What is the covenant God had with Abraham?

Answer 1

The answer is: He would give Abraham many decendants.

God made a covenant with Abraham that if he and his descendants would keep His commandments, be perfect and circumcise their male children, God would bless them and be their God. God promised to make Abraham a father of many nations and to give him the land of Canaan. God later added that He would bless all nations through Abraham.

Genesis 17

1 And when Abram was ninety nine years old, the LORD appeared to him, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be perfect.

2 And I will make my covenant between us, and will multiply you exceedingly.

3 And Abram fell on his face: and God spoke with him, saying,

4 As for me, behold, My covenant is with you, and thou shalt be a father of many nations.

5 Neither shall your name any more be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made you.

6 And I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and nations will come from you, and kings shall come from you.

7 And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your seed after you for all their generations as an everlasting covenant, to be your God, and for your seed after you.

8 And I will give unto you, and to thy seed after you, the land wherein you now dwell, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

9 And God said unto Abraham, you shalt keep my covenant; you, and your seed after you for all their generations.

10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your seed after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised.

15 And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai your wife, you shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.

16 And I will bless her, and give you a son from her. I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be born of her.

18 Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him.

Answer 2

God promised Abraham that he would give him many descendants, which would be as many as the number of stars and the grain of sand beside the sea. Abraham was nearly 100 years old and his wife, Sarah, was barren. This promise eventually turned out to be true, though, when Sarah gave birth to Isaac.

Answer 3

There are two separate covenants which God made with Abraham; Genesis ch.15 and Genesis ch.17. They took place at different times.

In Genesis ch.15, the Covenant Between the Parts:

a) God informs Abraham of future events (the Egyptian exile)

b) God promises the land of Canaan (Israel) to Abraham's descendants

c) the covenant is finalized through a demonstration of God's presence (see Genesis 15:7-9 and 15:17).

In Genesis ch.17, the covenant of circumcision:

a) although the promises of many descendants (17:2,3) and of inheriting the land of Canaan are repeated (17:8), the main thing in this covenant is the promise that God will be the God of Abraham (17:7, 17:8).

b) God promises that Abraham and Sarah will have a son (17:15-16), whom they will name Isaac (17:19) and who will be the continuation of God's covenant (17:21).

c) the covenant itself is manifested through circumcision, for Abraham and his descendants (17:10); and Abraham is told to "walk with God" (17:1), meaning to serve God.

Answer 4

There are three covenants. Two which God made with Abraham (Genesis ch.15 and Genesis ch.17), and one with Abraham's Israelite descendants in the time of Moses after the Exodus.

• 1) In Genesis ch.15, the Covenant Between the Parts:

a) God informs Abraham of future events (the Egyptian exile)

b) God promises the land of Canaan (Israel) to Abraham's descendants

c) The covenant is finalized through a demonstration of God's presence (see Genesis 15:7-9 and 15:17).

• 2) In Genesis ch.17, the covenant of circumcision:

a) The promises of many descendants (17:2,3) and of inheriting the land of Canaan are repeated (17:8), but the main thing in this covenant is the promise that God will be the God of Abraham (17:7, 17:8).

b) The covenant itself is manifested through circumcision, for Abraham and his descendants (17:10).

The full text of the third covenant is actually the Torah itself, because it lists all our commands and beliefs. That is why the Torah is called The Book of the Covenant.

Answer 5

God promised him (Genesis ch.15) the Holy Land, and to redeem his descendants from the land of oppression (Egypt). He promised that Abraham would be a father of nations, with many descendants (Genesis ch.17).
For his part, Abraham must walk with God (meaning: serve God), and circumcise himself, his male descendants and members of his household (Genesis ch.17).

Answer 6

There are three covenants. Two which God made with Abraham (Genesis ch.15 and Genesis ch.17), and one with Abraham's Israelite descendants in the time of Moses after the Exodus.

• 1) In Genesis ch.15, the Covenant Between the Parts:
  

a) God informs Abraham of future events (the Egyptian exile)
b) God promises the land of Canaan (Israel) to Abraham's descendants
c) The covenant is finalized through a demonstration of God's presence (see Genesis 15:7-9 and 15:17).

Link: More about Abraham

• 2) In Genesis ch.17, the covenant of circumcision:
  

a) The promises of many descendants (17:2,3) and of inheriting the land of Canaan are repeated (17:8), but the main thing in this covenant is the promise that God will be the God of Abraham (17:7, 17:8).
b) God promises that Abraham and Sarah will have a son (17:15-16), whom they will name Isaac (17:19) and who will be the continuation of God's covenant with Abraham (17:21).
c) The covenant itself is manifested through circumcision, for Abraham and his descendants (17:10).

• 3) The covenant between God and the Israelite nation (see Exodus ch.19 and ch.24), was made in the time of Moses, with Moses serving as the messenger.

Link: More about Moses

This covenant is one of obedience, to listen to God's voice (Exodus 19:5), which will include the entire Torah (24:12). God, for His part, promised to treasure the Israelites (Exodus 19:5, Deuteronomy 26:16-19). The covenant was manifested through God's giving the Ten Commandments (Exodus ch.19-20), and was finalized (on our part) through the offerings described in Exodus ch.24.

See also the other Related Links.

Link: The Ten Commandments

Link: What did God promise to the Israelites?

Link: What was the outward sign of the Israelite covenant?

Answer 7

That he will lead his people to the beautiful promised land.

Answer 8

It is called the Abrahamic Covenant and begins in Genesis 12 and one should continue to read and note how this covenant expands ending in chapter 22.

Answer 9

The Torah mentions at least two such covenants: that of circumcision, and that of God giving the Holy land to Abraham.