King James Version

What Does Genesis 17:15 Mean?

Genesis 17:15 in the King James Version says “And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. Sarah...” — study this verse from Genesis chapter 17 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. Sarah: that is Princess”

Genesis 17:15 · KJV

Context

13

He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, 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.

15

And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. Sarah: that is Princess

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. she: Heb. she shall become nations

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?

Read Genesis 17 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shal... This passage is part of the Abrahamic narratives which shift from universal human history to God's particular covenant people. The Abraham cycle (Genesis 12-25) demonstrates God's sovereign election, covenant faithfulness, and the development of faith through testing and promise fulfillment.

Central themes include God's unconditional covenant promises (land, descendants, blessing to nations), the call to faith and obedience, the testing of faith through delays and impossibilities, the contrast between divine promises and human schemes, and God's gracious persistence despite human failures. Abraham emerges as the father of faith whose trust in God's promises becomes the model for all believers (Romans 4, Galatians 3, Hebrews 11).

Theologically, these narratives establish: (1) salvation by grace through faith rather than works; (2) covenant as God's gracious initiative binding Himself to His people; (3) the necessity of patient trust when promises seem impossible; (4) the consequences of attempting to fulfill God's promises through human effort; (5) the pattern of divine testing producing mature faith. The Abraham cycle foreshadows Christ as the ultimate seed through whom blessing extends to all nations (Galatians 3:16).

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Historical & Cultural Context

The patriarchal narratives (Genesis 12-50) reflect the cultural, social, and legal customs of the ancient Near East during the Middle Bronze Age (2000-1500 BCE). Archaeological discoveries including the Mari tablets, Nuzi tablets, and Egyptian records confirm many details: nomadic pastoralism, covenant-making ceremonies, marriage customs, property laws, and international travel patterns described in Genesis.

The cultural practices reflected include: treaty/covenant forms (Genesis 15), bride-price customs (Genesis 24, 29), inheritance laws favoring firstborn sons (Genesis 25, 27), adoption practices (Genesis 15, 30), levirate-type arrangements (Genesis 38), and Egyptian administrative systems (Genesis 41, 47). These parallels confirm Genesis's historical reliability while showing how God worked within ancient cultural frameworks to accomplish His purposes.

For later Israelites, these narratives established their identity as Abraham's descendants, explained their claim to Canaan, justified their possession of Joseph's bones (Exodus 13:19), and provided models of faith despite imperfection. The patriarchs' failures and God's faithfulness encouraged Israel that covenant relationship depended on God's grace rather than human merit. The movement from Mesopotamia to Canaan to Egypt set the stage for the Exodus and conquest narratives.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does understanding this verse shape our doctrine of humanity, sin, or salvation?
  2. How does this passage challenge modern cultural assumptions about identity, purpose, or morality?
  3. What connections can we trace from this verse to Jesus' life, death, and resurrection?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 14 words
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר1 of 14

“said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

אֱלֹהִים֙2 of 14

“And God”

H430

gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme god; occasionally applied by way of

אֶל3 of 14
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

אַבְרָהָ֔ם4 of 14

“unto Abraham”

H85

abraham, the later name of abram

שָׂרָ֑י5 of 14

“As for Sarai”

H8297

sarai, the wife of abraham

אִשְׁתְּךָ֔6 of 14

“thy wife”

H802

a woman

לֹֽא7 of 14
H3808

not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles

תִקְרָ֥א8 of 14

“thou shalt not call”

H7121

to call out to (i.e., properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of applications)

אֶת9 of 14
H853

properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)

שְׁמָֽהּ׃10 of 14

“her name”

H8034

an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character

שָׂרָ֑י11 of 14

“As for Sarai”

H8297

sarai, the wife of abraham

כִּ֥י12 of 14

“but”

H3588

(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed

שָׂרָ֖ה13 of 14

“Sarah”

H8283

sarah, abraham's wife

שְׁמָֽהּ׃14 of 14

“her name”

H8034

an appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by implication honor, authority, character

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Genesis. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Genesis 17:15 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Genesis 17:15 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

2 Samuel 12:25Genesis 32:28Genesis 17:5

Test Your Knowledge

Genesis 17 QuizTest your knowledge of this chapterGenesis Book QuizComprehensive quiz for the entire book

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