וַיֵּרָ֤א יְהוָה֙ אֶל־אַבְרָ֔ם וַיֹּ֕אמֶר לְזַ֨רְעֲךָ֔ אֶתֵּ֖ן אֶת־הָאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את וַיִּ֤בֶן שָׁם֙ מִזְבֵּ֔חַ לַיהוָ֖ה הַנִּרְאֶ֥ה אֵלָֽיו׃
L’Éternel apparut à Abram et dit:"C’est à ta postérité que je destine ce pays." Il bâtit en ce lieu un autel au Dieu qui lui était apparu.
Zohar
Already, before Abraham was circumcised, we are told that “the Lord appeared unto Abram” (Gen. 17, 1), and if the word “him” in this sentence refers to Abraham, we may well ask, what advance had he made (in prophecy) by being circumcised?