## Ibn Ezra on Genesis Chapter 17

###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 17:1:1
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**אל שדי.** שם התואר וטעמו תקיף וכן "כקול שדי" (יחז' א כד) "והיה שרי בצריך" (איוב כב כה), כי טעמו כטעם "ושית על עפר בצר" (שם כב כד), ושַדָי על משקל לבי דוי (איכה א כב, ורבים פירשוהו מגזרת שודד שהוא מנצח ומתגבר, וטעם להזכיר השם הזה בפרשה הזאת לירא אברם וימול, והנכון כי השם הנכבד והנורא נקרא כנגדו וזה שם התואר כנגד המעשה, כי העולם עומד על אלה שני השמות, והמבין סוד השם יאמין:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
GOD ALMIGHTY. *Shaddai* is an adjective meaning mighty. *Shaddai* in *like a mighty voice* (ke-kol shaddai)¹ is an adjective meaning mighty. (Ezek. 1:24) is similar. Also, *Shaddai* in *And mighty will be thy silver*² by *kesef* (silver). *And mighty will be thy silver* means you will have a great amount of money. (shaddai betzarekha) (Job 22:25) is similar because the word *betzarekha* (thy silver) has the same meaning as the word *betzer* (silver) in *And lay thy treasure (or silver)* (betzer) *in the dust*³) will be thy silver. Thus *Shaddai* is an adjective meaning mighty (Job 22:24). The word *Shaddai* follows the paradigm of *davvai* (faint), in *And my heart is faint* (davvai) (Lam. 1:22). Many derive *Shaddai* from the same root as *shoded* (overpowering),⁴) define *shoded* as: deals violently with, despoils, devastates, ruins. Cf. Jer. 6:26. Thus *shoded* has the connotation of overpowering. In keeping with the concept of I.E., but more important out of respect to God, we have translated *shoded* as overpowering. meaning, He is victorious and overpowering. The reason God used this name at this time was to impress upon Abraham the fear of God so that he would circumcise himself. The correct interpretation of the divine names is as follows: *Shaddai* is an adjective describing God’s power over creation. The Tetragrammaton, God’s revered and awesome name, stands in contrast to it. The world exists by virtue of these two names.⁵ emphasizes His power over creation. Thus these two names stand opposite each other; i.e., these names teach that there is an Eternal God who created all (Tetragrammaton) and has the power over all (*Shaddai*). Furthermore, on a more “practical” level it is via the Tetragrammaton that the world was created, and via the name *Shaddai* that nature is overcome. Others comment that the Tetragrammaton stands for creation and *Shaddai*, for destroying or limiting the creation (Krinsky). See I.E.’s comment on Ex. 3:15, 6:3. Whoever understands the secret of God’s name will accept my interpretation.

footnotes:
¹ Our translation follows that of I.E. Cf. Kimchi on Ezek. 1:24. I.E.’s point is that here, too, Shaddai
² I.E. on Job. 22:24, 25 renders betzer
³ Hence the verse is to be rendered: And mighty (Shaddai
⁴ Brown, Driver and Briggs (Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament
⁵ The Tetragrammaton expresses God’s essence, His eternality, and His being the cause of all existence. Shaddai


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 17:1:2
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 17:1:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/17:1:2)

**והיה תמים** שלא תשאל למה המילה:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND BE THOU WHOLE-HEARTED. Do not question the reason for circumcision.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 17:5:1
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**אברהם.** תוספות הרי"ש אביר המון גוים, ולא בא השם לחסר משמו אות, כי אם להוסיף

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
ABRAHAM. The new name with the addition of the *resh* means the mighty one of a multitude of nations. This is so because the new name did not come to diminish a letter from Abraham’s original name but to add one.⁶ there is no meaning for the *resh* in Abraham. I.E. argues that it does not have a meaning, for the *resh* is an integral part of the new name. Abraham means *avir hamon goyim*, for *av hamon goyim* with the *resh* added gives *avir hamon goyim*. I.E. is in contradistinction to Rashi who comments that the *resh* in Abraham was carried over from Abram and did not signify anything. We have followed *Vat. Ebr*. 38 in our translation, which reads, *Abraham im tosefet ha-resh avir hamon goyim*.

