They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would [no doubt] have continued with us: but [they went out], that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast [him] into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
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Commentary for Genesis 21:10
**Themes:**
- Conflict between the bondwoman Hagar and Sarah, the wife of Abraham
- The establishment of the lineage of the covenant through Isaac, rather than Ishmael
- The importance of God's promise and the selection of the rightful heir
- The human drama of jealousy and the protection of one's own offspring
**Historical Context:**
Genesis 21:10 is set within the narrative of the patriarch Abraham and his family. At this point in the story, Abraham has two sons: Ishmael, born to the Egyptian servant Hagar, and Isaac, born to Sarah, Abraham's wife. Sarah's demand to cast out Hagar and Ishmael arises from her concern that Ishmael should not share the inheritance with her son Isaac, whom God has designated as the heir through whom the covenant promises will be fulfilled.
This event occurs after the miraculous birth of Isaac in Abraham's old age, which is seen as a fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham that he would have numerous descendants. The tension between Sarah and Hagar reflects the complex dynamics of a household with multiple potential heirs, a common concern in ancient Near Eastern societies where inheritance was crucial for familial lineage and the transmission of property and status.
The verse also prefigures the theme of exclusion and inclusion that will later be central to the narrative of the Israelites, with Isaac being the progenitor of the Israelite nation, while Ishmael is blessed by God but is not the chosen recipient of the covenantal promises. This narrative sets the stage for the ongoing differentiation between the Israelites and other peoples, a motif that continues throughout the Hebrew Bible.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
Strong's Number: H559 There are 4434 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: אָמַר Transliteration: ʼâmar Pronunciation: aw-mar' Description: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude); answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet.
Strong's Number: H85 There are 1159 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: אַבְרָהָם Transliteration: ʼAbrâhâm Pronunciation: ab-raw-hawm' Description: contracted from אָב and an unused root (probably meaning to be populous); father of a multitude; Abraham, the later name of Abram; Abraham.
Strong's Number: H1644 There are 45 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: גָּרַשׁ Transliteration: gârash Pronunciation: gaw-rash' Description: a primitive root; to drive out from a possession; especially to expatriate or divorce; cast up (out), divorced (woman), drive away (forth, out), expel, [idiom] surely put away, trouble, thrust out.
Strong's Number: H519 There are 134 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: אָמָה Transliteration: ʼâmâh Pronunciation: aw-maw' Description: apparently a primitive word; a maidservant or female slave; (hand-) bondmaid(-woman), maid(-servant).
Strong's Number: H1121 There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: בֵּן Transliteration: bên Pronunciation: bane Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.
Strong's Number: H3423 There are 204 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: יָרַשׁ Transliteration: yârash Pronunciation: yaw-rash' Description: or יָרֵשׁ; a primitive root; to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place); by implication, to seize, to rob, to inherit; also to expel, to impoverish, to ruin; cast out, consume, destroy, disinherit, dispossess, drive(-ing) out, enjoy, expel, [idiom] without fail, (give to, leave for) inherit(-ance, -or) [phrase] magistrate, be (make) poor, come to poverty, (give to, make to) possess, get (have) in (take) possession, seize upon, succeed, [idiom] utterly.
Strong's Number: H3327 There are 101 instances of this translation in the Bible Lemma: יִצְחָק Transliteration: Yitschâq Pronunciation: yits-khawk' Description: from צָחַק; laughter (i.e. mochery); Jitschak (or Isaac), son of Abraham; Isaac. Compare יִשְׂחָק.