genesis 17 and 18

Read Genesis 17 and 18 at Bible Gateway.

The Hebrew paragraph divisions:

Gen 17:1-14 {s} Circumcision, sign of the covenant, given
Gen 17:15-27 {p} Promise given of seed through Sarah (Isaac)
Gen 18:1-19:38 {s} Abraham’s intercession and the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah

The chiastic structures:

Gen 17:1-27

1a) Gen 17:1-14 s, The covenant reaffirmed and circumcision, the sign of the covenant, given;

1b) Gen 17:15-16, The covenant will go through Sarah and her son;

1c) Gen 17:17-18, Abraham pleads for Ishmael;

central axis) Gen 17:19, “But Elohiym said, “No, but Sarah your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac; and I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him;”

2c) Gen 17:20, The blessing upon Ishmael;

2b) Gen 17:21, The covenant will be established through Isaac, the son of Sarah;

2a) Gen 17:22-27 p, The circumcision of Abraham and his household.

Gen 18:1-33

1a) Gen 18:1, YHVH arrives + Abraham sitting in the door of his tent;

1b) Gen 18:2-16, Abraham ventures: “If I have found favor in your sight” + entreats the men to partake of his hospitality;

1c) Gen 18:17-18, Shall YHVH tell Abraham what He is about to do?;

central axis) Gen 18.19, “For I have known him, that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of YHVH by doing righteousness and justice, so that YHVH may bring upon Abraham what He has spoken about him;”

2c) Gen 18:20-22, YHVH tells Abraham what He is about to do;

2b) Gen 18:23-32, Abraham ventures: “If I have found favor in Your sight” + entreats YHVH to spare Sodom + Gomorrah;

2a) Gen 18:33, YHVH departs + Abraham returned to his tent.

chiastic structure of the next strong theme from Gen 14:1-17:27:

Gen 14:1-17:27 {sx3+p}

1a) Gen 14:1-24 {s} Prophecy of Messiah: victory over death, Melchizedek, bread and wine;

1b) Gen 15:1-21 {s} God makes a covenant with Abraham;

central axis) Gen 16:1-16 {s} Abram’s faith in the promise tested + the birth of Ishmael;

2b) Gen 17:1-14 {s} Circumcision, sign of the covenant;

2a) Gen 17:15-27 {p} Prophecy of Messiah: promise given of seed through Sarah (the promised seed).

The meaning of this strong theme:

The promised seed, Isaac, will be Abraham’s heir (Gen 17:1-27), not of his father’s house (Lot, Gen 14:1-24), of the servants of his house (Eliezer, Gen 15:1-21) nor of the work of his flesh (Ishmael, Gen 16:1-16).

For further reading:

Elohiym from the ancient Hebrew pictographs
The Names of God in the Old Testament (off site)
The Names of God in Judaism (off site)
Isaac and Ishmael (off site) (Broken link, active January 9, 2016)
Covenant – Jewish Encyclopaedia