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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 17

Translation and Transliteration of 

1When Avram was ninety-nine years old, Hashem appeared to Avram and said to him, “I am El Shaddai. Walk in My ways and be blameless.

vai-HI av-RAM ben-tish-EEM sha-NAH v'-te-SHA sha-NEEM va-YAY-ra a-do-NAI el av-RAM va-YO-mer ay-LAV a-NEE-ayl sha-DAI hit-ha-LEKH l'-fa-NAI ve-h'-YEH ta-MEEM

אוַיְהִ֣י אַבְרָ֔ם בֶּן־תִּשְׁעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה וְתֵ֣שַׁע שָׁנִ֑ים וַיֵּרָ֨א יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־אַבְרָ֗ם וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֵלָיו֙ אֲנִי־אֵ֣ל שַׁדַּ֔י הִתְהַלֵּ֥ךְ לְפָנַ֖י וֶהְיֵ֥ה תָמִֽים׃

2I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will make you exceedingly numerous.”

v'-et-NAH b'-ree-TEE BE-ni u-VE-ne-KHA v'-ar-BEH o-T'-KHA bi-MOD me-OD

בוְאֶתְּנָ֥ה בְרִיתִ֖י בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֑ךָ וְאַרְבֶּ֥ה אוֹתְךָ֖ בִּמְאֹ֥ד מְאֹֽד׃

3Avram threw himself on his face; and Hashem spoke to him further,

vai-YI-pol av-RAM al-PA-naiv, va-y'-da-BAYR i-TO e-lo-HEEM lay-MOR

גוַיִּפֹּ֥ל אַבְרָ֖ם עַל־פָּנָ֑יו וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתּ֛וֹ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֵאמֹֽר׃

4“As for Me, this is My covenant with you: You shall be the father of a multitude of nations.

a-NEE hi-NEH b'-ree-TEE i-TAKH v'-ha-YEE-ta l'-AV ha-MON go-YEEM

דאֲנִ֕י הִנֵּ֥ה בְרִיתִ֖י אִתָּ֑ךְ וְהָיִ֕יתָ לְאַ֖ב הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִֽם׃

5And you shall no longer be called Avram, but your name shall be Avraham, for I make you the father of a multitude of nations.

v'-lo yi-ka-RAY et-SHIM-kha av-RAM, v'-ha-YAH SHIM-kha av-ra-HAM, KEE av-ha-MON go-YIM ne-ta-TEE-kha

הוְלֹא־יִקָּרֵ֥א ע֛וֹד אֶת־שִׁמְךָ֖ אַבְרָ֑ם וְהָיָ֤ה שִׁמְךָ֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם כִּ֛י אַב־הֲמ֥וֹן גּוֹיִ֖ם נְתַתִּֽיךָ׃

6I will make you exceedingly fertile, and make nations of you; and kings shall come forth from you.

v'-hif-RAY-tee o-T'-KHA bi-m'-OD m'-OD u-ne-ta-TEE-kha l'-go-YIM u-m'-la-KHEEM mi-m'-KHA ye-tze-U

ווְהִפְרֵתִ֤י אֹֽתְךָ֙ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֔ד וּנְתַתִּ֖יךָ לְגוֹיִ֑ם וּמְלָכִ֖ים מִמְּךָ֥ יֵצֵֽאוּ׃

7I will maintain My covenant between Me and you, and your offspring to come, as an everlasting covenant throughout the ages, to be Hashem to you and to your offspring to come.

va-ha-ki-MO-tee et b'-ree-TEE BAY-nee u-vee-NE-kha u-VEYN zar-a-KHA a-kha-RE-kha l'-do-RO-tam li-v'-REET o-LAM li-HYOT le-KHA le-E-lo-HEEM u-l'-zar-a-KHA a-kha-RE-kha

זוַהֲקִמֹתִ֨י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֜י בֵּינִ֣י וּבֵינֶ֗ךָ וּבֵ֨ין זַרְעֲךָ֧ אַחֲרֶ֛יךָ לְדֹרֹתָ֖ם לִבְרִ֣ית עוֹלָ֑ם לִהְי֤וֹת לְךָ֙ לֵֽאלֹהִ֔ים וּֽלְזַרְעֲךָ֖ אַחֲרֶֽיךָ׃

8I assign the land you sojourn in to you and your offspring to come, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting holding. I will be their God.”

v'-na-ta-TEE l'-KHA ul-zar-a-KHA a-kha-RE-kha AYT E-retz m'-gu-RE-kha AYT kol E-retz k'-NA-an la-a-khu-ZAT o-LAM v'-ha-YEE-tee la-HEM LAay-lo-HEEM

