Genesis 21:12-22

12 Then God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah has said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

13 And also of the son of the bondwoman I will make a nation because he is thy seed.

14 So Abraham rose up early in the morning and took bread and a bottle of water and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child and sent her away; and she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.

15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under a tree.

16 And she went and sat her down over against him a good way off as it were a bowshot; for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him and lifted up her voice and wept.

17 And God heard the voice of the lad, and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven and said unto her, What ails thee, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is.

18 Arise, lift up the lad and hold him in thy hand, for I will make him a great nation.

19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the bottle with water and gave the lad drink.

20 And God was with the lad, and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness and became an archer.

21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him out of the land of Egypt.

22 And it came to pass at that time that Abimelech and Phichol, the prince of his host, spoke unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest.

Genesis 21:12-22 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.