Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall [a child] be born unto him that is a hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
17. fell upon his face ] See Gen 17:3.
laughed ] The incredulous laughter of Abraham here, according to P, should be compared with that of Sarah, in Gen 18:12, according to J, as a play upon the name “Isaac” and its meaning of “laughter.”
Along with the incredulity must be reckoned the joy of the assurance that the promise of a son should be fulfilled. The joy of that hope, and of its significance to the whole world, is the subject of the allusion in, Joh 8:56, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it and was glad.”
ninety years old ] The age of Sarah, nine years younger (cf. Gen 17:24) than Abraham.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 17. Then Abraham – laughed] I am astonished to find learned and pious men considering this as a token of Abraham’s weakness of faith or unbelief, when they have the most positive assurance from the Spirit of God himself that Abraham was not weak but strong in the faith; that he staggered not at the promise through unbelief, but gave glory to God, Ro 4:19-20. It is true the same word is used, Ge 18:12, concerning Sarah, in whom it was certainly a sign of doubtfulness, though mixed with pleasure at the thought of the possibility of her becoming a mother; but we know how possible it is to express both faith and unbelief in the same way, and even pleasure and disdain have been expressed by a smile or laugh. By laughing Abraham undoubtedly expressed his joy at the prospect of the fulfilment of so glorious a promise; and from this very circumstance Isaac had his name. yitschak, which we change into Isaac, signifies laughter; and it is the same word which is used in the verse before us: Abraham fell on his face, vaiyitschak, and he laughed; and to the joy which he felt on this occasion our Lord evidently alludes, Joh 8:56: Your father Abraham REJOICED to see my day; and he saw it, and was GLAD. And to commemorate this joy he called his son’s name Isaac. See Clarke on Ge 21:6.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He
laughed, through admiration and holy rejoicing at so great a blessing, not through unbelief, as Sarah did, Gen 18:12,13, as appears from Rom 4:19,20. And though the outward act was the same in both, yet God discerned their differing dispositions and intentions therein.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. Abraham fell upon his face, andlaughedIt was not the sneer of unbelief, but a smile ofdelight at the improbability of the event (Ro4:20).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Then Abraham fell upon his face,…. In reverence of the divine Being, and as amazed at what was told him:
and laughed; not through distrust and diffidence of the promise, as Sarah did, for he staggered not at that through unbelief, but for joy at such good news; and so Onkelos renders it, “and he rejoiced”, with the joy of faith; it may be our Lord refers to this in Joh 8:56; he saw Christ in the promise of Isaac, and rejoiced that he should spring from his seed: the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase it, “and he wondered”; he was amazed at the grace of God that gave him such a promise, and he was astonished at the power of God that must be exerted in the fulfilment of it: and therefore it follows,
and said in his heart; within himself, without expressing anything as to be heard and understood by any creature; but the omniscient God knew what he said, and the language of it, whether of unbelief or not:
shall [a child] be born unto him that is an hundred years old? not that he was now a full an hundred years old, he was ninety nine, and going in his hundredth year; but then he would be, as he was, an hundred years old when this child was born to him, Ge 21:5. It had been no unusual thing for a child to be born to a man when an hundred, and even many hundred years old, but it was so in Abraham’s time; though indeed after this we read that Abraham himself had six sons by Keturah, when, his natural strength was afresh invigorated, and his youth was renewed like the eagle’s; and besides Abraham said this, not so much with respect to himself, though his age was a circumstance that served to heighten the wonder, as with respect to Sarah, and the circumstances in which she was, who was to bear this son to him:
and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? and with whom it had ceased to be after the manner of women, which made it more difficult of belief how it could be. Some think that Abraham said this, as somewhat doubting of it, until he was more strongly assured by the Lord that so it would be indeed, as is expressed in Ge 17:19; but meeting with no reproof for what he said and did, as Sarah, it seems to show the contrary.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
