Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac. Abraham circumcised his son, Isaac, when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. Abraham was one hundred years old when his son, Isaac, was born to him. Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears will laugh with me.” She said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.”
The child grew and was weaned. Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking. Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this servant and her son! For the son of this servant will not be heir with my son, Isaac.”
The thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight on account of his son. God said to Abraham, “Don’t let it be grievous in your sight because of the boy, and because of your servant. In all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice. For your offspring will be named through Isaac. I will also make a nation of the son of the servant, because he is your child.” Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a container of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder; and gave her the child, and sent her away. She departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. The water in the container was spent, and she put the child under one of the shrubs. She went and sat down opposite him, a good way off, about a bow shot away. For she said, “Don’t let me see the death of the child.” She sat opposite him, and lifted up her voice, and wept. God heard the voice of the boy. The angel of God called to Hagar out of the sky, and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Don’t be afraid. For God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.
Get up, lift up the boy, and hold him with your hand. For I will make him a great nation.”
God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went, filled the container with water, and gave the boy a drink. God was with the boy, and he grew. He lived in the wilderness, and as he grew up, became an archer. He lived in the wilderness of Paran. His mother got a wife for him out of the land of Egypt.
At that time, Abimelech and Phicol the captain of his army spoke to Abraham, saying, “God is with you in all that you do. Now, therefore, swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me, nor with 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 in which you have lived as a foreigner.”
Abraham said, “I will swear.” Abraham complained to Abimelech because of a water well, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away.
John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 18, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25 2. She bare Abraham a son. This is said…
2. She bare Abraham a son. This is said according to the accustomed manner of speaking; because the woman is neither the head of a family, nor brings forth properly for herself, but for her husband. What follows, however, is more worthy of notice, In his old age, at the set time, which God had predicted: for the old age of Abraham does, not a little, illustrate the glory of the miracle. And now Moses, for the third time, recalls us to the word of God, that the constancy of his truth may always be present to our minds. And though the time had been predicted, alike to Abraham and to his wife, yet this honor is expressly attributed to the holy man; because the promise had been especially given on his account. Both, however, are distinctly mentioned in the context.
John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv2, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 17, 19, 20, 23, 24 Therefore the miracle was greater.
Therefore the miracle was greater.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv2–25 Gen 21:2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a…
Gen 21:2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
Ver. 2. For Sarah conceived.] By the force of her faith, though at first she faltered. {Heb 11:11}
Read full note →
And bare Abraham a son in his old age.] Beatae senectutis et emeritae fidei filium , as one well calleth Isaac. {a} St Paul, for this, saith he was "born after the Spirit". {Gal 4:29}
{a} Bucholcer.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 In his old age, or, for his old age,…
In his old age, or, for his old age, i.e. for the comfort of his old age.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On vv9, 14, 22 The casting out of Ishmael is here considered of,…
The casting out of Ishmael is here considered of, and resolved on.
I. Ishmael himself gave the occasion by some affronts he gave to Isaac his little brother, some think on the day that Abraham made the feast for joy that Isaac was safely weaned, which the Jews say was not till he was three years old, others say five. Sarah herself was an eye-witness of the abuse: she saw the son of the Egyptian mocking (Gen 21:9), mocking Isaac, no doubt, for it is said, with reference to this (Gal 4:29), that he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit. Ishmael is here called the son of the Egyptian, because, as some think, the 400 years' affliction of the seed of Abraham by the Egyptians began now, and was to be dated hence, Gen 15:13. She saw him playing with Isaac, so the Septuagint, and, in play, mocking him. Ishmael was fourteen years older than Isaac; and, when children are together, the elder should be careful and tender of the younger: but it argued a very base and sordid disposition in Ishmael to be abusive to a child that was no way a match for him. Note, 1. God takes notice of what children say and do in their play, and will reckon with them if they say or do amiss, though their parents do not. 2. Mocking is a great sin, and very provoking to God. 3. There is a rooted remaining enmity in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman. The children of promise must expect to be mocked. This is persecution, which those that will live godly must count upon. 4. None are rejected and cast out from God but those who have first deserved it. Ishmael is continued in Abraham's family till he becomes a disturbance, grief, and scandal to it.
