Genesis 21:2-12

2 And Sarah ¹conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age ²at the time of which God had spoken to him.

3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, ³Isaac.^[a]

4 And Abraham ⁴circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, ⁵as God had commanded him.

5 ⁶Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

6 And Sarah said, ⁷"God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me."

7 And she said, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? ⁸Yet I have borne him a son in his old age."

God Protects Hagar and Ishmael

8 And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.

9 But Sarah ⁹saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, ¹⁰laughing.^[b]

10 So she said to Abraham, ¹¹"Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac."

11 And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son.

12 But God said to Abraham, "Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for ¹²through Isaac shall your offspring be named.

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Genesis 21:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 21

This chapter gives an account of the conception, birth, circumcision, and weaning of Isaac, Ge 21:1-8; of the mocking of Ishmael, and of the casting out of him and his mother from Abraham's house, at the request of Sarah, which, though grievous to Abraham, he complied with at the direction of God, Ge 21:9-13; of the provision Abraham made for their departure, and of the supply they met with in the wilderness from God, where Ishmael was brought up, and where he married, Ge 21:14-21; and of a covenant between Abraham and Abimelech, king of Gerar, Ge 21:22-32; and of Abraham's planting a grove, and calling on the name of the Lord, Ge 21:33; and the chapter is closed with this observation, that Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days, Ge 21:34.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Cross References 12

1. Hebrews 11:11; [Galatians 4:22]
2. Genesis 17:21
3. Genesis 17:19
4. Acts 7:8
5. Genesis 17:10, 12
6. Genesis 17:1, 17; Romans 4:19
7. [Isaiah 54:1; Galatians 4:27]
8. Genesis 18:11, 12
9. Genesis 16:1, 15
10. [Galatians 4:29]
11. Cited Galatians 4:30
12. Cited Romans 9:7; Hebrews 11:18

Footnotes 2

[a]. Isaac means he laughs
[b]. Possibly laughing in mockery

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.