with him. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him — whom Sarah had borne him — Yitzhak (Genesis 21:1-3).

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The thematic connections between the Covenant of Circumcision and the Covenant of the Rainbow

 

t is of significance that there are thematic connections between the Covenant of Circumcision and the Covenant of the Rainbow. Hence, both covenants are made by the aspect of God Elohim. Both covenants are accompanied by a “sign.” The sign of the Covenant of the Rainbow is a rainbow that appropriately links heaven and earth. The sign in the Covenant of Circumcision is circumcision. 

 

The word “covenant” (brit) is a key word in the covenant with Noah and appears seven times in that passage. The word “covenant” (bris) is a keyword in the Covenant of Circumcision and appears ten times. It may be of significance that there were ten generations between Noah and Abraham. 

 

This may relate to a loose end in the flood story. Following the flood, God admits that “the design of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Genesis 8:21). What then has changed and why will a flood never again be necessary? Elohim’s answer is to repopulate the world with the offspring of Noah, and His hopes are focused on the descendants of Noah’s son Shem. Now, ten generations later, there is a descendent of Shem, namely Abraham, with whom God can partner to bring the ideas of ethical monotheism to the world. 

 

There are also other word similarities between the two covenants. The Covenant of the Rainbow relates that “Noah was a righteous man, perfect (tamim) in his generation, Noah walked (hit’halech) with Elohim” (ibid 6:9). Abraham is also asked at the beginning of the Covenant of Circumcision to “walk (hit’halech) before Me and be perfect/wholehearted” (ibid 17:1).  The Hebrew word “hithaleach” is used a few times in the Torah with respect to a person walking with God or God walking closely with humanity.19 Both covenants were “established” (vehakimoti) rather than “cut” as in the Covenant between the Pieces. Nevertheless, in both these Elohim-derived covenants the word to “cut” is still used, but in this case with reference to humanity — In the Noah passage “all flesh” will never again be “cut off by the flood” (ibid 9:11) and in the Abraham passage an uncircumcised person will “be cut off from its people” (ibid 12:1). 

 

Fertility is also an aspect of both covenants, in that prior to the Covenant of the Rainbow “Elohim blessed Noah and his sons, and He said to them: ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the land.’” (ibid 9:1). Fertility will ensure that the world is repopulated after the flood. It will also counteract pessimistic attitudes towards procreation that might have arisen because of a fear of natural disasters. The fertility aspect of the Covenant of Circumcision has been discussed.

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There is yet one further covenant to come and this is the covenant at Mount Sinai. This will also be given over by Elohim and its sign will be the Sabbath day. This is discussed in a previous chapter “The First Creation account is allegorical prose based on the number seven.”

 

Conclusion

 

The Covenant of Circumcision is the only one of the seven prophetic promises made to Abraham through the name of God, Elohim. This leads to the question — in what way was this covenant different from the other promises? An answer may help us put all aspects of this chapter together.

 

There is an eternity to the universe and also to the institution of the Sabbath, both of which were created by Elohim and are described in the First Creation story. From the Covenant of Circumcision we learn that two other things also have eternity — one is the Jewish people and the other is this people dwelling in the land of Canaan. All of these were designated by Elohim.

 

In a similar vein, Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, suggests that circumcision represents the completion or refinement of nature and he writes:

 

The commandment of circumcision teaches that man is not to be satisfied with his natural state, but is called upon to perfect and ennoble himself. God’s work, as given in nature, is not yet complete; it is left for man to refine and perfect himself and the world around him. This command is given under the name 'Elohim,' the Creator and Judge, because circumcision is the seal of man's duty to complete God's creation through moral and spiritual perfection.20

 

Circumcision is not a means for an individual to draw close to God. Rather, it is an obligation decreed on the family of a male child. It is a means of separating a member of a nation, the Jewish nation, from the other nations of the world for a specific function and placing that nation in a location separate from the other nations of the world. In other words, use of the name Elohim in this passage emphasizes the authoritative, judicial and universal nature of this covenant. This contrasts with the Covenant between the Pieces which uses the more personal and merciful name YHWH, and which emphasizes divine closeness and compassion.

 

References:

1. The seven blessings are found in the following places in Genesis: Genesis 12:1-3, 12:7, 13:14-17, 15:1-20, 17:1-14, 17:15-22, and 22:15-18. The text from Genesis 17:1-22 does seem like one long blessing, but there is a paragraph space in the middle, effectively making it two blessings.

