Genesis 21:19

19 Just then God opened her eyes. She looked. She saw a well of water. She went to it and filled her canteen and gave the boy a long, cool drink.

Genesis 21:19 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 21:19

And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water
Which she saw not before; not that she was really blind and had her eyes opened, or her sight restored, but they might be holden or restrained by the providence of God, that she should not see it before; or, through inattention and distraction of mind, might not observe it; or her eyes might be swelled with weeping and crying, that she saw it not; though it is not improbable that this well was not in being before, but was immediately produced by the power of God, who when he pleases can open mountains in the midst of the valleys, and make the wilderness a pool of water, ( Isaiah 41:18 ) : the Jewish writers F11 say, it was created between the two evenings, that is, on the evening of the seventh day of the creation. Happy are those whose eyes are opened, by the Spirit and grace of God, to see the well of living water, the fountain and fulness of grace that is in Christ, where thirsty souls may come and drink and take their fill.

And she went and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad to
drink;
with which he was refreshed and recovered from his fainting, and was restored to health again.


FOOTNOTES:

F11 Pirke Eliezer, ut supra. (c. 30.)

Genesis 21:19 In-Context

17 Meanwhile, God heard the boy crying. The angel of God called from Heaven to Hagar, "What's wrong, Hagar? Don't be afraid. God has heard the boy and knows the fix he's in.
18 Up now; go get the boy. Hold him tight. I'm going to make of him a great nation."
19 Just then God opened her eyes. She looked. She saw a well of water. She went to it and filled her canteen and gave the boy a long, cool drink.
20 God was on the boy's side as he grew up. He lived out in the desert and became a skilled archer.
21 He lived in the Paran wilderness. And his mother got him a wife from Egypt.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.