6 And Sarah H8283 said, H559 God H430 hath made H6213 me to laugh, H6712 so that all that hear H8085 will laugh H6711 with me.
Sing, H7442 O barren, H6135 thou that didst not bear; H3205 break forth H6476 into singing, H7440 and cry aloud, H6670 thou that didst not travail with child: H2342 for more H7227 are the children H1121 of the desolate H8074 than the children H1121 of the married wife, H1166 saith H559 the LORD. H3068
Then Abraham H85 fell H5307 upon his face, H6440 and laughed, H6711 and said H559 in his heart, H3820 Shall a child be born H3205 unto him that is an hundred H3967 years H8141 old? H1121 and shall Sarah, H8283 that is ninety H8673 years H8141 old, H1323 bear? H3205
Therefore Sarah H8283 laughed H6711 within herself, H7130 saying, H559 After H310 I am waxed old H1086 shall I have pleasure, H5730 my lord H113 being old also? H2204 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Abraham, H85 Wherefore H4100 did Sarah H8283 laugh, H6711 saying, H559 Shall I of a surety H552 bear H3205 a child, which H589 am old? H2204 Is H6381 any thing H1697 too hard H6381 for the LORD? H3068 At the time appointed H4150 I will return H7725 unto thee, according to the time H6256 of life, H2416 and Sarah H8283 shall have a son. H1121 Then Sarah H8283 denied, H3584 saying, H559 I laughed H6711 not; for she was afraid. H3372 And he said, H559 Nay; H3808 but thou didst laugh. H6711
Then was our mouth H6310 filled H4390 with laughter, H7814 and our tongue H3956 with singing: H7440 then said H559 they among the heathen, H1471 The LORD H3068 hath done H6213 great things H1431 for them.
Then shalt thou say H559 in thine heart, H3824 Who hath begotten H3205 me these, seeing I have lost my children, H7921 and am desolate, H1565 a captive, H1540 and removing to and fro? H5493 and who hath brought up H1431 these? Behold, I was left H7604 alone; these, where H375 had they been?
And G2532 thou G4671 shalt have G2071 joy G5479 and G2532 gladness; G20 and G2532 many G4183 shall rejoice G5463 at G1909 his G846 birth. G1083
And G2532 Mary G3137 said, G2036 My G3450 soul G5590 doth magnify G3170 the Lord, G2962 And G2532 my G3450 spirit G4151 hath rejoiced G21 in G1909 God G2316 my G3450 Saviour. G4990 For G3754 he hath regarded G1914 G1909 the low estate G5014 of his G846 handmaiden: G1399 for, G1063 behold, G2400 from G575 henceforth G3568 all G3956 generations G1074 shall call G3106 me G3165 blessed. G3106 For G3754 he that is mighty G1415 hath done G4160 to me G3427 great things; G3167 and G2532 holy G40 is his G846 name. G3686 And G2532 his G846 mercy G1656 is on them that fear G5399 him G846 from G1519 generation G1074 to generation. G1074 He hath shewed G4160 strength G2904 with G1722 his G846 arm; G1023 he hath scattered G1287 the proud G5244 in the imagination G1271 of their G846 hearts. G2588 He hath put down G2507 the mighty G1413 from G575 their seats, G2362 and G2532 exalted G5312 them of low degree. G5011 He hath filled G1705 the hungry G3983 with good things; G18 and G2532 the rich G4147 he hath sent G1821 empty G2756 away. G1821 He hath holpen G482 his G846 servant G3816 Israel, G2474 in remembrance G3415 of his mercy; G1656 As G2531 he spake G2980 to G4314 our G2257 fathers, G3962 to Abraham, G11 and G2532 to his G846 seed G4690 for G1519 ever. G165
And G2532 her neighbours G4040 and G2532 her G846 cousins G4773 heard G191 how G3754 the Lord G2962 had shewed great G3170 mercy G1656 G846 upon G3326 her; G846 and G2532 they rejoiced G4796 with her. G846
A woman G1135 when G3752 she is in travail G5088 hath G2192 sorrow, G3077 because G3754 her G846 hour G5610 is come: G2064 but G1161 as soon as G3752 she is delivered G1080 of the child, G3813 she remembereth G3421 no more G3765 the anguish, G2347 for G1223 joy G5479 that G3754 a man G444 is born G1080 into G1519 the world. G2889 And G2532 ye G5210 G3303 now G3568 therefore G3767 have G2192 sorrow: G3077 but G1161 I will see G3700 you G5209 again, G3825 and G2532 your G5216 heart G2588 shall rejoice, G5463 and G2532 your G5216 joy G5479 no man G3762 taketh G142 from G575 you. G5216
For G1063 it is written, G1125 Rejoice, G2165 thou barren G4723 that bearest G5088 not; G3756 break forth G4486 and G2532 cry, G994 thou that travailest G5605 not: G3756 for G3754 the desolate G2048 hath many more G4183 children G5043 than G3123 G2228 she which hath G2192 an husband. G435 Now G1161 we, G2249 brethren, G80 as G2596 Isaac G2464 was, G2596 are G2070 the children G5043 of promise. G1860
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 21
Commentary on Genesis 21 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 21
Ge 21:1-13. Birth of Isaac.
