Because that is the instruction that was claimed was given. It is interesting to note that the ancient Egyptian ruling class also did this as adults to set themselves apart from the lower classes. I suppose it was a sign of exclusivity in real terms
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Circumcision.
Circumcision is a sign of God's covenant made with Abraham in Genesis 17:9-14.
Jn:7:22: Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man. Acts:7:8: And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.
The token of the covenant in the Bible was circumcision, which symbolized the covenant between God and Abraham and his descendants. It was a physical sign of the commitment to follow God's laws and be set apart as His chosen people.
Circumcision was part of the Abrahamic Covenant. It was written about in Genesis 17:1-14. In verse 11, specifically, God stated, "You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you." The circumcisions were symbolism meaning they were keeping the covenant. This was reinforced in verse 14. "Any uncircumcised male, who has not been circumcised in the flesh, will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant."
In the Old Testament, the covenant between Yahweh and His people Israel (the Hebrews) progressed through multiple stages, and at least two signs were attached to it. When God called Abraham and established a covenant with Abraham and his descendants, He appointed circumcision as the sign of the covenant: "You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between me and you" (Genesis 17:11 ESV). Circumcision is the most prominent "sign" of the covenant between God and the Hebrews. However, at Mount Sinai, God also established the Sabbath as a sign or token of His covenant with Israel; see Exodus 31:12-18 and Ezekiel 20:11-20. (Earlier on, the rainbow had functioned as the sign of God's covenant with Noah and his family; see Gen. 9:17.)
The outward sign was, and still is, the brit milah (ברית מילה), which is the covenant of circumcision.
It is traditionally a visible sign of the covenant between God and the Jewish people. All of the main denominations of Judaism advocate circumcision, including Reform, though some of the smaller, more liberal Jewish groups are against it.
A covenant with god.
The outward sign was, and still is, the brit milah, which is the covenant of circumcision.Another outward sign of God's covenant with the Israelites is the Torah scrolls which the Israelites (Jews) possess. The scroll is called the Book of the Covenant (Exodus 24:4), the Ten Commandments are called the Tablets of the Covenant (Deuteronomy 9:9), and Judaism as a whole is called the Covenant (2 Kings 23:3). See also the Related Links.Link: More about Jewish circumcisionLink: Facts about the Torah-scrollLink: What is the covenant of the Israelites?
It is a part of our covenant with HaShem, the creator.
In the Bible, circumcision is a physical sign of the covenant between God and the Israelites. Circumcision involves the removal of the foreskin from the male genitalia. Uncircumcised refers to males who have not undergone this procedure. The practice of circumcision is mentioned in the Bible as a way for the Israelites to show their commitment to God.