17. And Abraham fell upon his face This was in token, not only of his reverence, but also of his faith. For Abraham not only adores God, but in giving him thanks, testifies that he receives and embraces what was promised concerning a son. Hence also we infer that he laughed, not because he either despised, or regarded as fabulous, or rejected, the promise of God; but, as is commonly wont to happen in things which are least expected, partly exulting with joy, and partly being carried beyond himself in admiration, he breaks forth into laughter. For I do not assent to the opinion of those who suppose, that this laughter flowed solely from joy; but I rather think that Abraham was as one astonished; which his next interrogation also confirms, shall a child be born to him that an hundred years old? For although he does not reject as vain what had been said by the angel, he yet shows that he was no otherwise affected, than as if he had received some incredible tidings. The novelty of the thing so strikes him, that for a short time he is confounded; yet he humbles himself before God, and with confused mind, prostrating himself on the earth, he, by faith, adores the power of God. For, that this was not the language of one who doubts, Paul, in his Epistle to the Romans, is a witness, (Rom 4:19,) who denies that Abraham considered his body now dead, or the barren womb of Sarah, or that he staggered through unbelief; but declares that he believed in hope against hope. And that which Moses relates, that Abraham said in his heart, I do not so explain as if he had distinctly conceived this in his mind: but as many things steal upon us contrary to our purpose, the perplexing thought suddenly rushed upon his mind, ‘What a strange thing is this, that a son should be born to one a hundred years old!’ This, however, seems to some, to be a kind of contest between carnal reason and faith; for although Abraham, reverently prostrating himself before God, submits his own mind to the divine word, he is still disturbed by the novelty of the affair. I answer, that this admiration, which did not obstruct the course of God’s power, was not contrary to faith; nay, the strength of faith shone the more brightly, in having surmounted an obstacle so arduous. And therefore he is not reprehended for laughing, as Sarah is in the next chapter Gen 18:1
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(17) Abraham . . . laughed.The Jewish interpreters regard Abrahams laugh as one of joy, and Sarahs (Gen. 18:12) as one of unbelief. We may, however, well doubt whether there really was this difference between them; but our Lord confirms the View that joy was uppermost in Abrahams heart (Joh. 8:56). Still with belief there was surprise, and the feeling that what was promised was so strange as to be well-nigh incredible. One who was ready to sacrifice his only son at Gods word (Heb. 11:19) would not be staggered by this strangeness, and yet the thought of Sarahs bearing a child at the age of ninety might easily present itself to his mind in a ludicrous aspect. As for Sarah, there is no proof that at the time when she laughed she knew or even suspected that the three travellers were more than men. She overheard their conversation, and laughed, imagining perhaps that they did not know how old she was. Really, the idea brought out by this double laughter is that Isaacs birth was contrary to nature.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
17. Laughed Abraham’s prostration, and the whole tenor of this history, forbid the supposition that this was the laughter of incredulity . It was the excessive outburst of joyful emotion over these precious promises . By faith Abraham now saw the day of redemption and was glad . Joh 8:56.
Said in his heart The questions which follow are not to be understood as the expressions of doubt, but as exclamations of exultant wonder .
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to him who is a hundred years old, and shall Sarah who is ninety years old produce a child?” And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you”.’
The writer makes clear that Abraham’s faith falters. He is clearly possessed with a mixture of emotions. At the words he expressly renews his attitude of obedient submission, he ‘falls on his face’ (compare Gen 17:3). But he laughs. The laughter may well be in his heart as are the words. The context shows that it means he is incredulous (compare Gen 18:12). Whoever heard of such a thing?
(This was Abraham’s view. It is of course possible for a hundred year old vigorous man to beget a child. Who can say what was possible with a healthy but barren 90 year old woman who was still vigorous and would live to 127, at a time when longevity was more the norm so that the ageing process was clearly slower? But we are told that her periods have ceased – Gen 18:11. Whether this was to be a specific miracle or just an unusual scientific phenomena we are not told).
“Oh that Ishmael might live before you”. We cannot avoid the suggestion here that Abraham actually sees God as mistaken. Abraham himself has understandably lost hope. He does not want to have to wait any longer. He tells God that he is willing to accept Ishmael as the fulfilment of God’s promise. How often we accept second best because the best seems impossible.
‘And God said, “No. Sarah your wife will bear a son, and you will call his name Isaac (which means ‘laughter’)”. And I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold I have blessed him and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him greatly. Twelve princes will he beget and I will make him a great nation. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time in the next year”.’
God understands Abraham’s doubts and confirms exactly what He has promised. Sarah will genuinely have a child of her own. The name ‘laughter’ unquestionably has in mind the fact that Abraham laughed in his heart, but it also has in mind the joy that the child will bring, not only to Abraham and Sarah but to the world. His sceptical laughter will be turned into so great a joyous laughter, that in the end the first laughter is forgotten.
So the name Isaac signifies ‘do not doubt my promises’ but it also means ‘from him blessings will abound’.
