Bible Strands
Genesis 17:1
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — God speaks to Abram at age ninety-nine. The text states the Lord appeared to him and declared, “I am God Almighty.”
The words — The phrase בֶּן־תִּשְעִים שָׁנָה וְתֵשַׁע שָׁנִים (ben-tish'Im sha.Nah ve-te.sha sha.Nim) literally renders as “a son of ninety years and nine years.” The verb וַ/יֵּרָ֨א (va/i.ye.Ra') records the Lord’s appearance to Abram.
The thread — The text commands Abram to “walk before Me and be blameless,” which directly parallels Luke 1:6’s description of walking blamelessly in God’s commandments. The underlying promise of divine enablement aligns with the power described in Ephesians 3:20 and Philippians 4:13.
Why it lands — The text commands Abram to walk in God’s presence and maintain blamelessness. It asks the reader to recognize that divine empowerment, not human effort, sustains this posture.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
Cross-references
- Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
- Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,
- Luke 1:6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord.
- Genesis 18:14 Is anything too difficult for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you—in about a year—and Sarah will have a son.”
- Genesis 6:9 This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God.
- Psalms 116:9 I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.
- Matthew 5:48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
- Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. And this man was blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil.
- Isaiah 38:3 saying, “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion; I have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
- Deuteronomy 18:13 You must be blameless before the LORD your God.