Genesis 21:1

The Birth of Isaac

1 The LORD 1visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah 2as he had promised.

Genesis 21:1 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 21:1

And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said
To Abraham, ( Genesis 17:16 Genesis 17:19 Genesis 17:21 ) ( Genesis 18:10 Genesis 18:14 ) ; in a way of mercy and kindness, by fulfilling his promise, giving strength to conceive and bear a child; see ( 1 Samuel 2:21 ) : and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken;
which intends the same thing in different words; and the repetition is made to cause attention to God's fulfilment of his promise, who is always faithful to his word, even in things very difficult and seemingly impossible, as in the present case: hence the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase it, God did a wonder or wonders for Sarah in causing her to conceive when she was so old, and in such circumstances as she was.

Genesis 21:1 In-Context

1 The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had promised.
2 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him.
3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac.
4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.
5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

Cross References 2

  • 1. 1 Samuel 2:21
  • 2. Genesis 17:19; Genesis 18:10, 14
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.