King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
¶ And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
Complete Jewish Bible:
But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom Hagar had borne to Avraham, making fun of Yitz'chak;
Berean Standard Bible:
But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking her son,
American Standard Version:
And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne unto Abraham, mocking.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And Sarah{H8283} saw{H7200} the son{H1121} of Hagar{H1904} the Egyptian{H4713}, which she had born{H3205} unto Abraham{H85}, mocking{H6711}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Genesis 16:15
- ¶ And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
Galatians 4:29
- But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him [that was born] after the Spirit, even so [it is] now.
Genesis 16:1
- ¶ Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name [was] Hagar.
Galatians 4:22
- For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
2 Chronicles 30:10
- So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.
Lamentations 1:7
- Jerusalem remembered in the days of her affliction and of her miseries all her pleasant things that she had in the days of old, when her people fell into the hand of the enemy, and none did help her: the adversaries saw her, [and] did mock at her sabbaths.
Psalms 44:13
- Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Genesis 21:9
Genesis 21:9 is set within the broader narrative of the Patriarch Abraham and his family. The historical context of this verse is the ancient Near East, around the early 2nd millennium BCE. The themes present in this verse include:
1. **Covenant and Promises**: God had promised Abraham and Sarah a child, despite their old age, which was fulfilled with the birth of Isaac (Genesis 18:10-14, 21:1-7). This promise was central to the covenant God established with Abraham.
2. **Family Dynamics and Tensions**: The verse reflects the complex relationships within Abraham's household. Sarah, Abraham's wife, sees Hagar's son, Ishmael, "mocking," which in the Hebrew context could imply a range of behaviors from playfulness to hostility. This creates tension and jealousy, as Isaac is seen as the heir to God's covenantal promises.
3. **Social Status and Conflict**: Hagar was an Egyptian servant to Sarah (Genesis 16:1-3) and bore Abraham a son, Ishmael, at Sarah's behest when Sarah was unable to conceive. The social dynamics between Sarah as the primary wife and Hagar as the servant-wife, along with their sons, are at play, highlighting issues of inheritance, social status, and favoritism.
4. **Divine Sovereignty and Human Action**: The subsequent actions of Sarah, Abraham, and Hagar are influenced by their understanding of God's will and promises. The narrative shows how human actions, even when driven by perceived divine directives, can have significant and sometimes painful consequences.
5. **The Foundations of Israel and Ishmael**: This verse is part of the foundational story of the Israelites, distinguishing Isaac as the ancestor of the Israelites, while Ishmael is recognized as the progenitor of other tribes, often associated with the Arab peoples.
In summary, Genesis 21:9 captures a moment of family strife that leads to significant developments in the narrative of Abraham's family. It reflects the complex interplay of divine promises, human emotions, and social hierarchies, setting the stage for the divergent paths of Isaac and Ishmael and their respective descendants.
*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: H8283
There are 32 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׂרָה
Transliteration: Sârâh
Pronunciation: saw-raw'
Description: the same as שָׂרָה; Sarah, Abraham's wife; Sarah. - Strong's Number: H7200
There are 1212 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רָאָה
Transliteration: râʼâh
Pronunciation: raw-aw'
Description: a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative); advise self, appear, approve, behold, [idiom] certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, [idiom] be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), [idiom] sight of others, (e-) spy, stare, [idiom] surely, [idiom] think, view, visions. - 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: H1904
There are 10 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: הָגָר
Transliteration: Hâgâr
Pronunciation: haw-gawr'
Description: of uncertain (perhaps foreign) derivation; Hagar, the mother of Ishmael; Hagar. - Strong's Number: H4713
There are 25 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מִצְרִי
Transliteration: Mitsrîy
Pronunciation: mits-ree'
Description: from מִצְרַיִם; a Mitsrite, or inhabitant of Mitsrajim; Egyptian, of Egypt. - Strong's Number: H3205
There are 403 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָלַד
Transliteration: yâlad
Pronunciation: yaw-lad'
Description: a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage; bear, beget, birth(-day), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman). - 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: H6711
There are 12 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: צָחַק
Transliteration: tsâchaq
Pronunciation: tsaw-khak'
Description: a primitive root; to laugh outright (in merriment or scorn); by implication, to sport; laugh, mock, play, make sport.