Genesis17

[1] And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD
appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God;
walk before me, and be thou perfect.
[Abram still found favor with God. The reader may wish to make
a note here that God appeared to Abram, which probably means
Abram saw God. Remember that as you read the story of Moses.
I wont tell you which part at this time, it would spoil it for you.]

[2] And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will
multiply thee exceedingly.
[3] And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
[4] As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt
be a father of many nations.
[5] Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy
name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I
made thee.
[We see here that Abram was apparently promoted in rank.
What about the incident with Hagar?]

[6] And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make
nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
[7] And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and
thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting
covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.
[8] And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the
land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an
everlasting possession; and I will be their God.
[9] And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant
therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.
[According to scripture, God promoted Abram to Abraham,
established a covenant with him, and didn’t hold any thing he
had done against him. As I see it, here is a lot you can bring up
to someone who condemns you for nothing more than having a
drink.]

[10] This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and
you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall
be circumcised.
[11] And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it
shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you.
[12] And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among
you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the
house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy
seed.
[13] He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy
money [I see slavery was also acceptable back then.],
must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your
flesh for an everlasting covenant.
[14] And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin
is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he
hath broken my covenant.
[I still don’t see what being circumcised has to do with living right.]

[15] And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt
not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.
[16] And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will
bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall
be of her.
[Sarai was promoted too, as well as rewarded, even after what she
did regarding Hagar. Are we sure this was God doing all of this?]

[17] Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his
heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old?
and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
[18] And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before
thee!
[19] And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and
thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with
him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
[20] And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed
him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly;
twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.
[21] But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall
bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
[22] And he left off talking with him, and God went up from
Abraham.
[23] And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in
his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male
among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of
their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.
[24] And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was
circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
[25] And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was
circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.
[26] In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael
his son.
[27] And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought
with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.