חוְנָתַתִּ֣י לְ֠ךָ֠ וּלְזַרְעֲךָ֨ אַחֲרֶ֜יךָ אֵ֣ת ׀ אֶ֣רֶץ מְגֻרֶ֗יךָ אֵ֚ת כׇּל־אֶ֣רֶץ כְּנַ֔עַן לַאֲחֻזַּ֖ת עוֹלָ֑ם וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָהֶ֖ם לֵאלֹהִֽים׃

9Hashem further said to Avraham, “As for you, you and your offspring to come throughout the ages shall keep My covenant.

vai-YO-mer e-lo-HEEM el a-v'ra-HAM, v'-a-TAH et b'-ree-TEE tish-MOR, a-TAH v'-zar-a-KHA a-kha-RE-kha l'-do-RO-tam

טוַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֔ם וְאַתָּ֖ה אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֣י תִשְׁמֹ֑ר אַתָּ֛ה וְזַרְעֲךָ֥ אַֽחֲרֶ֖יךָ לְדֹרֹתָֽם׃

10Such shall be the covenant between Me and you and your offspring to follow which you shall keep: every male among you shall be circumcised.

zo-T b'-ree-TEE a-SHER tish-m'-RU BAY-nee u-BAY-nay-KHEM u-BAYN zar-a-KHA a-kha-RE-kha, hi-MOL la-KHEM kol-za-KHAR

יזֹ֣את בְּרִיתִ֞י אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּשְׁמְר֗וּ בֵּינִי֙ וּבֵ֣ינֵיכֶ֔ם וּבֵ֥ין זַרְעֲךָ֖ אַחֲרֶ֑יךָ הִמּ֥וֹל לָכֶ֖ם כׇּל־זָכָֽר׃

11You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and that shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you.

u-n'-mal-TEM et b'-SAR or-la-t'-KHEM, v'-ha-YA l'-OT b'-reet b'-NEE u-vay-NAY-khem

יאוּנְמַלְתֶּ֕ם אֵ֖ת בְּשַׂ֣ר עׇרְלַתְכֶ֑ם וְהָיָה֙ לְא֣וֹת בְּרִ֔ית בֵּינִ֖י וּבֵינֵיכֶֽם׃

12And throughout the generations, every male among you shall be circumcised at the age of eight days. As for the homeborn slave and the one bought from an outsider who is not of your offspring,

u-ven sh'-mo-NAT ya-MEEM yi-MOL la-KHEM kol za-KHAR l'-do-ro-TAY-khem ye-LEED ba-YEET u-mik-NAT-KE-sef mi-KOL ben-ne-KHAR a-SHER lo mi-ZAR-a-KHA hu

יבוּבֶן־שְׁמֹנַ֣ת יָמִ֗ים יִמּ֥וֹל לָכֶ֛ם כׇּל־זָכָ֖ר לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶ֑ם יְלִ֣יד בָּ֔יִת וּמִקְנַת־כֶּ֙סֶף֙ מִכֹּ֣ל בֶּן־נֵכָ֔ר אֲשֶׁ֛ר לֹ֥א מִֽזַּרְעֲךָ֖ הֽוּא׃

13they must be circumcised, homeborn, and purchased alike. Thus shall My covenant be marked in your flesh as an everlasting pact.

hi-MOL y'-MOL y'-LEED b'-YAYT-kha u-mik-NAT kas-PE-kha v'-ha-Y'-ta b'-ree-TEE b'-v'-sar-KHEM li-v'-REET o-LAM

יגהִמּ֧וֹל ׀ יִמּ֛וֹל יְלִ֥יד בֵּֽיתְךָ֖ וּמִקְנַ֣ת כַּסְפֶּ֑ךָ וְהָיְתָ֧ה בְרִיתִ֛י בִּבְשַׂרְכֶ֖ם לִבְרִ֥ית עוֹלָֽם׃

14And if any male who is uncircumcised fails to circumcise the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his kin; he has broken My covenant.”

v'-a-REL za-KHAR a-SHER lo yi-MOL et b'-SAR or-la-TO, v'-nikh-RE-ta ha-NE-fesh ha-HEE may-a-MAY-ha, et b'-ree-TEE he-FAR.

