Circumcision

How Nave’s arranged it

• Institution ofGenesis 17:10–14Leviticus 12:3John 7:22Acts 7:8Romans 4:11
• A seal of righteousnessRomans 2:25–29Romans 4:11
• Performed on all males on the eighth dayGenesis 17:12Genesis 17:13Leviticus 12:3Philippians 3:5
• Rite of, observed on the SabbathJohn 7:23
• A prerequisite of the privileges of the passoverExodus 12:48
• Child named at the time ofGenesis 21:3Genesis 21:4Luke 1:59Luke 2:21
• Neglect of, punishedGenesis 17:14Exodus 4:24
• NeglectedJoshua 5:7
• Covenant promises ofGenesis 17:4–14Acts 7:8Romans 3:1Romans 4:11Romans 9:7–13Galatians 5:3
• Necessity of, falsely taught by Judaizing ChristiansActs 15:1
• Paul's argument against the continuance ofRomans 2:25Romans 2:28Galatians 6:13
• Characterized by Paul as a yokeActs 15:10

The passages, in Bible order (58)

The same references, sorted Genesis to Revelation. The first 16 are quoted in full; the rest are one click beneath them, book by book.

1. Genesis 17:4–14

   “As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 17:4–142 voices

   “(Chapter 17—Verse 3 and following) And the Lord spoke to him, saying: Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations. It should be noted that wherever we read Testament in Greek, in the Hebrew language it is the word covenant or pact, that is, Berith ().

   “As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee,....

   Everything gathered on Genesis 17:4–14→

   Verse page →Original language →

2. Genesis 17:10–14

   This is My covenant with you and your descendants after you, which you are to keep: Every male among you must be circumcised.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 17:10–142 voices

   “Every man - child - shall be circumcised - Those who wish to invalidate the evidence of the Divine origin of the Mosaic law, roundly assert that the Israelites received the rite of circumcision from the Egyptians. Their apostle in this business is Herodotus, who, lib. ii., p. 116, Edit. Steph.

   “God said again to Abraham: And you shall therefore keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations; this is my covenant which you shall keep between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised; …

   Everything gathered on Genesis 17:10–14→

   Verse page →Original language →

3. Genesis 17:12

   Generation after generation, every male must be circumcised when he is eight days old, including those born in your household and those purchased from a foreigner—even those who are not your offspring.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 17:122 voices

   And because he is called to what is perfect, Abraham receives the oracle that summons to perfection. "Circumcise," it says, "every male of yours and circumcise your flesh"; but perfect circumcision is the spiritual one. Indeed, Scripture also teaches this when it says, "Circumcise the hardness of your heart." Even here many interpret the text to be saying, "Circumcise every male of yours," that is, your minds; for nothing is more virile than the mind. Moreover, because the male is also holy, it is said, "Every male opening the womb shall be called holy for the Lord."

   “And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you,.... A son or infant of eight days old; it might not be circumcised before, but for some reasons might be deferred longer.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 17:12→

   Verse page →Original language →

4. Genesis 17:13

   Whether they are born in your household or purchased, they must be circumcised. My covenant in your flesh will be an everlasting covenant.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 17:132 voices

   God's covenant is "in the flesh" of the person who "does not fight on the terms of the flesh" and who "always carries about in his body the death of Jesus."

   “He that is born in thine house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised,.... Or "in circumcising shall be circumcised" (l), shall certainly be circumcised; this is repeated to denote the necessity of it, and what care should be taken that this be done, because there was to be no uncircumcised male among them, Gen 17:10; nor any conversation and communion to be had among them, especially in a religious way.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 17:13→

   Verse page →Original language →

5. Genesis 17:14

   But if any male is not circumcised, he will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.”

   ›Commentary on Genesis 17:142 voices

   Not without reason or by excessive reaction do many find this passage disturbing, in that the Lord should say, "Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant."

   “And the uncircumcised man child, whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised,....

   Everything gathered on Genesis 17:14→

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Genesis 17:23–27

   On that very day Abraham took his son Ishmael and all those born in his household or purchased with his money—every male among the members of Abraham’s household—and he circumcised them, just as God had told him.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 17:23–272 voices

   “And Abraham took Ishmael his son,....

   “And Abraham took Ishmael, etc. - Had not Abraham, his son, (who was of age to judge for himself), and all the family, been fully convinced that this thing was of God, they could not have submitted to it. A rite so painful, so repugnant to every feeling of delicacy, and every way revolting to nature, could never have sprung up in the imagination of man. To this day the Jews practice it as a Divine ordinance; and all the Arabians do the same.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 17:23–27→

   Verse page →Original language →

7. Genesis 21:3

   And Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore to him.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 21:32 voices

   “And Abraham called the name of his son whom Sarah bore to him Isaac. Isaac is interpreted as Laughter or Joy, which very name is fitting for all the faithful, to whom among other goods of the heavenly inheritance, their Redeemer promises by saying: "Again …

   “And Abraham called the name of his son that was borne unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 21:3→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. Genesis 21:4

   When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God had commanded him.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 21:42 voices

   “Let us ask the Lord lest, in accordance with the apostle's word, even with us, "when Moses is read the veil be upon" our "heart." For it has been read that Abraham begot a son, Isaac, when he was a hundred years old. "And Sarah said, 'Who will announce to Abraham that Sarah nurses a child?' " "And then," the text says, "Abraham circumcised the child on the eighth day." Abraham does not celebrate his son's birthday, but he celebrates the day of this weaning "and makes a great feast."6Why?

