Galatians 4:22

22 It is written that Abraham had two sons. The slave woman gave birth to one of them. The free woman gave birth to the other one.

Galatians 4:22 Meaning and Commentary

Galatians 4:22

For it is written
In ( Genesis 16:15 ) ( 21:9 )

that Abraham had two sons,
not two sons only; for besides the two referred to, he had six more, ( Genesis 25:2 ) but it being only pertinent to the apostle's purpose to take notice of these two, he mentions no more, though he does not deny that he had any more. These two sons were Ishmael and Isaac:

the one by a bondmaid.
Ishmael was by Hagar, Sarah's servant, who represented the covenant the Jewish nation was under the bondage of.

The other by a free woman.
Isaac was by Sarah, Abraham's proper and lawful wife, who was mistress of the family, and represented in figure the covenant, and Gospel church state, and all believers, Gentiles as well as Jews, as under the liberty thereof.

Galatians 4:22 In-Context

20 I wish I could be with you now. I wish I could change my tone of voice. As it is, you bewilder me.

21 You who want to be under the authority of the law, tell me something. Don't you know what the law says?

22 It is written that Abraham had two sons. The slave woman gave birth to one of them. The free woman gave birth to the other one.

23 Abraham's son by the slave woman was born in the usual way. But his son by the free woman was born because of God's promise.

24 Those things can be taken as examples. The two women stand for two covenants. One covenant comes from Mount Sinai. It gives birth to children who are going to be slaves. It is Hagar.