ידוְעָרֵ֣ל ׀ זָכָ֗ר אֲשֶׁ֤ר לֹֽא־יִמּוֹל֙ אֶת־בְּשַׂ֣ר עׇרְלָת֔וֹ וְנִכְרְתָ֛ה הַנֶּ֥פֶשׁ הַהִ֖וא מֵעַמֶּ֑יהָ אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י הֵפַֽר׃

15And Hashem said to Avraham, “As for your wife Sarai, you shall not call her Sarai, but her name shall be Sara.

vai-YO-mer e-lo-HEEM el a-v'ra-HAM, sa-RAI ish-TE-kha lo tik-RA et sh'-MAH sa-RAH, kee sa-RAH sh'-MAH

טווַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֔ם שָׂרַ֣י אִשְׁתְּךָ֔ לֹא־תִקְרָ֥א אֶת־שְׁמָ֖הּ שָׂרָ֑י כִּ֥י שָׂרָ֖ה שְׁמָֽהּ׃

16I will bless her; indeed, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she shall give rise to nations; rulers of peoples shall issue from her.”

u-ve-raKH-ti o-TAH v'-GAM na-ta-TI mi-m'-NEH l'-KHA ben u-ve-raKH-ti-HA v'-ha-Y'-ta l'-go-YIM mal-khay a-mi-MEEM mi-m'-NEH yi-h'-YU

טזוּבֵרַכְתִּ֣י אֹתָ֔הּ וְגַ֨ם נָתַ֧תִּי מִמֶּ֛נָּה לְךָ֖ בֵּ֑ן וּבֵֽרַכְתִּ֙יהָ֙ וְהָֽיְתָ֣ה לְגוֹיִ֔ם מַלְכֵ֥י עַמִּ֖ים מִמֶּ֥נָּה יִהְיֽוּ׃

17Avraham threw himself on his face and laughed, as he said to himself, “Can a child be born to a man a hundred years old, or can Sara bear a child at ninety?”

vai-YI-pol av-ra-HAM al-PA-naiv vai-YITZ-chak vai-YO-mer b'-li-VO ha-LE-van may-a-sha-NAH yi-va-LED v'-im sa-RAH ha-VAT tish-EEM sha-NAH tay-LED

יזוַיִּפֹּ֧ל אַבְרָהָ֛ם עַל־פָּנָ֖יו וַיִּצְחָ֑ק וַיֹּ֣אמֶר בְּלִבּ֗וֹ הַלְּבֶ֤ן מֵאָֽה־שָׁנָה֙ יִוָּלֵ֔ד וְאִ֨ם־שָׂרָ֔ה הֲבַת־תִּשְׁעִ֥ים שָׁנָ֖ה תֵּלֵֽד׃

18And Avraham said to Hashem, “O that Ishmael might live by Your favor!”

vai-YO-mer av-ra-HAM el ha-e-lo-HEEM, LU yish-ma-AYL y'-khe-YEH l'-fa-NE-kha

יחוַיֹּ֥אמֶר אַבְרָהָ֖ם אֶל־הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים ל֥וּ יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל יִחְיֶ֥ה לְפָנֶֽיךָ׃

19Hashem said, “Nevertheless, Sara your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall name him Yitzchak; and I will maintain My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring to come.

vai-YO-mer e-lo-HEEM a-VALL sa-RAH ish-TE-kha yo-LE-det l'-KHA ben v'-ka-RA-ta et sh'-MO yitz-KHAK va-ha-ki-MO-tee et b'-ree-TEE it-TO l'-v'-REET o-LAM l'-zar-O a-kha-RAV

יטוַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲבָל֙ שָׂרָ֣ה אִשְׁתְּךָ֗ יֹלֶ֤דֶת לְךָ֙ בֵּ֔ן וְקָרָ֥אתָ אֶת־שְׁמ֖וֹ יִצְחָ֑ק וַהֲקִמֹתִ֨י אֶת־בְּרִיתִ֥י אִתּ֛וֹ לִבְרִ֥ית עוֹלָ֖ם לְזַרְע֥וֹ אַחֲרָֽיו׃

20As for Ishmael, I have heeded you. I hereby bless him. I will make him fertile and exceedingly numerous. He shall be the father of twelve chieftains, and I will make of him a great nation.

u-l'-yi-sh'-ma-E-el, sh'-ma-TI-kha, hi-NEH, b'-ra-KH'-tee o-TO, v'-hif-ray-TEE o-TO, v'-hir-bay-TEE o-TO, bi-m'-OD m'-OD, sh'-neem-a-SAR n'-see-EEM yo-LEED, u-n'-ta-TEE-o l'-GOY ga-DOL.