Read full note →
II. Sarah made the motion: Cast out this bond-woman, Gen 21:10. This seems to be spoken in some heat, yet it is quoted (Gal 4:30) as if it had been spoken by a spirit of prophecy; and it is the sentence passed on all hypocrites and carnal people, though they have a place and a name in the visible church. All that are born after the flesh and not born again, that rest in the law and reject the gospel promise, shall certainly be cast out. It is made to point particularly at the rejection of the unbelieving Jews, who, though they were the seed of Abraham, yet, because they submitted not to the gospel covenant, were unchurched and disfranchised: and that which, above any thing, provoked God to cast them off was their mocking and persecuting the gospel church, God's Isaac, in its infancy, Th1 2:16, Note, There are many who are familiarly conversant with the children of God in this world, and yet shall not partake with them in the inheritance of sons. Ishmael might be Isaac's play-fellow and school-fellow, yet not his fellow-heir.
III. Abraham was averse to it: The thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight, Gen 21:11. 1. It grieved him that Ishmael had given such a provocation. Note, Children ought to consider that the more their parents love them the more they are grieved at their misconduct, and particularly at their quarrels among themselves. 2. It grieved him that Sarah insisted upon such a punishment. "Might it not suffice to correct him? would nothing less serve than to expel him?" Note, Even the needful extremities which must be used with wicked and incorrigible children are very grievous to tender parents, who cannot thus afflict willingly.
IV. God determined it, Gen 21:12, Gen 21:13. We may well suppose Abraham to be greatly agitated about this matter, loth to displease Sarah, and yet loth to expel Ishmael; in this difficulty God tells him what his will is, and then he is satisfied. Note, A good man desires no more in doubtful cases than to know his duty, and what God would have him do; and, when he is clear in this, he is, or should be, easy. To make Abraham so, God sets this matter before him in a true light, and shows him, 1. That the casting out of Ishmael was necessary to the establishment of Isaac in the rights and privileges of the covenant: In Isaac shall thy seed be called. Both Christ and the church must descend from Abraham through the loins of Isaac; this is the entail of the promise upon Isaac, and is quoted by the apostle (Rom 9:7) to show that not all who come from Abraham's loins were the heirs of Abraham's covenant. Isaac, the promised son, must be the father of the promised seed; therefore, "Away with Ishmael, send him far enough, lest he corrupt the manners or attempt to invade the rights of Isaac." It will be his security to have his rival banished. The covenant seed of Abraham must be a peculiar people, a people by themselves, from the very first, distinguished, not mingled with those that were out of covenant; for this reason Ishmael must be separated. Abraham was called alone, and so must Isaac be. See Isa 51:2. It is probable that Sarah little thought of this (Joh 11:51), but God took what she said, and turned it into an oracle, as afterwards, Gen 27:10. 2. That the casting out of Ishmael should not be his ruin, Gen 21:13. He shall be a nation, because he is thy seed. We are not sure that it was his eternal ruin. It is presumption to say that all those who are left out of the external dispensation from all his mercies: those may be saved who are not thus honoured. However, we are sure it was not his temporal ruin. Though he was chased out of the church, he was not chased out of the world. I will make him a nation. Note, (1.) Nations are of God's making: he founds them, he forms them, he fixes them. (2.) Many are full of the blessings of God's providence that are strangers to the blessings of his covenant. (3.) The children of this world often fare the better, as to outward things, for their relation to the children of God.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv2–25 For Sarah conceived,.... This explains what is meant by…
For Sarah conceived,.... This explains what is meant by the Lord's visiting her, and doing to her according to his word, see Heb 11:11,
and bare Abraham a son in his old age; which circumstance is remarked, that the favour might appear the greater, and the more wonderful; or, "unto", or "for his old age" (n), for the comfort of him in his old age, who having lived so many years under the promise of a son, and in the expectation of one, even of the promised seed, from whom the Messiah should spring, now has one, than which nothing could yield him greater consolation:
Read full note →
at the set time of which God had spoken to him, Gen 17:21; God was not only faithful in fulfilling his promise, but in keeping the exact time of it.
(n) "pro senectute ejus", Vatablus; "senectuti ejus", Junius & Tremellius.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv2, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17 Sarah conceived - Sarah by faith, received strength to…
Sarah conceived - Sarah by faith, received strength to conceive, Heb. xi, 11. God therefore, by promise, gave that strength. Abraham was old, and Sarah old, and both as good as dead, and then the word of God took place.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25 Verse 3. Isaac.] See the reason and interpretation of…
Verse 3. Isaac.] See the reason and interpretation of this name in Clarke's note on "Ge 17:7".
