Genesis 17:15-21

Genesis 17:15-21

[15] And God  said  unto Abraham,  As for Sarai  thy wife,  thou shalt not call  her name  Sarai,  but  Sarah  shall her name  [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. [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?  [18] And Abraham  said  unto God,  O that  Ishmael  might live  before thee!  [19] And God  said,  Sarah  thy wife  shall bear  thee a son  indeed;  and thou shalt call  his name  Isaac:  and I will establish  my covenant  with him for an everlasting  covenant,  and with his seed  after him.  [20] And as for Ishmael,  I have heard thee:  Behold, I have blessed  him, and will make him fruitful,  and will multiply  him exceedingly;  twelve  princes  shall he beget,  and I will make him  a great  nation.  [21] But my covenant  will I establish  with Isaac,  which Sarah  shall bear  unto thee at this set time  in the next  year. 

What does Genesis 17:15-21 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Abraham"s laugh ( Genesis 17:17) may have expressed his incredulity, but it could have been a joyful response to God"s promise. [1] Sarah"s laugh ( Genesis 18:15) seems to have arisen from a spirit of unbelief. God did not criticize Abraham for laughing, but He did Sarah when she laughed.