The First Book of Moses: Genesis

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- Chapter 21 -

Yahweh acted very kindly toward Sarah, just as he said he would do. He did for Sarah exactly what he promised to do,

for she became pregnant and gave birth to a son for Abraham when he was very old, at the time God promised it would happen.

Abraham gave the name “Isaac” to the son Sarah delivered.

He also circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, just as God had commanded him to do.

Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born.

Sarah said, “Although I was sad before because I did not have any children, God has now enabled me to laugh with joy, and everyone who hears about what God has done for me will laugh with me.”

She also said, “No one would have said to Abraham that some day I would nurse a child, but I have given birth to a son when Abraham is very old.”

The baby grew. The day came when he was taken off his mother’s milk. On that day, Abraham prepared a large feast to celebrate.

Sarah Turns against Hagar

(Galatians 4:21–30)

One day Sarah noticed that Hagar’s son Ishmael was making fun of Isaac.

So she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman from Egypt and her son! I do not want the son of that slave woman to take what my son Isaac will inherit.”

Abraham was very upset about the matter, because he was also concerned about his son Ishmael.

But God said to Abraham, “Do not be upset about your son, Ishmael, and about your servant Hagar. Listen to everything that Sarah tells you to do, and do it, because Isaac is the one who will be the forefather of the descendants I promised to give you.

But I will also cause the son of your servant Hagar to be the ancestor of a great people group, because he is also your son.”

So Abraham got up early the next morning. He got some food ready, put water in a bag, and gave it to Hagar. He put the bag on her shoulder, handed her Ishmael, and sent them away into the wilderness of Beersheba.

After Hagar and her son had drunk all the water in the bag, she put the boy under one of the bushes there.

Then she went and sat nearby, about as far as someone can shoot an arrow. She thought, “I cannot endure seeing my son die!” As she sat there, she began to cry loudly.

Soon God heard the sound of Ishmael, so he sent one of his angels to call out from heaven to Hagar. He said, “Hagar, what is the matter with you? Do not be afraid, because God has heard the boy crying there.

Go lift the boy up and help him be brave, because I will cause his descendants to become a great people group.”

Then God showed her a well of water. So she went to the well and filled the container with water, and gave the boy a drink.

God helped the boy as he grew up in the wilderness, and he became a good archer.

He lived in the wilderness of Paran. Hagar got a wife for him from Egypt.

The Covenant at Beersheba

At that time, King Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “It is clear that God helps you in all that you do.

So now, solemnly promise to me here, as God is listening, that you will not deceive me and my children, or my descendants. Act faithfully toward me and toward all the people here in the country where you are now living. Act faithfully toward me, as I have acted toward you.”

So Abraham swore an oath to do that.

Abraham also complained to Abimelech about one of Abraham’s wells of water that Abimelech’s servants had taken control of.

But Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done that. You did not tell me previously, and I did not hear about it until today.”

So Abraham brought some sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them solemnly agreed to have peace between themselves.

Abraham went to his flock and chose seven female lambs from it.

Abimelech asked Abraham, “Why have you taken these seven female lambs from your flock?”

Abraham replied, “I want you to accept these female lambs from me. In this way, my gift to you will be proof to everyone that this well belongs to me because I dug it.”

So Abimelech accepted the lambs. Then Abraham named that place Beersheba, which means ‘Well of the oath,’ because he and Abimelech had sworn an oath there to be peaceful toward each other.

After they made the treaty at Beersheba, Abimelech and his army commander, Phicol, left and returned to the land of the Philistines.

Abraham planted a tamarisk tree there, and there he worshiped Yahweh, the eternal God.

Abraham stayed as an outsider in the land of the Philistine people for a long time.

The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had spoken.

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.(a)

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 Turns against Hagar

(Galatians 4:21–30)

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, he became an archer.

He lived in the wilderness of Paran. His mother got a wife for him out of the land of Egypt.

The Covenant at Beersheba

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.

Abimelech said, “I don’t know who has done this thing. You didn’t tell me, and I didn’t hear of it until today.”

Abraham took sheep and cattle, and gave them to Abimelech. Those two made a covenant.

Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.

Abimelech said to Abraham, “What do these seven ewe lambs, which you have set by themselves, mean?”

He said, “You shall take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that it may be a witness to me, that I have dug this well.”

Therefore he called that place Beersheba,(b) because they both swore an oath there.

So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Abimelech rose up with Phicol, the captain of his army, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.

Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God.

Abraham lived as a foreigner in the land of the Philistines many days.

Footnotes

(a)21:3 Isaac means “He laughs”.

(b)21:31 Beersheba can mean “well of the oath” or “well of seven”.