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17, 20 Gen 21:2. Sarah conceived — By faith Sarah received…
Gen 21:2. Sarah conceived — By faith Sarah received strength, (Heb 11:11,) to conceive seed, God, according to his promise, giving that strength. Abraham was old, and Sarah old, and both as good as dead, and then the promise took place.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv3, 7, 8, 9, 11, 14, 17, 20, 22, 23, 24 Isaac. This word signifies laughter; (Challoner) or "he shall…
Isaac. This word signifies laughter; (Challoner) or "he shall laugh," and be the occasion of joy to many, as St. John the Baptist was, Luke i. 14; and thus Sara seems to explain it, ver. 6.
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv3, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 22, 25 Abraham called the name of his son . .…
Abraham called the name of his son . . . Isaac . . . and circumcised--God was acknowledged in the name which, by divine command, was given for a memorial (compare Gen 17:19), and also in the dedication of the child by administering the seal of the covenant (compare Gen 17:10-12).
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25 2. At the set time — See Gen_17:21.
2. At the set time — See Gen_17:21.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25 2. in his old age] Cf. Gen_21:7, Gen_18:11, Gen_24:36,…
2. in his old age] Cf. Gen_21:7, Gen_18:11, Gen_24:36, Gen_37:3, Gen_44:20 (al+l from J); meaning literally “to his old age.”
at the set time] Cf. Gen_17:21 (P).
Read full note →
It is to this verse that allusion is made in Heb_11:11, “by faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed, when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised.”
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv3, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 (3) Abraham called the name of his son.—Attention has…
(3) Abraham called the name of his son.—Attention has been called to the fact that we have here two things contrary to subsequent usage: for, first, the father names the child, and not the mother; and, secondly, he names him at his birth, instead of waiting until his circumcision. It might be enough to answer that the child was really named by God (Gen_17:19), and that Abraham only acknowledges that the son born was the promised Isaac; but really, as we have seen before, there was as yet no settled rule as to either of these points.
Isaac.—This name not only recorded the fact of the laughter of the father (Gen_17:17) and of the mother (Gen_18:12), but was a standing memorial that Isaac’s birth was contrary to nature, and one of which the promise was provocative of ridicule in the sight even of his parents.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25 For Sarah conceived, through faith receiving strength from God…
For Sarah conceived, through faith receiving strength from God for that purpose; (Heb_11:11) the fruit of the womb, in every instance God"s handiwork, (Isa_44:2) being in her case a special gift of grace and product of Divine powerand bare the usual construction (Gen_29:32 Gen_30:5) is here somewhat modified by the Jehovist (Kalisch); but the clause may be compared with Gen_30:22, Gen_30:23, commonly assigned to the ElohlstAbraham (literally, to Abraham) a son in his old age, literally, to his old age; eijv to ghrav (LXX)at the set time (vide Gen_17:21 Gen_18:10, Gen_18:14) of which God had spoken to him. God"s word gave Abraham strength to beget, Sarah to conceive, and Isaac to come forth. Three times repeated in two verses, the clause points to the supernatural character of Isaac"s birth.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv6, 8, 14, 16, 17, 19, 22, 23 Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh
Gen_21:6-7
Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh
Read full note →
The rejoicing of Isaacs birth
I.
IT WAS THE REWARD OF FAITH AND PATIENCE.
II. IT WAS HAILED WITH A SONG OF GRATITUDE.
1. There was an element of amazement and wonder.
2. There was an element touchingly human.
3. There was a confident expectation of universal sympathy. All that hear will laugh with me.
4. There was an acknowledgment of the Divine source of the joy. God hath made me to laugh. (T. H. Leale.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary 1892 · Public Domain On vv6, 8, 14, 22 MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Gen_21:6-7
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Gen_21:6-7
THE REJOICING AT ISAAC’S BIRTH
Read full note →
I. It was the reward of faith and patience. There were peculiar circumstances connected with the birth of this child which made it an extraordinary occasion. The promise had long been given, and the parents had waited patiently through many years of disappointment, and sorrows of hope deferred. The time when they could expect offspring in the ordinary course of nature had long, since passed away. They were thrown entirely upon the strength of their faith, and upon that hope whose substance and foundation is faith. At length the time arrived when their faith and patient waiting are rewarded. What joy must they have felt when they found that their confidence in God—a confidence tried by long and anxious waiting—was justified by the bestowal of such a blessing! That is the deepest and most plentiful joy which comes after a long trial of faith and patience. Such is the joy into which the pious enter after death. The glory of heaven is the reward of the faith and patience of the saints.
