And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. That very same day Abraham was circumcised, and his son Ishmael. (Gen 17,25-26)

When God has spoken, things sometimes get complicated for a person. Of course, this would not be the case if man had not already set his own course, if he had not already made the decisions on which he had set his heart, in short, if he had not already begun to carry out his plan, which, thanks to God's visitation, starts to go to ruin.

And that is exactly what happened to Abraham, since he had already prepared his legacy for Ishmael. Even so, Abraham could accept the second covenant with God with a joyful heart because it offered him a new hope - Isaac. But the rest of the farm crew could only get excited if they honored his God from the heart. Otherwise, it could have seemed to them just an additional extension of the religion that was already practiced on the farm, and "nothing should be exaggerated." We do not know how large a proportion of Abraham's men were of one opinion or the other. Certainly almost all were aware of the special protection and blessing over their farm and dwelling. But even if any were indifferent in matters of faith, all were called upon to circumcise without distinction. They had to follow their master in this. Convincing everyone was certainly not easy, but Abraham saved the most difficult task for last. To talk to thirteen-year-old Ishmael, who was just coming out of his teens and whose conflicted nature was showing in full light.

The conversation might have gone something like this:

Ishmael: C-i-r-c-u-m-s-i-z-e? Wow, why? Tell me one sensible reason why we should do this!
Abraham: God includes us in his covenant and blesses us, Ishmael.
Ishmael: But he has already blessed us in everything, father. At least you often say so. When you have your pious moments.
Abraham: Please don't be like that, my son, what's gotten into you again.
Ishmael: Dad, have you seen my new bow? Is that a thing, huh? It shoots twice as far! I caught two rabbits and a daman today! That was cool.
Abraham: Come on, listen to me, Ishmael. It's really necessary.
Ishmael: But why, why, why? It hurts. And what's the point. We already have everything, we don't need anything.
Abraham: Yes, we do, thank God, but now something new is finally coming, something I've been waiting for all my life!
Ishmael: Really? Wow, what a wait you had, that must have been a long one. But what are you waiting for? You have everything, why don't you take it? What's it?
Abraham: Well, finally our own ch...

Abraham stammered at this point, unable to finish his sentence. He prayed in his mind that Ishmael would overhear, just this once.

Ishmael was finally circumcised. But only for the promise of a brand new pearl-encrusted crossbow with two dozen arrows and a fancy quiver, like no one else on the farm had.

Abram sighed softly: sometimes things get complicated when God has spoken...