Génesis 21

Nacimiento de Isaac

1 Tal como el SEÑOR lo había dicho, se ocupó de Sara y cumplió con la promesa que le había hecho.

2 Sara quedó embarazada y le dio un hijo a Abraham en su vejez. Esto sucedió en el tiempo anunciado por Dios.

3 Al hijo que Sara le dio, Abraham le puso por nombre Isaac.^[a]

4 Cuando su hijo Isaac cumplió ocho días de nacido, Abraham lo circuncidó, tal como Dios se lo había ordenado.

5 Abraham tenía ya cien años cuando nació su hijo Isaac.

6 Sara dijo entonces: «Dios me ha hecho reír, y todos los que se enteren de que he tenido un hijo, se reirán conmigo.

7 ¿Quién le hubiera dicho a Abraham que Sara amamantaría hijos? Sin embargo, le he dado un hijo en su vejez».

Expulsión de Agar e Ismael

8 El niño Isaac creció y fue destetado. Ese mismo día, Abraham hizo un gran banquete.

9 Pero Sara se dio cuenta de que el hijo que Agar la egipcia le había dado a Abraham se burlaba de su hijo Isaac.^[b]

10 Por eso le dijo a Abraham:—¡Echa de aquí a esa esclava y a su hijo! El hijo de esa esclava jamás tendrá parte en la herencia con mi hijo Isaac.

11 Este asunto angustió mucho a Abraham porque se trataba de su propio hijo.

12 Pero Dios le dijo a Abraham: «No te angusties por el muchacho ni por la esclava. Hazle caso a Sara, porque tu descendencia se establecerá por medio de Isaac.

13 Pero también del hijo de la esclava haré una gran nación, porque es hijo tuyo».

14 Al día siguiente, Abraham se levantó de madrugada, tomó un pan y un odre de agua, y se los dio a Agar, poniéndoselos sobre el hombro. Luego le entregó a su hijo y la despidió. Agar partió y anduvo errante por el desierto de Berseba.

15 Cuando se acabó el agua del odre, puso al niño debajo de un arbusto

16 y fue a sentarse sola a cierta distancia,^[c] pues pensaba: «No quiero ver morir al niño». En cuanto ella se sentó, comenzó a llorar desconsoladamente.

17 Cuando Dios oyó al niño sollozar, el ángel de Dios llamó a Agar desde el cielo y le dijo: «¿Qué te pasa, Agar? No temas, pues Dios ha escuchado los sollozos del niño.

18 Levántate y tómalo de la mano, que yo haré de él una gran nación».

19 En ese momento Dios le abrió a Agar los ojos, y ella vio un pozo de agua. En seguida fue a llenar el odre y le dio de beber al niño.

20 Dios acompañó al niño, y este fue creciendo; vivió en el desierto y se convirtió en un experto arquero;

21 habitó en el desierto de Parán y su madre lo casó con una egipcia.

Pacto entre Abraham y Abimélec

22 En aquel tiempo Abimélec, que estaba acompañado por Ficol, jefe de su ejército, le dijo a Abraham:—Dios está contigo en todo lo que haces.

23 Júrame ahora, por Dios mismo, que no me tratarás a mí con falsedad, ni tampoco a mis hijos ni a mis descendientes. Júrame que a mí y al país que te ha recibido como extranjero nos tratarás con la misma lealtad con que yo te he tratado.

24 —¡Lo juro! —respondió Abraham.

25 Luego Abraham se quejó ante Abimélec por causa de un pozo de agua del cual los siervos de Abimélec se habían apropiado.

26 Pero Abimélec dijo:—No sé quién pudo haberlo hecho. Me acabo de enterar, pues tú no me lo habías dicho.

27 Entonces Abraham llevó ovejas y vacas, y se las dio a Abimélec, y los dos hicieron un pacto.

28 Pero Abraham apartó siete corderas del rebaño,

29 por lo que Abimélec le preguntó:—¿Qué pasa? ¿Por qué has apartado estas siete corderas?

30 —Acepta estas siete corderas —le contestó Abraham—. Ellas servirán de prueba de que yo cavé este pozo.

31 Por eso a aquel lugar le dieron el nombre de Berseba,^[d] porque allí los dos hicieron un juramento.

32 Después de haber hecho el pacto en Berseba, Abimélec y Ficol, el jefe de su ejército, volvieron al país de los filisteos.

33 Abraham plantó un tamarisco en Berseba, y en ese lugar invocó el nombre del SEÑOR, el Dios eterno.

34 Y se quedó en el país de los filisteos durante mucho tiempo.

Génesis 21 Commentary

Chapter 21

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)

Verses 1-8 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, Ps. 22:10 ; Ho. 11:1, Ho. 11:2 .

Verses 9-13 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.

Verses 14-21 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.

Verses 22-34 Abimelech felt sure that the promises of God would be fulfilled to Abraham. It is wise to connect ourselves with those who are blessed of God; and we ought to requite kindness to those who have been kind to us. Wells of water are scarce and valuable in eastern countries. Abraham took care to have his title to the well allowed, to prevent disputes in future. No more can be expected from an honest man than that he be ready to do right, as soon as he knows he has done wrong. Abraham, being now in a good neighbourhood, stayed a great while there. There he made, not only a constant practice, but an open profession of his religion. There he called on the name of the Lord, as the everlasting God; probably in the grove he planted, which was his place of prayer. Abraham kept up public worship, in which his neighbours might join. Good men should do all they can to make others so. Wherever we sojourn, we must neither neglect nor be ashamed of the worship of Jehovah.

Footnotes

• [a]. En hebreo, "Isaac " significa "él se ríe" .
• [b]. "de su hijo Isaac " (LXX); TM no incluye estas palabras.
• [c]. "a cierta distancia" . Lit. "a la distancia de un tiro de arco" .
• [d]. En hebreo, "Berseba " significa "pozo de los siete" , o "pozo del juramento" .

Chapter Summary

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.