כוּֽלְיִשְׁמָעֵאל֮ שְׁמַעְתִּ֒יךָ֒ הִנֵּ֣ה ׀ בֵּרַ֣כְתִּי אֹת֗וֹ וְהִפְרֵיתִ֥י אֹת֛וֹ וְהִרְבֵּיתִ֥י אֹת֖וֹ בִּמְאֹ֣ד מְאֹ֑ד שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֤ר נְשִׂיאִם֙ יוֹלִ֔יד וּנְתַתִּ֖יו לְג֥וֹי גָּדֽוֹל׃

21But My covenant I will maintain with Yitzchak, whom Sara shall bear to you at this season next year.”

v'-et b'-ree-TEE a-KEEM et yitz-KHAK a-SHER tay-LAYD l'-KHA sa-RAH la-mo-AYD ha-ZEH ba-sha-NAH ha-a-KHE-ret

כאוְאֶת־בְּרִיתִ֖י אָקִ֣ים אֶת־יִצְחָ֑ק אֲשֶׁר֩ תֵּלֵ֨ד לְךָ֤ שָׂרָה֙ לַמּוֹעֵ֣ד הַזֶּ֔ה בַּשָּׁנָ֖ה הָאַחֶֽרֶת׃

17:21   But My covenant I will maintain with Yitzchak

Avraham was chosen to be God’s emissary in this world, to live in the Land of Israel, and to establish a nation with a unique mission. But who would be Avraham’s heir, Ishmael or Yitzchak? This ambiguity is eliminated when Hashem declares that, although a great nation will emerge from Ishmael’s lineage, Yitzchak is the chosen heir to Avraham’s legacy and Eretz Yisrael.

22And when He was done speaking with him, Hashem was gone from Avraham.

vai-KHAL l'-da-BAYR i-TO, va-YA-al e-lo-HEEM may-AL av-ra-HAM

כבוַיְכַ֖ל לְדַבֵּ֣ר אִתּ֑וֹ וַיַּ֣עַל אֱלֹהִ֔ים מֵעַ֖ל אַבְרָהָֽם׃

23Then Avraham took his son Ishmael, and all his homeborn slaves and all those he had bought, every male in Avraham's household, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins on that very day, as Hashem had spoken to him.

vai-YI-kakh av-ra-HAM et yish-ma-AYL b'-NO v'-AYT kol y'-li-DAY vay-TO v'-AYT kol mik-NAT kas-PO, kol za-KHAR b'-an-SHAY bayt av-ra-HAM, vai-YA-mol et b'-SAR or-la-TAM b'-ET-zem ha-YOM ha-ZEH ka-a-SHER di-BER i-TO e-lo-HEEM

כגוַיִּקַּ֨ח אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶת־יִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בְּנ֗וֹ וְאֵ֨ת כׇּל־יְלִידֵ֤י בֵיתוֹ֙ וְאֵת֙ כׇּל־מִקְנַ֣ת כַּסְפּ֔וֹ כׇּל־זָכָ֕ר בְּאַנְשֵׁ֖י בֵּ֣ית אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיָּ֜מׇל אֶת־בְּשַׂ֣ר עׇרְלָתָ֗ם בְּעֶ֙צֶם֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ אֱלֹהִֽים׃

24Avraham was ninety-nine years old when he circumcised the flesh of his foreskin,

v'-a-v'ra-HAM ben-tish-EEM va-TE-sha sha-NAH b'-hi-MO-lo b'-sar or-la-TO

כדוְאַ֨בְרָהָ֔ם בֶּן־תִּשְׁעִ֥ים וָתֵ֖שַׁע שָׁנָ֑ה בְּהִמֹּל֖וֹ בְּשַׂ֥ר עׇרְלָתֽוֹ׃

25and his son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

v'-yish-ma-E-el b'-no ben sh'-LOSH es-reh sha-NAH b'-hi-MO-lo et b'-sar or-la-TO

כהוְיִשְׁמָעֵ֣אל בְּנ֔וֹ בֶּן־שְׁלֹ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָ֑ה בְּהִ֨מֹּל֔וֹ אֵ֖ת בְּשַׂ֥ר עׇרְלָתֽוֹ׃

26Thus Avraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on that very day;

b'-ET-sem ha-YOM ha-ZEH ni-MOL av-ra-HAM v'-yish-ma-EYL b'-NO

כובְּעֶ֙צֶם֙ הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֔ה נִמּ֖וֹל אַבְרָהָ֑ם וְיִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל בְּנֽוֹ׃

27and all his household, his homeborn slaves and those that had been bought from outsiders, were circumcised with him.

v'-kol aN-shay bay-TO ye-LEED ba-YEET u-mik-NAT ke-SEF may-ET ben NE-khar ni-MO-lu i-TO. (P)

כזוְכׇל־אַנְשֵׁ֤י בֵיתוֹ֙ יְלִ֣יד בָּ֔יִת וּמִקְנַת־כֶּ֖סֶף מֵאֵ֣ת בֶּן־נֵכָ֑ר נִמֹּ֖לוּ אִתּֽוֹ׃