Kejadian 17:18-21

17:18 Abraham said to God, “O that ¹  Ishmael might live before you!” ² 

17:19 God said, “No, Sarah your wife is going to bear you a son, and you will name him Isaac. ³  I will confirm my covenant with him as a perpetual ⁴  covenant for his descendants after him. 17:20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. ⁵  I will indeed bless him, make him fruitful, and give him a multitude of descendants. ⁶  He will become the father of twelve princes; ⁷  I will make him into a great nation. 17:21 But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year.”

[17:18]  ¹ tn The wish is introduced with the Hebrew particle לוּ (lu), “O that.”

[17:18]  ² tn Or “live with your blessing.”

[17:19]  ³ tn Heb “will call his name Isaac.” The name means “he laughs,” or perhaps “may he laugh” (see the note on the word “laughed” in v. 17).

[17:19]  ⁴ tn Or “as an eternal.”

[17:20]  ⁵ sn The Hebrew verb translated “I have heard you” forms a wordplay with the name Ishmael, which means “God hears.” See the note on the name “Ishmael” in 16:11.

[17:20]  ⁶ tn Heb “And I will multiply him exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.

[17:20]  ⁷ tn For a discussion of the Hebrew word translated “princes,” see E. A. Speiser, “Background and Function of the Biblical Nasi’,” CBQ 25 (1963): 111-17.