"the all-powerful God" or "the God who has all power"
"Live the way I want you to" or "Obey me"
"If you do this, then I will give my covenant" or "I will make my covenant"
In this covenant God promises to bless Abram, but he also requires Abram to obey him.
"greatly increase the number of your descendants" or "give you very many descendants"
"Abram threw himself face down on the ground" or "Abraham immediately lay down with his face to the ground." He did this to show that he respected God and would obey him.
The word "behold" here says that what comes next is certain: "my covenant is certainly with you."
"the father of a great number of nations" or "the one after whom many nations name themselves"
"I will cause you to have very many descendants"
"I will cause your descendants to become nations"
"among your descendants there will be kings" or "some of your descendants will be kings"
"for each generation"
"as a covenant that will last forever"
"to be your God and your descendants' God" or "covenant"
"Canaan, as an everlasting possession" or "Canaan, to possess forever"
"observe my covenant" or "honor my covenant" or "obey my covenant"
"This is a requirement of my covenant" or "This is part of my covenant." This sentence introduces the part of the covenant that Abram must do.
"You must circumcise every male among you"
"You must circumcise every male among you"
"the sign that shows that the covenant exists"
"any male that you buy"
"you will mark my covenant in your flesh"
"as a permanent covenant." Because it was marked in flesh, no one could easily erase it.
"male whom you have not circumcised"
Possible meanings are 1) "I will cut off any uncircumcised male ... foreskin from his people" or 2) "I want you to cut off any uncircumcised male ... foreskin from his people."
Possible meanings are 1) "killed" or 2) "sent away from the community."
"He has not obeyed the rules of my covenant." This is the reason that he would be cut off from his people.
"I will make her bear a son for you"
"she will be the ancestor of many nations" or "her descendants will become nations"
"Kings of peoples will descend from her" or "Some of her descendants will be kings of peoples"
"thought to himself" or "said to himself silently"
"Sarah is ninety years old. Could she bear a son?" or "Sarah is ninety years old. Surely she could not bear a son!"
"Please let Ishmael inherit the covenant that you have made with me" or "Perhaps Ishmael could receive your covenant blessing." Abraham suggested something that he believed really could happen.
God said this to correct Abraham's belief that Sarah could not have a son.
The word "you" refers to Abraham.
The words "As for" show that God is switching from talking about the baby that would be born to talking about Ishmael.
"Look" or "Listen" or "Pay attention to what I am about to tell you"
"I will cause him to have many descendants"
"chiefs" or "rulers." Ishmael's twelve sons are different from the twelve sons of Jacob who were the fathers of the twelve tribes of Israel.
God returns to talking about his covenant with Abraham and emphasizes that he would fulfill his promise with Isaac, not with Ishmael.
"God left Abraham"
This refers to servants or slaves.