Genesis 21:17-27

17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, "What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not; for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is.

18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him fast with your hand; for I will make him a great nation."

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

20 And God was with the lad, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow.

21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

22 At that time Abim'elech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, "God is with you in all that you do;

23 now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my offspring or with my posterity, but as I have dealt loyally with you, you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned."

24 And Abraham said, "I will swear."

25 When Abraham complained to Abim'elech about a well of water which Abim'elech's servants had seized,

26 Abim'elech said, "I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today."

27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abim'elech, and the two men made a covenant.

Genesis 21:17-27 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.