Who Is “El Shaddai”?

Where did the circumcision of man come from? And what does it signify?

One of the most important chapters in the book of Genesis, is Genesis chapter 17.

Read or listen to learn and find out more…

“The Covenant”
“The New Names And New Destiny”

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Hashem appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am El Shaddai; walk before Me and be perfect.
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“As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You shall be a father of a multitude of nations;
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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;
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I will ratify My covenant between Me and you and between your offspring after you, throughout their generations, as an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your offspring after you;
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and I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojourns – the whole of the land of Canaan – as an everlasting possession; and I shall be a God to them.”
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This is My covenant which you shall keep between Me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised.
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At the age of eight days every male among you shall be circumcised, throughout your generations – …
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… Thus, My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.
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An uncircumcised male who will not circumcise the flesh of his foreskin – that soul shall be cut off from its people; he has invalidated My covenant.”
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And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife – do not call her name Sarai, for Sarah is her name.
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I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son through her; I will bless her and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples will rise from her.”
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And Abraham threw himself upon his face and laughed; and he thought, “Shall a child be born to a hundred-year-old man? And shall Sarah – a ninety-year-old woman – give birth?
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God said, “Nonetheless, your wife Sarah will bear you a son and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will fulfill My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.
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But I will maintain My covenant throught Isaac whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year.”
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And when He had finished speaking with him, God ascended from upon Abraham.
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… – all the male members of Abraham’s house – and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on that very day as God had spoken with him.
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On that very day was Abraham circumcised with Ishmael his son,
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1 And Abram was ninety-nine years old, and God appeared to Abram, and He said to him, “I am the Almighty God; walk before Me and be perfect.
2 And I will place My covenant between Me and between you, and I will multiply you very greatly.”
3 And Abram fell upon his face, and God spoke with him, saying,
4 “As for Me, behold My covenant is with you, and you shall become the father of a multitude of nations.
5 And 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.
6 And I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings will emerge from you.
7 And I will establish My covenant between Me and between you and between your seed after you throughout their generations as an everlasting covenant, to be to you for a God and to your seed after you.
8 And I will give you and your seed after you the land of your sojournings, the entire land of Canaan for an everlasting possession, and I will be to them for a God.”
9 And God said to Abraham, “And you shall keep My covenant, you and your seed after you throughout their generations.
10 This is My covenant, which you shall observe between Me and between you and between your seed after you, that every male among you be circumcised.
11 And you shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be as the sign of a covenant between Me and between you.
12 And at the age of eight days, every male shall be circumcised to you throughout your generations, one that is born in the house, or one that is purchased with money, from any foreigner, who is not of your seed.
13 Those born in the house and those purchased for money shall be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh as an everlasting covenant.
14 And an uncircumcised male, who will not circumcise the flesh of his foreskin-that soul will be cut off from its people; he has broken My covenant.”
15 And God said to Abraham, “Your wife Sarai-you shall not call her name Sarai, for Sarah is her name.
16 And I will bless her, and I will give you a son from her, and I will bless her, and she will become [a mother of] nations; kings of nations will be from her. “
17 And Abraham fell on his face and rejoiced, and he said to himself, “Will [a child] be born to one who is a hundred years old, and will Sarah, who is ninety years old, give birth?”
18 And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael will live before You!”
19 And God said, “Indeed, your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you shall name him Isaac, and I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his seed after him.
20 And regarding Ishmael, I have heard you; behold I have blessed him, and I will make him fruitful, and I will multiply him exceedingly; he will beget twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation.
21 But My covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this time next year.”
22 And He finished speaking with him, and God went up from above Abraham.
23 And Abraham took Ishmael his son and all those born in his house and all those purchased with his money, every male of the people of Abraham’s household, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskin on that very day, as God had spoken with him.
24 And Abraham was ninety-nine years old, when he was circumcised of the flesh of his foreskin.
25 And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised of the flesh of his foreskin.
26 On that very day, Abraham was circumcised, and [so was] Ishmael his son.
27 And all the people of his household, those born in his house and those bought with money from foreigners, were circumcised with him.