Genesis 21:3-13

3 Abraham named his son—the one Sarah bore him—Isaac.

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

5 Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born.

6 Sarah said, "God has given me laughter. Everyone who hears about it will laugh with me."

7 She said, "Who could have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse sons? But now I've given birth to a son when he was old!"

Hagar and Ishmael evicted

8 The boy grew and stopped nursing. On the day he stopped nursing, Abraham prepared a huge banquet.

9 Sarah saw Hagar's son laughing, the one Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham.

10 So she said to Abraham, "Send this servant away with her son! This servant's son won't share the inheritance with my son Isaac."

11 This upset Abraham terribly because the boy was his son.

12 God said to Abraham, "Don't be upset about the boy and your servant. Do everything Sarah tells you to do because your descendants will be traced through Isaac.

13 But I will make of your servant's son a great nation too, because he is also your descendant."

Genesis 21:3-13 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or he laughs
• [b]. Or God has made a joke of me. Everyone who hears about it will laugh at me.