Genesis 17:2Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

I will not overlook the remarkable deeds of such profound virtue you possess, but rather, “I will set My covenant between Me and you, and I will greatly multiply you.” He does not simply say He will multiply, but emphasizes a ‘great’ multiplication, indicating an exceptional increase. What He previously conveyed through the expressions “like the sand of the sea” and “the stars” is now underscored with the term ‘greatly.’

It is important to recognize that in instances where we encounter the term ‘covenant’ in Greek, the corresponding Hebrew term is ‘union,’ specifically berith.

The covenant that the Lord establishes with Abram serves to affirm and expand upon the earlier covenant mentioned in the previous passage. The key distinction between the two is that the earlier covenant was revealed to Abram through a vision, while this new covenant is communicated to him in his usual, conscious state, not within the extraordinary experience of a vision. Additionally, in the initial covenant, the Lord alone undertook commitments toward Abram and his descendants without expecting any corresponding duty from Abram himself. In contrast, the new covenant includes mutual obligations.