Acts 7:8

Syriac Peshitta (NT Only)

ܘܝܰܗ݈ܒ݂ ܠܶܗ ܕ݁ܺܝܰܬ݂ܺܩܺܐ ܕ݁ܰܓ݂ܙܽܘܪܬ݁ܳܐ ܘܗܳܝܕ݁ܶܝܢ ܐܰܘܠܶܕ݂ ܠܺܐܝܣܚܳܩ ܘܓ݂ܰܙܪܶܗ ܒ݁ܝܰܘܡܳܐ ܬ݁ܡܺܝܢܳܝܳܐ ܘܺܐܝܣܚܳܩ ܐܰܘܠܶܕ݂ ܠܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ݂ ܘܝܰܥܩܽܘܒ݂ ܐܰܘܠܶܕ݂ ܠܰܬ݂ܪܶܥܣܰܪ ܐܰܒ݂ܳܗܳܬ݂ܰܢ ܀

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the covenant: Genesis 17:9-14, John 7:22, Romans 4:10, Galatians 3:15, Galatians 3:17

and so: Or, "and thus," ךבי [Strong's G2532], ןץפשע [Strong's G3779], in this covenant. Genesis 17:12, Genesis 21:1-4

and Isaac: Genesis 25:21-26, 1 Chronicles 1:34, Matthew 1:2, Romans 9:9-13

and Jacob: Genesis 29:31-35, Genesis 30:1-24, Genesis 35:16, Genesis 35:23-26, Exodus 1:1-4, 1 Chronicles 2:1, 1 Chronicles 2:2

patriarchs: Acts 2:29, Hebrews 7:4

Reciprocal: Genesis 17:10 - Every Genesis 17:11 - a token Genesis 21:2 - conceived Genesis 21:3 - General Genesis 21:4 - General Genesis 25:19 - Abraham Genesis 35:22 - Now the sons Psalms 105:9 - General Luke 1:59 - General Luke 3:34 - which was the son of Isaac

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he gave him the covenant of circumcision,.... Or the covenant, of which circumcision was a sign or token, Genesis 17:11. Stephen speaks here in the language of the Jews, who are wont to speak of circumcision after this manner; hence in the Jewish liturgy, there is a collect, לברית מילה, "for the covenant of circumcision" h; and so it is said i,

"when Joseph died, they made void the "covenant of circumcision":''

and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; according to the express command in Genesis 17:12

and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs; the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel.

h Seder Tephillot, fol. 197. 1. Ed. Basil. Vid. Kimchi in Mal. iii. 1. i Shemot Rabba, sect. 1. fol. 90. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And he gave him - That is, God appointed or commanded this, Genesis 17:9-13.

The covenant - The word “covenant” denotes properly “a compact or agreement between two or more persons,” usually attended with seals, pledges, or sanctions. In Genesis 17:7, and elsewhere, it is said that God would establish his “covenant” with Abraham; that is, he made him certain definite promises, attended with pledges and seals, etc. The idea of a strict “compact” or “agreement” between God and man, as between “equal parties”; is not found in the Bible. The word is commonly used, as here, to denote “a promise on the part of God,” attended with pledges, and demanding, on the part of man, in order to avail himself of its benefits, a specified course of conduct. The “covenant” is therefore another name for denoting two things on the part of God:

1. A “command,” which man is not at liberty to reject, as he would be if it were a literal covenant; and,
2. A “promise,” which is to be fulfilled only on the condition of obedience. The covenant with Abraham was simply a “promise” to give him the land, and to make him a great nation, etc. It was never proposed to Abraham with the supposition that he was at liberty to reject it, or to refuse to comply with its conditions. Circumcision was appointed as the mark or indication that Abraham and those thus designated were the persons included in the gracious purpose and promise. It served to separate them as a special people; a people whose unique characteristic it was that they obeyed and served the God who had made the promise to Abraham. The phrase “covenant of circumcision” means, therefore, the covenant or promise which God made to Abraham, of which circumcision was the distinguishing “mark” or “sign.”

The twelve patriarchs - The word “patriarch” properly denotes “the father and ruler of a family.” But it is commonly applied, by way of eminence, to “the progenitors” of the Jewish race, particularly to “the twelve sons of Jacob.” See the notes on Acts 2:29.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Acts 7:8. He gave him the covenant of circumcision — That is, he instituted the rite of circumcision, as a sign of that covenant which he had made with him and his posterity. See Genesis 17:10, c.

And so Abraham begat Isaac — και ουτως, And thus, in this covenant, he begat Isaac and as a proof that he was born under this covenant, was a true son of Abraham and inheritor of the promises, he circumcised him the eighth day; and this rite being observed in the family of Isaac, Jacob and his twelve sons were born under the covenant; and thus their descendants, the twelve tribes, being born under the same covenant, and practising the same rite, were, by the ordinance of Gods legal inheritors of the promised land, and all the secular and spiritual advantages connected with it.