footnotes:
⁶ Prima facie


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 17:5:2
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ושרה שם תואר כללי לא כשרי וברוך השם אשר לו נתכנו עלילות שהקדים וצוה אברהם להמול קודם שתהר שרה להיות זרעו קדוש:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
Sarah, unlike Sarai, is a general adjective.⁷ Blessed be the Lord before whom all actions are weighed. He commanded Abraham to circumcise himself before Sarah became pregnant so that his seed would be holy.⁸

footnotes:
⁷ Sarai connotes my princess; Sarah connotes princess over all (Cherez).
⁸ By being the seed of a circumcised father.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 17:10:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 17:10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/17:10:1)

**ומלת המול לכם.** כמו להמול והוא שם הפועל מהפעלים השניים הנראים כמו וימל את בשר ערלתם (בראשית יז כג), ומשקלו להכון:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
[EVERY MALE AMONG YOU SHALL BE CIRCUMCISED.] *Himmol* (shall be circumcised) is to be read as if it had a *lamed* prefixed to it. It is an infinitive.⁹ might be taken to be an imperative, hence I.E.’s comment. It belongs to the verbs having a *vav* as the middle letter of their root.¹⁰, its root being *mem, vav, lamed*. It is like *va-yamal*¹¹. in *and circumcised* (va-yamal) *the flesh of their foreskin* (v. 23). It follows the paradigm of *le-hikkon* (to be prepared).¹² is *caf, vav, nun*. *Le-himmol* is the same form as *le-hikkon*. Both *le-himmol* and *le-hikkon* are *nifal* infinitives.

footnotes:
⁹ Hence it means shall be circumcised. Himmol
¹⁰ It is an ayin, vav
¹¹ Whose root is also mem, vav, lamed
¹² Cf. Ez. 38:7; Amos 4:12. The root of le-hikkon


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 17:11:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 17:11:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/17:11:1)

ונמלתם כמו ושמרתם, והנו"ן שרש וכן לא ידון רוחי (בראשית ו, ג) עם "נִדְנֶה" (דניאל ז טו):

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND YE SHALL BE CIRCUMCISED. *U-nemaltem* (and ye shall be circumcised) is similar to *u-shemartem* (and ye shall keep).¹³ is a *kal*. Similarly *u-nemaltem* (and ye shall be circumcised) is a *kal*, meaning: and ye shall circumcise. The *nun* of *u-nemaltem* is a root letter.¹⁴. There are thus two roots meaning to circumcise, viz., *nun, mem, lamed* and *mem, vav, lamed*. (See I.E.’s comments on verse 10 and note 10). *Yadon* (shall be sheathed) in *My spirit shall not be sheathed* (yadon) (Gen. 6:3) and *nidneh* (sheath) (Dan. 7:15) are similar.¹⁵ (Dan. 7:15) and *dalet, vav, nun, yadon* (Gen. 6:3). (Rendering Gen. 6:3 according to I.E. See I.E. on Gen. 6:3).

footnotes:
¹³ U-shemartem
¹⁴ Its root is nun, mem, lamed
¹⁵ There are two roots for the Hebrew word for sheath, viz., nun, dalet, nun, nidneh


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 17:12:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 17:12:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/17:12:1)

**ימול לכם.** מבנין נפעל וכן המול ימול ומה טעם לאמר המול ימול יליד ביתך פעם שנית, וכן הפירוש, ובן שמונת ימים ימול לכם כל זכר, כל מי שהוא לכם מזרעכם גם כן יליד בית או מקנת כסף ואתה אברהם המול ימול יליר ביתך ומקנת כספך היום, ואם הם גדולים:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
SHALL BE CIRCUMCISED AMONG YOU. *Yimmol* (shall be circumcised) is a *nifal*, as are *himmol yimmol* (must needs be circumcised) (v. 13). Why does Scripture state twice, *He that is born in thy house…must needs be circumcised*?¹⁶ This is the answer: Scripture first states that in the future all males, those of thy seed and also those *born in the house or bought with money*, shall be circumcised on the eighth day. It then states, “ Abraham immediately circumcise all males *born in thy house and he that is bought with thy money* although they are adults.”¹⁷

