God's New Bible

The First Book of Moses: Genesis

King James Version :: World English Bible Catholic

- Chapter 21 -

1
And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
2
For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
3
And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
4
And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.
5
And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
6
And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
7
And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.
8
And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.

Sarah Turns against Hagar

(Galatians 4:21–30)
9
And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
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.
11
And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son.
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.
13
And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
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 Beer–sheba.
15
And the water was spent in the bottle, 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 see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
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 aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
18
Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine 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 dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
21
And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.

The Covenant at Beersheba

22
And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:
23
Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.(a)
24
And Abraham said, I will swear.
25
And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away.
26
And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.
27
And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.
28
And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
29
And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
30
And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
31
Wherefore he called that place Beer–sheba; because there they sware both of them.(b)
32
Thus they made a covenant at Beer–sheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
33
And Abraham planted a grove in Beer–sheba, and called there on the name of the Lord , the everlasting God.(c)
34
And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines’ land many days.

Footnotes

(a)21:23 that thou…: Heb. if thou shalt lie unto me
(b)21:31 Beer–sheba: that is, The well of the oath
(c)21:33 grove: or, tree
1
The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had spoken.
2
Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
3
Abraham called his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.(a)
4
Abraham circumcised his son, Isaac, when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.
5
Abraham was one hundred years old when his son, Isaac, was born to him.
6
Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears will laugh with me.”
7
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
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)
9
Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.
10
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.”
11
The thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight on account of his son.
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.
13
I will also make a nation of the son of the servant, because he is your child.”
14
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.
15
The water in the container was spent, and she put the child under one of the shrubs.
16
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.
17
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.
18
Get up, lift up the boy, and hold him with your hand. For I will make him a great nation.”
19
God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went, filled the container with water, and gave the boy a drink.
20
God was with the boy, and he grew. He lived in the wilderness, and as he grew up, he became an archer.
21
He lived in the wilderness of Paran. His mother got a wife for him out of the land of Egypt.

The Covenant at Beersheba

22
At that time, Abimelech and Phicol the captain of his army spoke to Abraham, saying, “God is with you in all that you do.
23
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.”
24
Abraham said, “I will swear.”
25
Abraham complained to Abimelech because of a water well, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away.
26
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.”
27
Abraham took sheep and cattle, and gave them to Abimelech. Those two made a covenant.
28
Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
29
Abimelech said to Abraham, “What do these seven ewe lambs, which you have set by themselves, mean?”
30
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.”
31
Therefore he called that place Beersheba,(b) because they both swore an oath there.
32
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.
33
Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God.
34
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”.