The Meaning of Genesis 17:22 Explained

Genesis 17:22

KJV: And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

YLT: and He finisheth speaking with him, and God goeth up from Abraham.

Darby: And he left off talking with him; and God went up from Abraham.

ASV: And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he left off  talking  with him, and God  went up  from Abraham. 

What does Genesis 17:22 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 17:15-27 - Isaac Is Promised
There are two allusions to laughter in these chapters. Sarah's was the laugh of incredulity, see Genesis 18:12; but Abraham's was the laugh of happy confidence, which reckoned on God. As r.v. puts it, he looked his difficulties in the face, and then turned away to the promise of God, and wavered not, but waxed strong, giving glory to God. Ponder Romans 4:20-21. Therefore, he obtained promises for his wife, for Ishmael, and for the coming child, which was to bear the name of Laughter, partly because of that hour, and also because he would bring sunshine into the old man's life. His heart had entwined about Ishmael. As he had watched the masterful and clever youth, he had said to himself, "He will hold the camp together when I am gone." But the divine covenant could not be with one that had slave-blood in his veins and was not to abide in the house forever. See John 8:35; Galatians 4:22. The covenant is always with Isaac. [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 17

1  God renews the covenant with Abram,
5  and changes his name to Abraham, in token of a greater blessing
9  Circumcision is instituted
15  Sarai's name is changed to Sarah, and she is blessed
17  Isaac is promised, and the time of his birth fixed
23  Abraham and Ishmael are circumcised

What do the individual words in Genesis 17:22 mean?

And He finished talking with him and went up God from Abraham
וַיְכַ֖ל לְדַבֵּ֣ר אִתּ֑וֹ וַיַּ֣עַל אֱלֹהִ֔ים מֵעַ֖ל אַבְרָהָֽם

וַיְכַ֖ל  And  He  finished 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּלָה  
Sense: to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent.
לְדַבֵּ֣ר  talking 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אִתּ֑וֹ  with  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
וַיַּ֣עַל  and  went  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
אֱלֹהִ֔ים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אַבְרָהָֽם  Abraham 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָהָם  
Sense: friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God’s elective covenant.