II. It was hailed with a song of gratitude. The words of Sarah have been called “the first cradle hymn.” This song is the first of its kind recorded in literature. The peculiarity of the occasion justify its strong expressions.
1. There was an element of amazement and wonder. “Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have borne him a son in his old age” (Gen_21:7). No one could naturally have expected such an event, and all who beheld it must have been filled with amazement. The miraculous nature of the blessing made it the occasion of an extraordinary joy. So all the gifts of grace excite our wonder and amazement. We are constrained continually to say, “This is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.”
2. There was an element touchingly human. The song is put into the mouth of the mother, for the birth of this child would affect her feelings more intensely. The father’s would be a sober and thoughtful joy, but the mother’s would be an uncontrollable tide of emotion. Her feeling would be too great for many words, and could only have its humanly natural expression in laughter.
3. There was a confident expectation of universal sympathy. “All that hear me will laugh with me.” She could not imagine any one regarding her happiness with indifference. All who knew the fact, and were capable of judging of its importance, would have full sympathy with her. Though her words were expressions of human feeling proper to the time, yet we may justly regard them as prophetic. How many have rejoiced because of the chosen race whose seed was to be reckoned in Isaac! How many incalculable blessings have they given to mankind!—above all, the Saviour of the world. The child-bearing of this mother of the chosen race is the human channel along which salvation has been borne to us. “Salvation is of the Jews.” The mother of our Lord had this grateful confidence in the sympathy of the good throughout all time. “All generations shall call me blessed.”
4. There was an acknowledgment of the Divine source of the joy. “God hath made me to laugh” (Gen_21:6). In all her wild amazement of joy, she was not forgetful of God, from whom the blessing came. She triumphed because she had faith in a Living Person who was able to perform His gracious word. We do not read of any doctrines that she held, but she had faith in a personal God. Through all the degrees and stages of Divine revelation, this is the one distinguishing characteristic mark of the saints of God. They had faith, not in anything about Him, but in Him; not faith in His attributes, or in any intellectual conceptions of them, but directly lodged and reposed in Himself. Their individual existence was united to His personal being. This is the simplification of theology—God hath made me to know, to feel, and to rejoice. In His favour is life, with all its gladness and blessed issues.
SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS ON THE VERSES
Gen_21:6. The expression carries an allusion to Isaac’s name, and to the circumstance mentioned (ch. Gen_17:17-19), on which it was founded. It was a mode of speech which not only showed how sincerely she recognised the propriety of Abraham’s laughing on the occasion referred to, and how cordially she assents to the name thus bestowed on the child, but intimates also that God had made her, as well as Abraham, to laugh; which was, in fact, a virtual condemnation of her former incredulity. We meet in the prophets with some striking allusions to this incident, where Sarah is considered a symbol of the Church. Thus Isa_54:1., “Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear,” etc. (Comp. Isa_51:2-3; Gal_4:22-28). All that bear will laugh with me. Will sympathise with my joy, and tender to me their congratulations. To this also the prophet alludes, Isa_66:10 : “Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her; rejoice with joy with her;” where the Jerusalem mentioned is expressly said by the apostle (Gal_4:22; Gal_4:27) to be mystically shadowed out by Sarah.—(Bush.)
The children of faith, though they may have their time of weeping, and be exposed to the ridicule of the world, will also have their time to laugh. Gladness is sown for the upright in heart.
God gave this laughter to vindicate His promise, and to rebuke her unbelief.
Gen_21:7. The natural incredibility of the event enhances her joy and wonder. And so her testimony is here recorded to the amazing power and grace of God in making good His covenant promises. God is wont to get such clear and express testimonies to His miraculous works, to show that they were not by any means natural. And it was most important that this event be witnessed to by the glad mother as being not according to nature, but beyond nature; natural indeed in its progress and issue, but not therefore in its origin. Who would have said. How naturally unsupposable. Who ever would have reported such a thing would have been counted mad. Sarah should, etc. Heb.—Sarah is suckling children. Yet it is even so! For I have born him, etc. This is the mother’s new-found joy which she herself can scarcely credit. This laughter is referred to in Isa_49:13; Isa_52:9, and by St. Paul in Gal_4:7.—(Jacobus.)