It is now made clear that the basic covenant for the chosen line is with Isaac. But this will withhold nothing from Ishmael. He too is part of the wider covenant and will produce a nation and be the father of rulers. Indeed he will parallel Isaac. Twelve rulers will descend from him. (Twelve was another number that contained within it the idea of tribal completeness. As we shall see later twelve was looked on as the ideal tribal confederation). Yet the use of ‘prince’ (nasi) rather than ‘king’ (melek) may hint at a slightly less exalted level of blessing, although alternately it may more reflect Ishmael’s prophesied type of lifestyle (Gen 16:12). Bedouins did not have ‘kings’. And it is only through Isaac that ‘all the nations of the world will be blessed’ (Gen 12:3).
God now commits Himself as to time. Abraham does not have long to wait. Isaac will be born in a year’s time. This time note tallies with Gen 17:1 demonstrating that this section is a genuine part of this whole covenant narrative and not a later insertion.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Gen 17:17. And laughed If we compare the twelfth verse of the following chapter, where Sarah expresses her incredulity by laughing, and consider the whole sentence here before us (especially the words, Gen 17:18. O! that Ishmael might live before thee; as if he had said, to have a son by Sarah, in her advanced time of life, is too much for me to expect; it will be enough for me to be assured, that Ishmael shall live and share thy favour); and if, after this, we consider the reply which God makes, repeating the assurance with an emphasis, “Sarah shall bear thee a son INDEED,” we shall judge it probable, from all these considerations, that the good old patriarch was a little doubtful, not whether an Omnipotent Being could, but whether he would, accomplish so extraordinary an event: for it is to be observed, that this is the first time that Abraham is directly told that Sarah is to be the mother of the promised seed: and perhaps the decays of age, and the infirmities of nature which he perceived in himself, might make him in some degree apprehend the event more incredible now than it appeared fifteen years before. Thus it is observed of Moses, who probably was not inferior to Abraham in piety and faith, that, after all the divine miracles he had seen, he was guilty of some distrust, and smote the rock twice. Num 20:11-12. However, we may observe, as to Abraham, that, if he doubts, it is with great modesty; for he falls upon his face, and checks the risings of unbelief, not daring to speak out what he thought; he only said in his heart, &c.
Be born to him that is an hundred, &c. See the remarks on chap. Gen 25:1-2, &c.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 17:17 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?
Ver. 17. Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed. ] Not as doubting, much less deriding, Rom 4:19 but as rejoicing and admiring the goodness and power of God. The narrow-mouthed vessel of his heart not quickly capable of so great comfort – for, Tarda solet magnis rebus inesse fides – he fell upon his face, and laughed.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
laughed: for joy. Hebrew. was joyful. Compare Joh 8:56, “rejoiced to see my day . . . and was glad. “The laughter of faith, Rom 4:19. Sarah did not fall down as Abraham did, Gen 17:3.
Shall, &c. Figure of speech Erotesis. (Compare Heb 11:12).
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
fell: Gen 17:3, Lev 9:24, Num 14:5, Num 16:22, Num 16:45, Deu 9:18, Deu 9:25, Jos 5:14, Jos 7:6, Jdg 13:20, 1Ch 21:16, Job 1:20, Eze 1:28, Dan 8:17, Mat 2:11, Rev 5:8, Rev 11:16
laughed: Gen 18:12, Gen 21:6, Joh 8:56, Rom 4:19, Rom 4:20
Reciprocal: Gen 17:19 – Isaac Gen 17:24 – General Gen 18:11 – old Gen 21:5 – General Gen 23:1 – an Lev 10:15 – for ever Rth 1:12 – too old 2Ki 4:14 – she hath no child 2Ki 4:16 – thou shalt Luk 1:7 – well Luk 1:18 – Whereby Luk 6:21 – ye shall laugh Heb 6:15 – General Heb 11:11 – Sara
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Gen 17:17. Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed It was a laughter of delight, not of distrust. Now it was that Abraham rejoiced to see Christs day; now he saw it and was glad; (Joh 8:56;) for as he saw heaven in the promise of Canaan, so he saw Christ in the promise of Isaac, and said, Shall a child be born to him that is a hundred years old? He doth not here speak of it as at all doubtful, for we are sure he staggered not at the promise, (Rom 4:20,) but as wonderful, and that which could not be effected but by the almighty power of God.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
17:17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and {f} 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?
(f) Which proceeded from a sudden joy, and not from lack of faith.