Abraham called his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.
Parallel Translations
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Abraham called his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.
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And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
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And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.
Examined in Scripture Analysis
Contradictions (1)
Questions where the Bible appears to say two different things, with the passages on each side set together.
Cross-references (9)
Passages linked to Genesis 21:3 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- Genesis 17:19 God said, “No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.
- Genesis 21:6 Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears will laugh with me.”
- Romans 9:7 Neither, because they are Abraham’s offspring, are they all children. But, “your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac.”
- Genesis 21:12 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.
- Joshua 24:3 I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his offspring, and gave him Isaac.
- Matthew 1:2 Abraham became the father of Isaac. Isaac became the father of Jacob. Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers.
- Hebrews 11:18 to whom it was said, “Your offspring will be accounted as from Isaac,”
- Genesis 22:2 He said, “Now take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of.”
- Acts 7:8 He gave him the covenant of circumcision. So Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (12 sources)
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John Calvin 1540 · Public Domain 3. And Abraham called the name. Moses does not…
3. And Abraham called the name. Moses does not mean that Abraham was the inventor of the name; but that he adhered to the name which before had been given by the angel. This act of obedience, however, was worthy of commendation, since he not only ratified the word of God, but also executed his office as God’s minister. For, as a herald, he proclaimed to all, that which the angel had committed to his trust.
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.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain Gen 21:3 And Abraham called the name of his…
Gen 21:3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
Ver. 3. And Abraham called the name, &c.] A ridiculous name, but such as God had imposed. All God’s ways are foolishness to the world, - Christ and all. But - as old men use to say to young - they think us fools, we know them to be so. It will not be long ere they shall wail and howl out, Nos insensati , we fools held their life madness, &c. Say therefore with David, If this be to be vile, we will be more vile. God hath a barren womb for mocking Michal. He is a fool, we say, that would be laughed out of his coat; but he is a double fool that would be laughed out of his skin, that would hazard his soul, because loath to be laughed at. Caligula socerum Scyllanum, molestum ei propter virtutem et affinitatem, ad mortem sibi consciscendam ludibriis adegit . More fool he.
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.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain And Abraham called the name of his son that…
And Abraham called the name of his son that was borne unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. Which is the name he was directed to give him, Gen 17:19; and he remembers the order, and is obedient to it; the reason of which name, which signifies laughter, was on account of his laughing for joy at the promise made him, as well as there might be afterwards a further reason for it, from Sarah's laughing through distrust; and it might presignify the joy and laughter that would be expressed by others at his birth; and perhaps also that he would be the object of the laughter and derision of his brother; such a number of events agreeing with his name.
; and he remembers the order, and is obedient to it; the reason of which name, which signifies laughter, was on account of his laughing for joy at the promise made him, as well as there might be afterwards a further reason for it, from Sarah's laughing through distrust; and it might presignify the joy and laughter that would be expressed by others at his birth; and perhaps also that he would be the object of the laughter and derision of his brother; such a number of events agreeing with his name.
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Genesis 21:4
gen 21:4
gen 21:4
gen 21:4And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac, being eight days old as,
God had commanded him. Gen 17:12, and was the first that we read of that was circumcised on that day, according to the divine precept, which Abraham strictly observed; for though this was the son of the promise, and of his old age, for whom he had the most affectionate regard, yet he administered this bloody ordinance on him; nor did he defer it beyond the time, and was himself the operator, as it seems; all which shows his strict regard, and ready and cheerful obedience to the command of God.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain 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.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain 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 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 3. Isaac — The name means, he shall laugh,…
3. Isaac — The name means, he shall laugh, or laughter. It was given to commemorate the laughter and excessive joy referred to in Gen_21:6, and in Gen_17:19; Gen_18:12. Well might there be laughing joy over this heir of promise, through whom all the families of the earth were to be blessed.
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 3. And Abraham called, &c.] For the name Isaac,…
3. And Abraham called, &c.] For the name Isaac, see note on Gen_17:19. The father, in the P narrative, gives the name: see Gen_16:15.
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 (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 And Abraham called the name of his son the…
And Abraham called the name of his son the naming of a child by its father is, according to partitionists, a peculiarity of the Elohist as distinguished from the Jehovist, who assigns that function to the mother; but vide , Gen_16:15that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him (the latter clause being added to distinguish him from Hagar"s child) Isaaclaughter; the name appointed for him by God before his birth. (Gen_17:19)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain 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
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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.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 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.