Genesis 21:4-14

4 Avraham circumcised his son Yitz'chak when he was eight days old, as God had ordered him to do.

5 Avraham was one hundred years old when his son Yitz'chak [laughter] was born to him.

6 Sarah said, "God has given me good reason to laugh; now everyone who hears about it will laugh with me."

7 And she said, "Who would have said to Avraham that Sarah would nurse children? Nevertheless, I have borne him a son in his old age!"

8 The child grew and was weaned, and Avraham gave a great banquet on the day that Yitz'chak was weaned.

9 But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom Hagar had borne to Avraham, making fun of Yitz'chak;

10 so Sarah said to Avraham, "Throw this slave-girl out! And her son! I will not have this slave-girl's son as your heir along with my son Yitz'chak!"

11 Avraham became very distressed over this matter of his son.

12 But God said to Avraham, "Don't be distressed because of the boy and your slave-girl. Listen to everything Sarah says to you, because it is your descendants through Yitz'chak who will be counted.

13 But I will also make a nation from the son of the slave-girl, since he is descended from you."

14 Avraham got up early in the morning, took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child; then he sent her away. After leaving, she wandered in the desert around Be'er-Sheva.

Genesis 21:4-14 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.