Genesis 21:2-12

2 Sarah became pregnant and gave Abraham a son in his old age, and at the very time God had set.

3 Abraham named him Isaac.

4 When his son was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him just as God had commanded.

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

6 Sarah said, God has blessed me with laughter and all who get the news will laugh with me!

7 She also said, Whoever would have suggested to Abraham that Sarah would one day nurse a baby! Yet here I am! I've given the old man a son!

8 The baby grew and was weaned. Abraham threw a big party on the day Isaac was weaned.

9 One day Sarah saw the son that Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham, poking fun at her son Isaac.

10 She told Abraham, "Get rid of this slave woman and her son. No child of this slave is going to share inheritance with my son Isaac!"

11 The matter gave great pain to Abraham - after all, Ishmael was his son.

12 But God spoke to Abraham, "Don't feel badly about the boy and your maid. Do whatever Sarah tells you. Your descendants will come through Isaac.

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.