1. the Lord visited Sarah—The language of the historian seems designedly chosen to magnify the power of God as well as His faithfulness to His promise. It was God's grace that brought about that event, as well as the raising of spiritual children to Abraham, of which the birth of this son was typical [Calvin].
3, 4. 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 Ge 17:19), and also in the dedication of the child by administering the seal of the covenant (compare Ge 17:10-12).
8. the child grew, and was weaned—children are suckled longer in the East than in the Occident—boys usually for two or three years.
Abraham made a great feast, &c.—In Eastern countries this is always a season of domestic festivity, and the newly weaned child is formally brought, in presence of the assembled relatives and friends, to partake of some simple viands. Isaac, attired in the symbolic robe, the badge of birthright, was then admitted heir of the tribe [Rosenmuller].
9. Sarah saw the son of Hagar … mocking—Ishmael was aware of the great change in his prospects, and under the impulse of irritated or resentful feelings, in which he was probably joined by his mother, treated the young heir with derision and probably some violence (Ga 4:29).
10. Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman—Nothing but the expulsion of both could now preserve harmony in the household. Abraham's perplexity was relieved by an announcement of the divine will, which in everything, however painful to flesh and blood, all who fear God and are walking in His ways will, like him, promptly obey. This story, as the apostle tells us, in "an allegory" [Ga 4:24], and the "persecution" by the son of the Egyptian was the commencement of the four hundred years' affliction of Abraham's seed by the Egyptians.
12. in all that Sarah hath said—it is called the Scripture (Ga 4:30).
13. also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation—Thus Providence overruled a family brawl to give rise to two great and extraordinary peoples.
Ge 21:14-21. Expulsion of Ishmael.
14. Abraham rose up early, &c.—early, that the wanderers might reach an asylum before noon. Bread includes all sorts of victuals—bottle, a leathern vessel, formed of the entire skin of a lamb or kid sewed up, with the legs for handles, usually carried over the shoulder. Ishmael was a lad of seventeen years, and it is quite customary for Arab chiefs to send out their sons at such an age to do for themselves: often with nothing but a few days' provisions in a bag.
wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba—in the southern border of Palestine, but out of the common direction, a wide extending desert, where they lost their way.
15. the water was spent, &c.—Ishmael sank exhausted from fatigue and thirst—his mother laid his head under one of the bushes to smell the damp while she herself, unable to witness his distress, sat down at a little distance in hopeless sorrow.
19. God opened her eyes—Had she forgotten the promise (Ge 16:11)? Whether she looked to God or not, He regarded her and directed her to a fountain close beside her, but probably hid amid brushwood, by the waters of which her almost expiring son was revived.
20, 21. God was with the lad, &c.—Paran (that is, Arabia), where his posterity has ever dwelt (compare Ge 16:12; also Isa 48:19; 1Pe 1:25).
his mother took him a wife—On a father's death, the mother looks out for a wife for her son, however young; and as Ishmael was now virtually deprived of his father, his mother set about forming a marriage connection for him, it would seem, among her relatives.
Ge 21:22-34. Covenant.
22. Abimelech and Phichol—Here a proof of the promise (Ge 12:2) being fulfilled, in a native prince wishing to form a solemn league with Abraham. The proposal was reasonable, and agreed to [Ge 21:24].
25-31. And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well—Wells were of great importance to a pastoral chief and on the successful operation of sinking a new one, the owner was solemnly informed in person. If, however, they were allowed to get out of repair, the restorer acquired a right to them. In unoccupied lands the possession of wells gave a right of property in the land, and dread of this had caused the offense for which Abraham reproved Abimelech. Some describe four, others five, wells in Beer-sheba.
33. Abraham planted a grove—Hebrew, "of tamarisks," in which sacrificial worship was offered, as in a roofless temple.
34. Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land—a picture of pastoral and an emblem of Christian life.