 

2. Rashi to Genesis 17:1 as explained by Be’er Yitzchak. This is also the explanation of Rav Saadia Gaon. R’ Joseph Solveitchik takes a different approach and explains that God’s creation is not fully complete, but God will partner with Abraham and they will both be creators (Chumash with commentary based on the teachings of Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik. Bereishis, OU Press). The Targum Onkelos Aramaic translation renders El Shaddai as "God whose presence is enough,"again emphasizing sufficiency and divine power. The midrash Bereishit Rabbah 46:3 links Shaddai to the idea of God's power and sufficiency, explaining that He is the one who is enough (sufficient) for all needs and circumstances. Nachmanides views this name as referring to God's ability to perform supernatural acts, particularly in ways that override natural laws, such as granting children to the elderly (as in the case of Abraham and Sarah). Radak (Rabbi David Kimhi) associates Shaddai with might and destruction, indicating God's control over nature, including His power to punish or bless. Similarly, Ibn Ezra suggests this name as referring to the Almighty One who has the power to subdue or override the natural order. Luzzatto suggests that the name comes from the three-letter root shin daled daled, and notes that the Arabic word shadid means strong. Hence, its meaning would be Omnipotent God. 

 

3. Section Five. Prelude to Successful Action in A Commentary on the Book of Exodus by Umberto Moshe David Cassuto, p78. Varda Books, Skokie, Illinois 2005 and Covenant and Fertility in Abram to Abraham. A Literary Analysis of the Abraham Narrative by Jonathan Grossman, p224, Peter Lang AG, Bern Switzerland.

 

4. A midrash sees circumcision as bringing a repair of a physical perfection (Bereishis Rabba 6:1). Rashi follows this. He also brings another explanation that this is a command that Abraham is to be complete or wholehearted in the trials to which he will be subjected. This could be referring specifically to the command of circumcision (Be’er Yitzchak).

 

5. Covenant and Fertility in Abram to Abraham. A Literary Analysis of the Abraham Narrative by Jonathan Grossman, p227, Peter Lang AG, Bern Switzerland.

 

6. Nachmanides commentary to the Torah on Genesis 17:1.

 

7. Rashi suggests that it includes the Jewish people plus the tribe of Edom, since Abraham already had already sired Ishmael (Rashi to Genesis 17:6). Nachmanides disagrees that Edom should be included and brings examples where the Jewish people are called nations and peoples (Nachmanides to Genesis 17:6). Targum Onkelos translates the word as tribes. The Radak suggests that the reference is to the descendants of Keturah, in that Keturah married Abraham after Sarah died. 

 

8. New Testament, Rom 4:9-12. 

 

9. The word “riham” in Arabic means a multitude. This word is not currently in use in Hebrew, but Luzzatto suggests it may once have been part of the Jewish lexicon. The Book of Genesis. A Commentary by ShaDal (S.D. Luzzatto). Translated by Daniel A Klein, p155, Jason Aronson Inc, NJ 1998. 

 

10. The Be’ir Yitzchak, a super-commentator to Rashi, points out regarding Rashi’s commentary to Genesis 17:7, that this verse does not mean “I will uphold My covenant in order to be a God to you.” Rather, “to be a God to you” is the actual content of the covenant, so that the verse then reads: “I will uphold My covenant which is to be a God to you.”

 

11. This explanation is at variance with that of Rashi (Rashi to Genesis 17:9) who suggests that Elohim is only a God to the Jewish people inside the land of Israel. Otherwise, it is as if they have no God. See also TB Kesubos 110b.

 

12. The boundaries of “the land” extend from the Nile River to the Euphrates River (Genesis 15:18-21), while those of the land of Canaan are those in which its borders are inhabited by Canaanites and are far more circumscribed (Numbers 34:1-15).

 

13. The Covenant Sign (9-14) in Abram to Abraham. A Literary Analysis of the Abraham Narrative by Jonathan Grossman, p234, Peter Lang AG, Bern Switzerland.

 

14. The Book of Genesis.  A Commentary by Shadal (S.D. Luzzatto) translated by Daniel A. Klein, p156-157.  James Aronson Inc. to Genesis 17.9. Also, History of Circumcision in Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_circumcision#:~:text=Herodotus%2C%20writing%20in%20the%205th%20century%20BCE%2C%20wrote%20that%20the,passage%20from%20childhood%20to%20adulthood.

 

15. Torah in Motion. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvhiqYUV5jw&t=10s.

 

16. Rashi to Exodus 21:6 quoting TB Kiddushin 22b.

 

17, Rashi on Genesis 37:36 also acknowledges that "saris" can mean "eunuch" or "official", depending on the context.

 

18. Sefer Hachinuch 2. 

 

19. Other sentences that use this verb are in Genesis 3:8, Leviticus 26:12 and Deuteronomy 23:15.

 

20. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch’s commentary on Genesis 17:1