Genesis 21:7-17

7 And she said, Who shall say to Abraam that Sarrha suckles a child? for I have born a child in my old age.

8 And the child grew and was weaned, and Abraam made a great feast the day that his son Isaac was weaned.

9 And Sarrha having seen the son of Agar the Egyptian who was born to Abraam, sporting with Isaac her son,

10 then she said to Abraam, Cast out this bondwoman and her son, for the son of this bondwoman shall not inherit with my son Isaac.

11 But the word appeared very hard before Abraam concerning his son.

12 But God said to Abraam, Let it not be hard before thee concerning the child, and concerning the bondwoman; in all things whatsoever Sarrha shall say to thee, hear her voice, for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

13 And moreover I will make the son of this bondwoman a great nation, because he is thy seed.

14 And Abraam rose up in the morning and took loaves and a skin of water, and gave to Agar, and he put the child on her shoulder, and sent her away, and she having departed wandered in the wilderness near the well of the oath.

15 And the water failed out of the skin, and she cast the child under a fir tree.

16 And she departed and sat down opposite him at a distance, as it were a bow-shot, for she said, Surely I cannot see the death of my child: and she sat opposite him, and the child cried aloud and wept.

17 And God heard the voice of the child from the place where he was, and an angel of God called Agar out of heaven, and said to her, What is it, Agar? fear not, for God has heard the voice of the child from the place where he is.

Genesis 21:7-17 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Gr. Gr. saying, or matter.
• [b]. Or, near Beersheba.