"And He gavehim the covenantof circumcision;and so[Abraham] became the fatherof Isaac,and circumcisedhim on the eighthday;and Isaac[became the father of] Jacob,and Jacob[of] the twelvepatriarchs.
Now the LORDsawthat Leahwas unloved,and He openedher womb,but Rachelwas barren.
Bilhahconceivedand boreJacoba son.
Then they journeyedfrom Bethel;and when there was stillsomedistanceto goto Ephrath,Rachelbegan to givebirthand she sufferedseverelabor.
It cameabout as her soulwas departing(for she died),that she namedhim Ben-oni;but his fathercalledhim Benjamin.
Abrahambecamethe fatherof Isaac.The sonsof Isaac[were] Esauand Israel.
Abrahamwas the fatherof Isaac,Isaacthe fatherof Jacob,and Jacobthe fatherof Judahand his brothers.
"For thisreasonMoseshas givenyou circumcision(not becauseit is from Moses,but from the fathers),and on [the] Sabbathyou circumcisea man.
"Brethren,I mayconfidentlysayto you regardingthe patriarchDavidthat he bothdiedand was buried,and his tombis with us to thisday.
Howthenwas it credited?While he was circumcised,oruncircumcised?Not while circumcised,but while uncircumcised;
Brethren,I speakin termsof humanrelations:even thoughit is [only] a man'scovenant,yetwhen it has been ratified,no onesets it asideoradds conditionsto it.
What I am sayingis this:the Law,which camefour hundredand thirtyyearslater,does not invalidatea covenantpreviously ratifiedby God,soas to nullifythe promise.
Nowobservehow greatthis manwas to whomAbraham,the patriarch,gavea tenthof the choicest spoils.
