Table of Contents

Genesis 21 Discussion

Genesis 21

1 Now the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as he had spoken.

2 And Sarah conceived and bore a son unto Abraham in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken.

Isaac is born.

3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.

4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.

5 And Abraham was a hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born to him.

6 And Sarah said, “God has given me laughter; and everyone that hears of this will laugh with me.”

7 And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham, that Sarah would nurse children? for I have borne him a son in his old age.”

8 And the child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.

Ishmael mocketh Isaac.

9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne unto Abraham, [b]mocking.

10 Then she said to Abraham, “Cast out this handmaid and her son, for the son of this handmaid shall not be heir with my son Isaac.”

11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight on account of his son.

12 And God said unto Abraham, “Let it not be grievous in your sight because of the lad, and because of your handmaid; in all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice; for your offspring will be named through Issac.

13 I will also make a nation of the son of the handmaid, because he is your seed.

Hagar is cast out with her son.

14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a [c]bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and gave her the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.

15 And the water in the bottle was spent, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.

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 look upon the death of my child.” And she sat over against him, and lifted up her voice, and wept.

The Angel comforteth Hagar.

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 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 in your 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 he dwelt in the wilderness, and became, as he grew up, an archer.

21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother found him a wife from the land of Egypt.

22 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol the captain of his host spoke to Abraham, saying, “God is with you in all that you do;

23 therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal unfairly with me, nor with [d]my son, nor with my son’s son: but according to the kindness that I have done to you, you shall do to me, and to the land where you have sojourned.”

24 And Abraham said, “I will swear.”

25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of the well of water, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away.

26 And Abimelech said, “I know not who has done this thing; neither did you tell me, neither have I heard of it, but today.”

27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them to Abimelech; and the two made a covenant.

28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.

29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves?”

30 And he said, “These seven ewe lambs you shall take from my hand, that it may be a testimony for me, that I have dug this well.”

31 Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba; because there they both made a covenant.

The covenant between Abimelech and Abraham.

32 So they made a covenant at Beer-sheba: and Abimelech rose up, and Phicol the captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.

Abraham called upon the Lord.

33 And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God.

34 And Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days.

Notes

[6] Or, prepared laughter for me

[9] Or, playing

[14] Or, skin

[23] Or, my offspring, nor with my posterity