footnotes:
¹⁶ Verse 13 seems to repeat what is in verse 12. I.E. asks why.
¹⁷ It might have been thought that since the command speaks of circumcision on the eighth day, those past that age when the command was given were exempt. Thus verse 12 speaks of the future and verse 13 of the present. Thus there is no repetition.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 17:14:1
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**וערל זכר אשר לא ימול.**, פי' ימול יפעול, כמו "ידור נדר" (במדבר ל ג) והוא מן "ונמלתם את בשר ערלתכם" (בראשית יז יא) וטעמו אם היה בר מצוה ולא ימול את בשר ערלתו יש עליו כרת כי מצות הנער הקטן על האב, ואם אביו לא מלהו ימול את עצמו בהיותו ברשותו, וכרת בידי שמים והטועים יחשבו, כי אם מת הנער ולא נמול אין לו חלק לעולם הבא, ואין פי' הנפש כרצונם כי נפש כמו איש וטעמו גוף שיש לו נפש וכן "נפש כי תחטא" (ויקרא ד ב), וי"א כי כרת המת קודם נ"ב שנה וי"א כי כרת שיכרת שמו במות זרעו על כן אמר הכתוב "מעמיה" כי מי שיש לו בנים כאילו הוא חי ושמו לא נכרת:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND THE UNCIRCUMCISED MALE WHO IS NOT CIRCUMCISED. *Yimmol* (is circumcised) is a *kal*. It is like *yiddor* (voweth) in *When a man voweth* (yiddor) *a vow* (Num. 30:3). It comes from the same root as *u-nemaltem* (and ye shall be circumcised) in *and ye shall be circumcised* (u-nemaltem) *in the flesh of your foreskin* (v. 11).¹⁸ and *u-nemaltem* as *nifals*. I.E. renders them as *kals*, as actives whose root is *nun, mem, lamed.*. Our verse should thus be rendered: And the uncircumcised male who does not circumcise the flesh of his foreskin. The meaning of the verse is, a male who reaches the age when he is obligated to observe the commandments of the Torah and does not circumcise himself is subject to the penalty of *karet* (being cut off). The verse refers to an adult because while a person is yet a child, the obligation to circumcise him falls upon his father. However, should his father fail to do so, then upon reaching maturity he must circumcise himself. *Karet* (being cut off) is a penalty inflicted by God. Those who err hold that a child that dies uncircumcised does not have a share in the world to come.¹⁹ 263:5. It is clear from I.E.’s refutation of the belief that an uncircumcised child does not have a share in the world to come that those who held this view based it on the verse: *And the uncircumcised male…that soul* (nefesh) *shall be cut off from his people* (v. 14). They interpreted *nefesh* as soul and cut off as referring to the world to come (Weiser). However, the meaning of the word *nefesh* is not as they think, a soul²⁰ as soul., but a person; it means a body containing a soul. Similarly, *If anyone* (nefesh) *shall sin* (Lev. 4:2). Some say that *karet* refers to death before the age of fifty-two. Others say it means the eradication of one’s name via the death of one’s children. Therefore Scripture states, *that soul shall be cut off from his people*, for a person who leaves children is considered to live on even after his death, and his name is not cut off.

footnotes:
¹⁸ J.P.S. renders both yimmol
¹⁹ It is for this reason that Jews customarily circumcise, prior to burial, a child who dies uncircumcised. Cf. Shulchan Arukh Yoreh Deah
²⁰ They translated nefesh


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 17:16:1
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**וגם נתתי.** כמו "נתתי כסף השדה" (בראשית כג יג) והנה שניהם על לשון עבר במקום עתיד:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
AND MOREOVER I WILL GIVE THEE. *Natati* (I will give thee) in our verse is like *natati* in *I will give* (natati) *the price of the field* (Gen. 23:13). Observe, although both are perfects, they are to be rendered as imperfects.


