Genesis 21:8-21

8 So the child grew and was weaned, and Abraham held a great feast on the day Isaac was weaned.

Sarah Turns against Hagar

9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking her son, ^{[a] 1}

10 and she said to Abraham, “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac!” ^[b]

11 Now this matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son Ishmael.

12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to everything that Sarah tells you, for through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned. ^[c]

13 But I will also make a nation of the slave woman’s son, because he is your offspring.”

14 Early in the morning, Abraham got up, took bread and a skin of water, put them on Hagar’s shoulders, and sent her away with the boy. She left and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba.

15 When the water in the skin was gone, she left the boy under one of the bushes.

16 Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she said, “I cannot bear to watch the boy die!” And as she sat nearby, she lifted up her voice and wept. ^[d]

17 Then God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, “What is wrong, Hagar? Do not be afraid, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he lies.

18 Get up, lift up the boy, and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”

19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

20 And God was with the boy, and he grew up and settled in the wilderness and became a great archer.

21 And while he was dwelling in the Wilderness of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Genesis 21:8-21 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.

Cross References

• 1. (Galatians 4:21–30)

Footnotes

• [a] LXX and Vulgate; Hebrew lacks her son
• [b] Cited in Galatians 4:30
• [c] Cited in Romans 9:7 and Hebrews 11:18
• [d] Hebrew; LXX the child lifted up his voice and wept