Amplified Bible
Genesis 17:3
3Then Abram fell on his face [in worship], and God spoke with him, saying,
Genesis 17:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
- New International Version (NIV)Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying:
Context of Genesis 17:3
1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; Walk [habitually] before Me [with integrity, knowing that you are always in My presence], and be blameless and complete [in obedience to Me]. 2I will establish My covenant (everlasting promise) between Me and you, And I will multiply you exceedingly [through your descendants].” Then Abram fell on his face [in worship], and God spoke with him, saying, 4“As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, And [as a result] you shall be the father of many nations. 5No longer shall your name be Abram (exalted father), But your name shall be Abraham (father of a multitude); For I will make you the father of many nations.
Read all of Genesis 17Genesis 17:3 word by word
וַיִּפֹּ֥ל אַבְרָ֖ם עַל־פָּנָ֑יו וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר אִתּ֛וֹ אֱלֹהִ֖ים לֵאמֹֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Genesis 17:3
- Genesis 17:17Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”
- Exodus 3:6Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Then Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
- Leviticus 9:23Moses and Aaron went into the Tent of Meeting, and when they came out they blessed the people, and the glory and brilliance of the Lord [the Shekinah cloud] appeared to all the people [as promised].
- Numbers 14:5Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the Israelites.
- Numbers 16:22But they fell on their faces [before the Lord], and said, “O God, God of the spirits of all flesh! When one man sins, will You be angry with the entire congregation?”
- Joshua 5:14He said, “No; rather I have come now as captain of the army of the Lord.” Then Joshua fell with his face toward the earth and bowed down, and said to him, “What does my lord have to say to his servant?”
- Judges 13:20For when the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the Angel of the Lord ascended in the altar flame. When Manoah and his wife saw this they fell on their faces to the ground.
- 1 Kings 18:39When all the people saw it, they fell face downward; and they said, “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!”
- Ezekiel 1:28As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory and brilliance of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell face downward and I heard a voice of One speaking.
- Ezekiel 3:23So I got up and went out to the plain; and behold, the glory and brilliance of the Lord was standing there, like the glory I had seen by the River Chebar, and I fell face downward.
- Ezekiel 9:8As they were executing them and I alone was left, I fell face downward and cried out, “Alas, Lord God! Will You destroy all that is left of Israel [the whole remnant] by pouring out Your wrath and indignation on Jerusalem?”
- Daniel 8:17So he came near where I was standing, and when he came I was frightened and fell face downward; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the [fulfillment of the] vision pertains to [events that will occur in] the time of the end.”
- Daniel 10:9Then I heard the sound of his words; and when I heard the sound of his words, I fell on my face in a deep sleep, with my face toward the ground.
- Matthew 17:6When the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were terrified.
- Revelation 1:17When I saw Him, I fell at His feet as though dead. And He placed His right hand on me and said, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last [absolute Deity, the Son of God],
Commentaries on Genesis 17:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3And Abram fell on his face - The eastern method of prostration was thus: the person first went down on his knees, and then lowered his head to his knees, and touched the earth with his forehead. A very painful posture, but significative of great humiliation and reverence.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-27Verses 1-27 - The Sealing of the Covenant 1. שׁדי shaday Shaddai, “Irresistible, able to destroy, and by inference to make, Almighty.” שׁדד shādad “be strong, destroy.” This name is found six times in Genesis, and thirty-one times in Job. 5. אברהם 'abrâhām Abraham, from אברם 'abrām “high-father,” and הם hām the radical part of המין hāmôn a “multitude,” is obtained by a euphonic abbreviation אברהם 'abrâhām “father of a multitude.” The root רהם rhm…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-27God gave Abram's family signs that his promises would come true. He changed Abram's name to Abraham (17:1–8). He established circumcision as the sign of the covenant (17:9–14, 23–27). He changed Sarai's name to Sarah (17:15–22).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 33. Abram fell on his face--the attitude of profoundest reverence assumed by Eastern people. It consists in the prostrate body resting on the hands and knees, with the face bent till the forehead touches the ground. It is an expression of conscious humility and profound reverence.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 17:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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