Genesis 17:26
ESV
That very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised.
NIV
Abraham and his son Ishmael were both circumcised on that very day.
NASB
On this very same day Abraham was circumcised, as well as his son Ishmael.
CSB
On that same day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised.
NLT
Both Abraham and his son, Ishmael, were circumcised on that same day,
KJV
In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.
NKJV
That very same day Abraham was circumcised, and his son Ishmael;
What does Genesis 17:26 mean?
This verse repeats once more that this day of circumcision of all the males in Abraham's extensive household was the very same day that God appeared to Abraham and told him to do so. Abraham demonstrated his faith in God and his eagerness to keep the covenant with God by obeying the command immediately. This willingness to obey God, in trusting faith, is a hallmark of ancient patriarchs such as Abraham (Romans 4:3) and Noah (Genesis 6:22). In fact, Abraham's trust in God will make him a prime example of faith used in the New Testament (Hebrews 11:17–19).While circumcision was practiced in other cultures for various reasons, this particular meaning was specific to Israel. And, it almost certainly caused a stir within Abraham's family. Even so, Abraham's immediate obedience is a recurring point in this chapter—so he clearly wasted no time or argument on obeying God.
