Genesis21
King James Version · Public Domain
1And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
2For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
3And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
4And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.
5And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
6And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
7And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.
8And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
9And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
10Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
11And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.
12And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
13And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
14And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer–sheba.
15And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
16And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
17And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
18Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
19And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
20And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
21And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
22And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:
23Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.
24And Abraham said, I will swear.
25And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
26And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.
27And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.
28And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
29And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
30And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
31Wherefore he called that place Beer–sheba; because there they sware both of them.
32Thus they made a covenant at Beer–sheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
33And Abraham planted a grove in Beer–sheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God.
34And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.
Study Guide
Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Genesis 21.
Chapter Summary
In this chapter: Birth of Isaac, Sarah's joy. (1–8). Ishmael mocks Isaac. (9–13). Hagar and Ishmael are cast forth, They are relieved and comforted by an angel. (14–21). Abimelech's covenant with Abraham. (22–34).
vv1-8
Few under the Old Testament were brought into the world with such expectations as Isaac. He was in this a type of Christ, that Seed which the holy God so long promised, and holy men so long expected. He was born according to the promise, at the set time of which God had spoken. God's promised mercies will certainly come at the time which He sets, and that is the best time. Isaac means “laughter,” and there was good reason for the name, ch. 17:17; 18:13. When the Sun of comfort is risen upon the soul, it is good to remember how welcome the dawning of the day was. When Sarah received the promise, she laughed with distrust and doubt. When God gives us the mercies we began to despair of, we ought to remember with sorrow and shame our sinful distrust of his power and promise, when we were in pursuit of them. This mercy filled Sarah with joy and wonder. God's favours to his covenant people are such as surpass their own and others' thoughts and expectations: who could imagine that he should do so much for those that deserve so little, nay, for those that deserve so ill? Who would have said that God should send his Son to die for us, his Spirit to make us holy, his angels to attend us? Who would have said that such great sins should be pardoned, such mean services accepted, and such worthless worms taken into covenant? A short account of Isaac's infancy is given. God's blessing upon the nursing of children, and the preservation of them through the perils of the infant age, are to be acknowledged as signal instances of the care and tenderness of the Divine providence. See Ps 22:9, 10; Ho 11:1, 2.
vv9-13
Let us not overlook the manner in which this family matter instructs us not to rest in outward privileges, or in our own doings. And let us seek the blessings of the new covenant by faith in its Divine Surety. Ishmael's conduct was persecution, being done in profane contempt of the covenant and promise, and with malice against Isaac. God takes notice of what children say and do in their play; and will reckon with them, if they say or do amiss, though their parents do not. Mocking is a great sin, and very provoking to God. And the children of promise must expect to be mocked. Abraham was grieved that Ishmael should misbehave, and Sarah demand so severe a punishment. But God showed him that Isaac must be the father of the promised Seed; therefore, send Ishmael away, lest he corrupt the manners, or try to take the rights of Isaac. The covenant seed of Abraham must be a people by themselves, not mingled with those who were out of covenant: Sarah little thought of this; but God turned aright what she said.
vv14-21
If Hagar and Ishmael had behaved well in Abraham's family, they might have continued there; but they were justly punished. By abusing privileges, we forfeit them. Those who know not when they are well off, will be made to know the worth of mercies by the want of them. They were brought to distress in the wilderness. It is not said that the provisions were spent, or that Abraham sent them away without money. But the water was spent; and having lost their way, in that hot climate Ishmael was soon overcome with fatigue and thirst. God's readiness to help us when we are in trouble, must not slacken, but quicken our endeavours to help ourselves. The promise concerning her son is repeated, as a reason why Hagar should bestir herself to help him. It should engage our care and pains about children and young people, to consider that we know not what great use God has designed them for, and may make of them. The angel directs her to a present supply. Many who have reason to be comforted, go mourning from day to day, because they do not see the reason they have for comfort. There is a well of water near them in the covenant of grace, but they are not aware of it, till the same God that opened their eyes to see their wound, opens them to see their remedy. Paran was a wild place, fit for a wild man; such as Ishmael. Those who are born after the flesh, take up with the wilderness of this world, while the children of the promise aim at the heavenly Canaan, and cannot be at rest till they are there. Yet God was with the lad; his outward welfare was owing to this.
Key Words
פָּקַד: to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit, etc.
שָׂרָה: Sarah, Abraham's wife
אָמַר: to say (used with great latitude)
עָשָׂה: to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
דָבַר: perhaps properly, to arrange; but used figuratively (of words), to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue
הָרָה: to be (or become) pregnant, conceive (literally or figuratively)
יָלַד: to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage
אַבְרָהָם: Abraham, the later name of Abram
בֵּן: a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)
זָקֻן: old age
Cross References
Genesis 21Paul identifies Ishmael's mocking of Isaac as the typological beginning of persecution of spiritual children.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, JFB
Paul quotes Sarah's words exactly to demonstrate the exclusion of the law-works from the spiritual inheritance.
Supported by JFB
Paul quotes 'In Isaac shall thy seed be called' to establish God's sovereign sovereign election.
Supported by JFB
Quotes 'In Isaac shall thy seed be called' regarding Abraham's faith in offering up Isaac.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Fulfills the specific promise made in Genesis 18 that Sarah would have a son.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, Calvin
Sarah received strength to conceive by faith when she was past age, fulfilling the promise.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Fulfills God's command that Sarah would bear a son and he would be named Isaac.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, Calvin, JFB
Paul establishes the allegory of Abraham having two sons, one by a bondmaid, one by freewoman.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole, Calvin, JFB
Direct parallel where another Abimelech and Phichol seek a covenant with Abraham's son, Isaac.
Supported by JFB
Repeated disputes over the same wells of water between Philistines and Abraham's household.
Supported by JFB
Isaac reopens and renames Beersheba, confirming the oath and covenant pattern.
Supported by JFB
Abraham obeys the covenant command to circumcise Isaac on the eighth day.
Supported by Matthew Poole, Calvin, JFB
Fulfills the promise that a son would be born to Abraham at a hundred years old.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Contrast between Sarah's initial laughter of doubt and her new laughter of holy joy.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Abraham's grief for Ishmael echoes his previous prayer that Ishmael might live before God.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Distinguishes between children of the flesh (Ishmael) and children of the promise (Isaac).
Supported by JFB
Fulfills God's earlier promise to bless Ishmael and multiply him exceedingly.
Supported by Matthew Henry, Matthew Poole
Reminds of the name Ishmael ('God hears'), fulfilled when God hears the crying child.
Supported by JFB
Philistines recognize God's presence with Isaac, mirroring the acknowledgment of Abraham here.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Isaac enters a mutual oath with Abimelech, repeating Abraham's covenantal actions.
Supported by JFB
New Testament commentary on Abraham's lifetime of sojourning in tents in the promised land.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Believers are children of the promise, just as Isaac was born by promise.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Highlights the deadness of Sarah's womb and Abraham's age when Isaac was born.
Supported by JFB
Links Sarah's miraculous joy to the spiritual joy of the church bringing forth children.
Supported by Matthew Poole
Parallels God opening eyes to see provision/deliverance that was already physically present.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Fulfills the prophecy that Ishmael would live in the wilderness and be a wild man.
Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB
Refers to the kindness Abimelech previously showed Abraham in giving him land.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Abraham's established practice of building altars and calling on the name of Jehovah.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Theological principle of living peaceably with all men, demonstrated by Abraham's covenant.
Supported by Matthew Henry
Parallels physical objects (here ewe lambs, there a stone) serving as witnesses of covenants.
Supported by Matthew Poole