Genesis 21:15

15 When the water was spent that was in the botell she cast the lad vnder a bush

Genesis 21:15 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 21:15

And the water was spent in the bottle
It was all drank up by them, being thirsty, having wandered about some time in a wilderness, where they could not replenish their bottle: the Jewish writers say F5 that when Hagar came into the wilderness, she began to wander after the idols of the house of Pharaoh her father, and immediately the water ceased from the bottle, or was drank up by Ishmael, being seized with a burning fever:

and she cast the child under one of the shrubs;
not from off her shoulder, but out of her hand or bosom; being faint through thirst, he was not able to walk, and she, being weary in dragging him along in her hand, perhaps sat down and held him in her lap, and laid him in her bosom; but, imagining he was near his end, she laid him under one of the shrubs in the wilderness, to screen him from the scorching sun, and there left him; the Greek version is, "under one of the fir trees", and so says Josephus F6: some Jewish writers F7 call them juniper trees; and some make this to be Ishmael's own act, and say, that, being fatigued with thirst, he went and threw himself under the nettles of the wilderness F8, see ( Job 30:7 ) .


FOOTNOTES:

F5 Pirke Eliezer, ut supra. (c. 30.) Targ. Jon. in loc.
F6 Antiqu. l. 1. c. 12. sect. 3.
F7 Bereshit, ut supra. (sect. 53. fol. 47. 4.)
F8 Pirke Eliezer, ut supra. (c. 30.)

Genesis 21:15 In-Context

13 Moreouer of the sonne of the Bondwoman will I make a nation because he is thy seed.
14 And Abraham rose vp early in the mornyng and toke brede and a bottell with water and gaue it vnto Hagar puttynge it on hir shulders wyth the lad also and sent her awaye. And she departed and wadred vpp and doune in the wyldernes of Berseba.
15 When the water was spent that was in the botell she cast the lad vnder a bush
16 and went and satt her out of syghte a great waye as it were a bowshote off: For she sayde: I will not se the lad dye. And she satt doune out of syghte and lyfte vp hyr voyce and wepte.
17 And God herde the voyce of the childe. And the angell of God called Hagar out of heaven and sayde vnto her: What ayleth the Hagar? Feare not for God hath herde the voyce of the childe where he lyeth.
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