Genesis21

God fulfills His promise to Abraham and Sarah with the miraculous birth of Isaac in their old age. Following Isaac's weaning, Sarah demands the expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael, a decision God affirms while also promising to make a great nation of Ishmael. Subsequently, Abraham establishes a covenant with Abimelech concerning a well, naming the place Beersheba, and calls upon the everlasting God.

The Birth and Naming of Isaac

ADONAI remembered Sarah as he had said, and ADONAI did for Sarah what he had promised.

Sarah conceived and bore Avraham a son in his old age, at the very time God had said to him.

Avraham called his son, born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Yitz'chak.

Avraham circumcised his son Yitz'chak when he was eight days old, as God had ordered him to do.

Avraham was one hundred years old when his son Yitz'chak [laughter] was born to him.

Sarah said, "God has given me good reason to laugh; now everyone who hears about it will laugh with me."

And she said, "Who would have said to Avraham that Sarah would nurse children? Nevertheless, I have borne him a son in his old age!"

The child grew and was weaned, and Avraham gave a great banquet on the day that Yitz'chak was weaned.

Hagar and Ishmael Are Sent Away

But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom Hagar had borne to Avraham, making fun of Yitz'chak;

so Sarah said to Avraham, "Throw this slave-girl out! And her son! I will not have this slave-girl's son as your heir along with my son Yitz'chak!"

Avraham became very distressed over this matter of his son.

But God said to Avraham, "Don't be distressed because of the boy and your slave-girl. Listen to everything Sarah says to you, because it is your descendants through Yitz'chak who will be counted.

But I will also make a nation from the son of the slave-girl, since he is descended from you."

Avraham got up early in the morning, took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child; then he sent her away. After leaving, she wandered in the desert around Be'er-Sheva.

When the water in the skin was gone, she left the child under a bush,

and went and sat down, looking the other way, about a bow-shot's distance from him; because she said, "I can't bear to watch my child die." So she sat there, looking the other way, crying out and weeping.

God heard the boy's voice, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What's wrong with you, Hagar? Don't be afraid, because God has heard the voice of the boy in his present situation.

Get up, lift the boy up, and hold him tightly in your hand, because I am going to make him a great nation."

Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. So she went, filled the skin with water and gave the boy water to drink.

God was with the boy, and he grew. He lived in the desert and became an archer.

He lived in the Pa'ran Desert, and his mother chose a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

The Covenant at Beersheba

At that time Avimelekh and Pikhol the commander of his army spoke to Avraham. They said, "God is with you in everything you do.

Therefore, swear to me here by God that you will never deal falsely with me or with my son or grandson; but according to the kindness with which I have treated you, you will treat me and the land in which you have lived as a foreigner.

Avraham said, "I swear it."

Now Avraham had complained to Avimelekh about a well which Avimelekh's servants had seized.

Avimelekh answered, "I don't know who has done this. You didn't tell me, and I heard about it only today."

Avraham took sheep and cattle and gave them to Avimelekh, and the two of them made a covenant.

Avraham put seven female lambs from the flock by themselves.

Avimelekh asked Avraham, "What is the meaning of these seven female lambs you have put by themselves?"

He answered, "You are to accept these seven female lambs from me as witness that I dug this well."

This is why that place was called Be'er-Sheva [well of seven, well of an oath] - because they both swore an oath there.

When they made the covenant at Be'er-Sheva, Avimelekh departed with Pikhol the commander of his army and returned to the land of the P'lishtim.

Avraham planted a tamarisk tree in Be'er-Sheva, and there he called on the name of ADONAI, the everlasting God.

Avraham lived for a long time as a foreigner in the land of the P'lishtim.

Study Notes for Genesis 21

Verse 1

This verse emphasizes God's faithfulness by stressing that He fulfilled His promise to Sarah exactly as He had spoken, confirming the miraculous nature of Isaac’s birth.

Verse 2

Sarah's conception at the 'set time' (the specific appointed moment) highlights the sovereignty and precision of God’s timing in fulfilling the covenant promise (cf. Gen 18:10).

Verse 3

The name Isaac means 'he laughs.' This name serves as a constant reminder of the laughter of doubt (Gen 18:12) transformed into the laughter of joy (Gen 21:6).

Verse 4

Abraham’s immediate circumcision of Isaac follows the sign of the covenant established in Genesis 17, demonstrating obedience and formally integrating Isaac into the covenant community.

Verse 6

Sarah’s declaration marks a dramatic shift: her initial skeptical laughter has been replaced by joyous, faith-filled laughter. She recognizes the divine miracle, expecting others to share her joy.

Verse 8

Weaning in the ancient Near East often occurred between the ages of two and five. The accompanying great feast marked the child’s transition from dependency to early childhood.

Verse 9

Ishmael was likely a teenager (around 14–17 years old). The word 'mocking' (*metzaheq*) implies malicious derision or persecution against Isaac, threatening his position as the primary heir (cf. Galatians 4:29).

Verse 10

Sarah demands the removal of Ishmael to secure Isaac's sole inheritance. This painful separation was necessary to clarify the lineage through which the covenant promises would flow.

Verse 12

God affirms Sarah’s harsh command, confirming that the covenant line (*thy seed shall be called*) runs exclusively through Isaac. This establishes the principle of divine election within salvation history.

Verse 13

Though excluded from the covenant promises given to Isaac, God assures Abraham that Ishmael, being his biological seed, will also become the founder of a great nation, fulfilling the earlier promise made in Genesis 16:10.

Verse 14

Abraham's provision of meager supplies emphasizes Hagar's dependence on immediate divine intervention once they enter the wilderness, a place of extreme vulnerability.

Verse 17

God hears the voice of the lad (Ishmael), demonstrating that divine compassion extends beyond the covenant people; God attends to the distress of all those who cry out to Him.

Verse 18

The Angel of God repeats the promise made to Abraham (v. 13) directly to Hagar, giving her assurance and a future purpose for her son despite their current desolation.

Verse 19

God opens Hagar's eyes, allowing her to see the provision that was already there. This physical miracle often symbolizes the need for divine intervention to perceive God's help.

Verse 20

Ishmael's survival and growth as an archer confirms the prophecy from Genesis 16:12 that he would be a 'wild donkey of a man,' flourishing independently in the wilderness.

Verse 22

Abimelech’s approach demonstrates that Abraham’s prosperity and military success were clearly visible to the surrounding Canaanite leaders, leading them to acknowledge God’s favor upon him.

Verse 23

Abimelech seeks a non-aggression pact, recognizing Abraham's growing power and desiring security for his own descendants against potential future conflict.

Verse 25

Water rights were crucial for survival and livestock in the arid climate. This dispute highlights the tension between Abraham, the sojourner, and the settled inhabitants over vital resources.

Verse 27

The exchange of sheep and oxen served as a customary way to seal the covenant, establishing mutual obligations and confirming the agreement between the parties.

Verse 30

The seven ewe lambs function as a legal witness, establishing Abraham's undeniable claim to the well. This ritual confirms his ownership through purchase and excavation.

Verse 31

The place name Beersheba means either 'Well of the Oath' (referencing the sworn covenant) or 'Well of Seven' (referencing the seven lambs used as witnesses).

Verse 33

Planting a grove (or tamarisk tree) indicates Abraham’s intention to settle permanently in this location. Calling upon El Olam, 'The Everlasting God,' links the local covenant to the eternal nature of the divine.

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Genesis21

The Birth and Naming of Isaac

Hagar and Ishmael Are Sent Away

The Covenant at Beersheba

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