10 Wherefore she said H559 unto Abraham, H85 Cast out H1644 this bondwoman H519 and her son: H1121 for the son H1121 of this bondwoman H519 shall not be heir H3423 with my son, H1121 even with Isaac. H3327
And G1161 the servant G1401 abideth G3306 not G3756 in G1722 the house G3614 for G1519 ever: G165 but the Son G5207 abideth G3306 G1519 ever. G165
They went out G1831 from G1537 us, G2257 but G235 they were G2258 not G3756 of G1537 us; G2257 for G1063 if G1487 they had been G2258 of G1537 us, G2257 they would G302 no doubt have continued G3306 with G3326 us: G2257 but G235 they went out, that G2443 they might be made manifest G5319 that G3754 they were G1526 not G3756 all G3956 of G1537 us. G2257
And God H430 said, H559 Sarah H8283 thy wife H802 shall bear H3205 thee a son H1121 indeed; H61 and thou shalt call H7121 his name H8034 Isaac: H3327 and I will establish H6965 my covenant H1285 with him for an everlasting H5769 covenant, H1285 and with his seed H2233 after him. H310
But my covenant H1285 will I establish H6965 with Isaac, H3327 which Sarah H8283 shall bear H3205 unto thee at this set time H4150 in the next H312 year. H8141
But unto the sons H1121 of the concubines, H6370 which Abraham H85 had, Abraham H85 gave H5414 gifts, H4979 and sent them away H7971 from Isaac H3327 his son, H1121 while he yet lived, H2416 eastward, H6924 unto the east H6924 country. H776
And these are the generations H8435 of Isaac, H3327 Abraham's H85 son: H1121 Abraham H85 begat H3205 Isaac: H3327
And Esau H6215 took H3947 his wives, H802 and his sons, H1121 and his daughters, H1323 and all the persons H5315 of his house, H1004 and his cattle, H4735 and all his beasts, H929 and all his substance, H7075 which he had got H7408 in the land H776 of Canaan; H3667 and went H3212 into the country H776 from the face H6440 of his brother H251 Jacob. H3290 For their riches H7399 were more H7227 than that they might dwell H3427 together; H3162 and the land H776 wherein they were strangers H4033 could H3201 not bear H5375 them because H6440 of their cattle. H4735
And G1161 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 That G3754 many G4183 shall come G2240 from G575 the east G395 and G2532 west, G1424 and G2532 shall sit down G347 with G3326 Abraham, G11 and G2532 Isaac, G2464 and G2532 Jacob, G2384 in G1722 the kingdom G932 of heaven. G3772 But G1161 the children G5207 of the kingdom G932 shall be cast out G1544 into G1519 outer G1857 darkness: G4655 there G1563 shall be G2071 weeping G2805 and G2532 gnashing G1030 of teeth. G3599
Then G5119 said G2036 the king G935 to the servants, G1249 Bind G1210 him G846 hand G5495 and G2532 foot, G4228 and take G142 him G846 away, G142 and G2532 cast G1544 him into G1519 outer G1857 darkness; G4655 there G1563 shall be G2071 weeping G2805 and G2532 gnashing G1030 of teeth. G3599
Wherefore G5620 thou art G1488 no more G3765 a servant, G1401 but G235 a son; G5207 and G1161 if G1487 a son, G5207 then G2532 an heir G2818 of God G2316 through G1223 Christ. G5547
For G1063 it is written, G1125 that G3754 Abraham G11 had G2192 two G1417 sons, G5207 the one G1520 by G1537 a bondmaid, G3814 G2532 the other G1520 by G1537 a freewoman. G1658 But G235 he G3303 who was of G1537 the bondwoman G3814 was born G1080 after G2596 the flesh; G4561 but G1161 he of G1537 the freewoman G1658 was by G1223 promise. G1860 Which things G3748 are G2076 an allegory: G238 for G1063 these G3778 are G1526 the two G1417 covenants; G1242 the one G3391 G3303 from G575 the mount G3735 Sinai, G4614 which gendereth G1080 to G1519 bondage, G1397 which G3748 is G2076 Agar. G28 For G1063 this Agar G28 is G2076 mount G3735 Sinai G4614 in G1722 Arabia, G688 and G1161 answereth G4960 to Jerusalem G2419 which G3588 now is, G3568 and G1161 is in bondage G1398 with G3326 her G846 children. G5043 But G1161 Jerusalem G2419 which is above G507 is G2076 free, G1658 which G3748 is G2076 the mother G3384 of us G2257 all. G3956 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 But G235 as G5618 then G5119 he that was born G1080 after G2596 the flesh G4561 persecuted G1377 him that was born after G2596 the Spirit, G4151 even G2532 so G3779 it is now. G3568 Nevertheless G235 what G5101 saith G3004 the scripture? G1124 Cast out G1544 the bondwoman G3814 and G2532 her G846 son: G5207 for G1063 the son G5207 of the bondwoman G3814 shall G2816 not G3364 be heir G2816 with G3326 the son G5207 of the freewoman. G1658 So then, G686 brethren, G80 we are G2070 not G3756 children G5043 of the bondwoman, G3814 but G235 of the free. G1658
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.