In her joy Sarah speaks of many children when she had borne only one son, who, however, was better to her than ten sons. She will say, not only has my dead body received strength from God to bring a child into the world, but I am conscious of such strength that I can supply its food, which sometimes fails much younger and more vigorous mothers. Sarah nursed her child although she was a princess (ch. Gen_23:6) and of noble blood, for the law of nature itself requires this from all, since, with this very end in view, God has given breasts to all and filled them with milk. The Scriptures united these two functions, the bearing of children and nursing them, as belonging to the mother. (Luk_11:27; Luk_23:29; Psa_22:10.) Thus these two things were reckoned among the blessings and kindness of the great God (Gen_49:25), while an unfruitful body and dry breasts are a punishment from Him. (Hos_9:11-14.)—(Lange.)
Though she were a great lady, yet she was a nurse. Let it not be niceness but necessity that hinders any mother from so doing, lest she be found more monstrous than the “sea-monsters,” that draw out their breast, and give suck to their young. (Lam_4:3.)—(Trapp.)
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On vv3, 17 Sarah, type of grace, "the freewoman," and of the…
Sarah
Sarah, type of grace, "the freewoman," and of the "Jerusalem which is above." See Gen 17:15-19; Gal 4:22-31
Read full note →
2 Isaac is typical in fourfold way:
(1) of the Church as composed of the spiritual children of Abraham Gal 4:28.
(2) of Christ as the Son "obedient unto death" Gen 22:1-10; Php 2:5-8.
(3) of Christ as the Bridegroom of a called-out bride see Genesis 24; also, "Church," Mat 16:18, (See Scofield "Mat 16:18").
(4) of the new nature of the believer as "born after the Spirit" Gal 4:29.
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On vv9, 15, 22 Hagar and Ishmael Cast Forth
Hagar and Ishmael Cast Forth
v. 9. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar, the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. It was a jeering laughter, a sneer, which Ishmael affected, perhaps as early as the festival of weaning. Unbelief, jealousy, and pride were aroused in Ishmael by the fact that Isaac was plainly the heir of the household. The mimicking, mocking, ridiculing on the part of Ishmael against Isaac could not long remain hidden from Sarah.
Read full note →
v. 10. Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. This was not a matter of petty jealousy, but was spoken in agreement with the promise of the Lord. Till now Hagar had been suffered in the house of Abraham, but Sarah’s demand was that the slave be driven forth, that Abraham renounce all connection with her and her son.
v. 11. And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son. His personal affection for his own flesh and blood, and the fact that God had given him special promises concerning Ishmael, Gen 17:18-20, caused him to hesitate about taking such a step.
v. 12. And 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 hath said unto thee hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. It was God who decided the matter, and in Sarah’s favor. Abraham was to set aside personal feelings and considerations, both as to Ishmael and as to Hagar, and heed the voice of his wife. For Isaac was to be the bearer of the Messianic promise; through his lineage the blessing of the Lord was to come upon the nations, in the person of the Messiah. Cf Rom 9:7-8; Heb 11:18. The words of Sarah have a special spiritual meaning, as St. Paul shows, Gal 4:29: "As then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. " Those that are spiritual-minded, the children of God, are derided and persecuted by the carnal-minded, by the children of the world. The will of the Lord is that His children should separate themselves in all spiritual matters from the children of the world, and avoid all the pitfalls which are placed for the unwary feet of such as seek the friendship of His enemies.
v. 13. And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation because he is thy seed. For Abraham’s sake even the slave’s son should receive a large share of this world’s blessings.
v. 14. And 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. Abraham, as usual, lost no time in performing his duty, unpleasant as it was. Early the next morning he gave Hagar a supply of bread and a skin filled with water, and thereupon called Ishmael, then a lad of almost seventeen years. When these two had been dismissed, they wandered forth toward the southwest, probably with the intention of reaching the main caravan route toward Egypt. Thus the separation, which had to come sooner or later, had been effected.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv5, 8, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 22, 25 one hundred
one hundred
"100" (See: Numbers)
Read full note →
God has made me laugh
Sarah was laughing because she was surprised and happy. This can be made explicit. AT: "God has caused me to laugh joyfully" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
every one who hears
What people would hear can be stated explicitly. AT: "everyone who hears about what God has done for me" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)
Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children
This rhetorical question can be translated as a statement. AT: "No one would have ever said to Abraham that Sarah will nurse children" (See: Rhetorical Question)
nurse children
This is a polite way of referring to breast-feeding babies. AT: "feed a baby her own milk" (See: Euphemism)
translationWords
Abraham
year
Isaac
Sarah
God
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 16, 22, 25 21:3-4 Abraham responded in faith by naming his son…
21:3-4 Abraham responded in faith by naming his son Isaac and circumcising him according to the terms of the covenant (see 17:9-14).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.