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 17:17:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 17:17:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/17:17:1)

**הלבן מאה שנה יולד.** תמה בעבור היות זרע הזקן קר על כן לא יוליד והתימא הגדול איך תלד אשה שנפסק דמה. והבן מהדם יבנה ויכונן וכאשר תסתכל ותרא כי דבר שרה נפלא מדבר אברהם כי הנה מצאנו אבות שכל אחד הוליד בן, והוא גדול יותר מתשעים שנה וחיי הדורות בימי אברהם ארוכים מחיי דור ודור וכאשר נסתלק המלאך מיד מל בנו וכל ילידי ביתו ומקנת כספו:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
SHALL A CHILD BE BORN UNTO HIM THAT IS A HUNDRED YEARS OLD. Abraham was amazed at being told that he would have a son because the sperm of an old man is cold²¹ and therefore aged men are infertile. However, he was even more amazed that Sarah, a woman whose menstrual cycle had ceased, would bear a child, since the embryo is made and constructed from the woman’s menstrual blood. If you will reflect you will conclude that Sarah’s conceiving was a greater wonder than Abraham’s begetting a child. For we find instances of men over ninety begetting children in later generations,²². 38 reads, “We find that King David’s forefathers each sired a son when over 90.” Cf. I.E.’s comment on Ruth 4:17. and the life span of people in Abraham’s time was much longer than in later times.²³. 38 reads, “The life span of people in Abraham’s generation was longer than that of David’s generation.” As soon as the angel left, Abraham immediately circumcised Ishmael and all those born in his house and those bought with money.

footnotes:
²¹ Medieval medicine believed in four humors.
²² However, we do not find in Scripture any report of an aged woman bearing a child. Vat. Ebr
²³ Since men of later generations whose life spans were shorter than that of Abraham sired children when over 90, it diminishes the uniqueness of Abraham’s experience. Vat. Ebr


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 17:26:1
[Ibn Ezra on Genesis 17:26:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Ibn%20Ezra%20on%20Genesis/r/17:26:1)

**בעצם היום הזה.** ולא אחר לעשות הדבר והנה הי' שמונה עשר ושלש מאות ילידי ביתו חוץ ממקנת כספו ואח"כ נמול אברהם גם ביום בעצמו וישמעאל בנו וילידי ביתו ומקנת כספו כולם נמולו אתו ברצונם, והטעם שלא הכריחם, רק מהרו כולם לעשות ולמלאות רצון השם:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
IN THE SELFSAME DAY. Abraham did not hesitate to carry out the commandment of circumcision. Behold, Abraham’s household consisted of three hundred eighteen males *born in his house*²⁴ aside from those *bought with his money*. After circumcising them, Abraham circumcised himself on that very day.²⁵ (v. 23). After stating this, Scripture notes, *And Abraham was ninety years old and nine when he was circumcised* (v. 24). Thus Abraham was circumcised last. Now Ishmael his son plus all those born in his house and bought with his money were voluntarily circumcised with him (Abraham) (v. 27). For the meaning of “with him” (v. 27) is that Abraham did not have to force his household to comply with God’s commandment. They all voluntarily hurried to do and fulfill God’s will.

footnotes:
²⁴ Cf. Gen. 14:15.
²⁵ The Bible states, And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money…and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day


###### Ibn Ezra on Genesis 17:27:1
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**נמולו אתו.** מבנין נפעל מן נמל וכן "ונשלוח ספרים" (אסתר ג יג:

**Ibn Ezra's commentary on the Pentateuch, tran. and annot. by H. Norman Strickman and Arthur M. Silver. Menorah Pub., 1988-2004:**
WERE CIRCUMCISED WITH HIM. *Nimmolu* (were circumcised) is a *nifal*. Its root is *nun, mem, lamed*.²⁶ in the *mem* of *nimmolu* to make up for the missing *nun* of the root. The *nun* of *nimmolu* is the *nun* of the *nifal*. *Ve-nishlo’ach* (were sent) in *And letters were sent* (ve-nishlo’ach sefarim) (Est. 3:13) is similar.²⁷ in *nimmolu* presents a problem. When a letter having a *nun* as the first letter of its root is conjugated in the *nifal* as a *shelamim* it is not vocalized with a *cholam* (Weiser). I.E. thus points out that we find the same with *nishlo’ach. Nishlo’ach* is a *shelemim nifal* and it, too, is vocalized with a *cholam*, i.e., *nishlo’ach* rather than *nishlach* (Filwarg).

footnotes:
²⁶ Hence there is a dagesh
²⁷ The cholam