   “And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac, being eight days old as, God had commanded him.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 21:4→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Genesis 34:24

   All the men who went out of the city gate listened to Hamor and his son Shechem, and every male of the city was circumcised.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 34:242 voices

   “And unto Hamor and unto Shechem his son hearkened all that went out of the gate of his city,....

   “Every male was circumcised - These simple people must have had very great affection for their chief and his son, or have been under the influence of the most passive obedience, to have come so readily into this measure, and to have submitted to this rite. But the petty princes in Asiatic countries have ever been absolute and despotic, their subjects paying them the most prompt and blind obedience.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 34:24→

   Verse page →Original language →

10. Exodus 4:24

    Now at a lodging place along the way, the LORD met Moses and was about to kill him.

    ›Commentary on Exodus 4:242 voices

    “We must also inquire who that being was of whom it is said in Exodus that he wished to kill Moses because he was setting out for Egypt. And afterwards, who is it that is called the "destroying angel," and who also is he who in Leviticus is described as Apopompeus, that is, the Averter, of whom the Scripture speaks thus: "One lot for the Lord, and one lot for Apopompeus"?

    “And it came to pass by the way, in the inn,....

    Everything gathered on Exodus 4:24→

    Verse page →Original language →

11. Exodus 4:25

    But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched it to Moses’ feet. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said.

    ›Commentary on Exodus 4:252 voices

    “As regards Moses, it is clear that he would have been in peril at the inn, if Zipporah, which is by interpretation "a bird," had not circumcised her son and cut off the foreskin of marriage with the knife which prefigured the gospel.

    “Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son,....

    Everything gathered on Exodus 4:25→

    Verse page →Original language →

12. Exodus 6:12

    But in the LORD’s presence Moses replied, “If the Israelites will not listen to me, then why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I am unskilled in speech?”

    ›Commentary on Exodus 6:122 voices

    “And Moses spake before the Lord,....

    “Uncircumcised lips? - The word ערל aral, which we translate uncircumcised, seems to signify any thing exuberant or superfluous. Had not Moses been remarkable for his excellent beauty, I should have thought the passage might be rendered protuberant lips; but as this sense cannot be admitted for the above reason, the word must refer to some natural impediment in his speech; and probably means a want of distinct and ready utterance, either occasioned by some defect in the organs of speech, or impaired knowledge of the Egyptian language after an absence of forty years. See Clarke’s note on Exo 4:10.

    Everything gathered on Exodus 6:12→

    Verse page →Original language →

13. Exodus 12:48

    If a foreigner resides with you and wants to celebrate the LORD’s Passover, all the males in the household must be circumcised; then he may come near to celebrate it, and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised man may eat of it.

    ›Commentary on Exodus 12:481 voice

    “And when a stranger - will keep the passover, etc. - Let all who sojourn among you, and who desire to partake of this sacred ordinance, not only be circumcised themselves, but all the males of their families likewise, that they may all have an equal right to the blessings of the covenant.

    Everything gathered on Exodus 12:48→

    Verse page →Original language →

14. Leviticus 12:3

    And on the eighth day the flesh of the boy’s foreskin is to be circumcised.

    ›Commentary on Leviticus 12:32 voices

    “And in the eighth day - Before this time the child could scarcely be considered as having strength sufficient to bear the operation; after this time it was not necessary to delay it, as the child was not considered to be in covenant with God, and consequently not under the especial protection of the Divine providence and grace, till this rite had been performed. On circumcision see Clarke’s note on Gen 17:

    “And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Or the foreskin of his flesh, that is, of the man child born according to the law, Gen 17:12 and this seems to furnish out a reason why a male child was not circumcised before the eighth day, and why it was then, because before that its mother was in her separation and uncleanness, and then was freed from it; and so the Targum of Jonathan.

    Everything gathered on Leviticus 12:3→

    Verse page →Original language →

15. Deuteronomy 10:16

    Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and stiffen your necks no more.

    ›Commentary on Deuteronomy 10:162 voices

    “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart,....

    “Circumcise - the foreskin of your heart - A plain proof from God himself that this precept pointed out spiritual things, and that it was not the cutting away a part of the flesh that was the object of the Divine commandment, but the purification of the soul, without which all forms and ceremonies are of no avail. Loving God with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength, the heart being circumcised to enable them to do it, was, from the beginning, the end, design, and fulfillment of the whole law.

    Everything gathered on Deuteronomy 10:16→

    Verse page →Original language →

16. Deuteronomy 30:6

    The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, and you will love Him with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live.

    ›Commentary on Deuteronomy 30:62 voices

    “And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed,.... No mention is made of circumcision of the flesh, which will now be out of use with the Jews; they being fully convinced of the abrogation of the ceremonial law by the Messiah, whom they will now receive.

    “God will circumcise thine heart - This promise remains yet to be fulfilled. Their heart, as a people, has never yet been circumcised; nor have the various promises in this chapter been ever yet fulfilled. There remaineth, therefore, a rest for this people of God.

    Everything gathered on Deuteronomy 30:6→

    Verse page →Original language →