Chapter Twenty-One
Isaac is Born
21:1 The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had promised.
Now after 25 years (see Genesis 12:4; 21:5), God fulfills His promise to Sarah and Abraham. The author here strongly emphasizes that God always keeps His promises.
21:2 And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him. 3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac. 4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.
Sarah gave birth to a son at the time He said He would (see Genesis 17:21) and Abraham named his son Isaac, just as God had instructed (see Genesis 17:19). On the eighth day, Abraham circumcised Isaac, again in compliance with God’s instruction (see Genesis 17:12).
21:5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” 7 And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born. The child’s name, meaning ‘laughter’, reflects the story of when God told his parents that they would have a son, they both laughed. Abraham laughed out of joy (see Genesis 17:17) and Sarah when she heard laughed out of disbelief (see Genesis 18:12). Sarah is not suggesting that she will be embarrassed when people speak Isaac’s name, she is overjoyed and as the New Living Translation states it, “God has brought me laughter. All who hear about this will laugh with me.” (Genesis 21:6b, NLT) Giving witness that which mankind cannot do, God can, the birth of Isaac was to be a witness to all.
Considerations
No one likes to wait. Perhaps the worst side effect of modern technology is lack of patience. We have kitchen appliances that cook faster, instant communications, fast food stores, ATMs, grocery delivery, and the list keeps growing every year. In a world of instant gratification, it is difficult to fathom waiting 25 years for a promise to be fulfilled, any promise.
Abraham believed God would keep His promise. That is what faith is all about, knowing that what God promised would indeed come true, especially when there is no sign of activity. Earlier we were told that Abraham, “believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness” (Genesis 15:6b), making Abraham the father of all who believe in Jesus (see Romans 4:11-16).[1] Sarah, although at one time doubtful, also became strong in her faith (see Hebrews 11:11).
Later in the New Testament, the apostle Paul wrote about Abraham’s faith: “No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” (Romans 4:20-22) Waiting for God’s timing is not easy, that is why we need to dedicate our lives to Jesus and continually seek His guidance in prayer (see Romans 8:26-30; Ephesians 6:18; Colossians 4:2-4; Philippians 2:4-9), since patiently waiting on God can indeed strengthen our faith.[2]
Scorned for Contemptuous Behavior
21:8 And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.
Sarah nursed Isaac until he was able to eat and digest food other than his mother’s milk. In most cases that would be between two or three years of age. It was a custom to celebrate the day of weaning with a feast.
21:9 But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing.
This joyous time of celebration was rudely interrupted by Ishmael, the son of Hagar, her servant (see Genesis 16:3-14). This is the first mention of Hagar since Ishmael was born (see Genesis 16:15-16), he would now be approximately 16 years old. The question one might wonder about was his laughter a form of joyous participation or was he mocking Isaac or Sarah? Was her reaction founded or completely uncalled for? Could Ishmael be doing what many 16-year-olds often do, have a little fun at the expense of a younger brother? The text does not clarify the motive, but one can see that it upset Sarah.
21:10 So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.”
Sarah’s anger over the situation implies that Ishmael mocked her or Isaac, and she was not going to endure his mocking. There has been animosity between Sarah and Hagar since Hagar first showed signs that she was going to conceive Abraham’s child (see Genesis 16:4). Even though the union was Sarah’s idea she could see now that this rivalry was not going to be beneficial, so she approaches Abraham and tells him to send away both Hagar and Ishmael. She further insisted that Ishmael not be allowed to receive any of Abraham’s inheritance.
21:11 And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named.
Abraham had married Hagar (see Genesis 16:3), had a son with her who had been living with them for 16 years, and thought that Ishmael was the promised child (see Genesis 17:18), so Abraham was not happy about what Sarah was asking him to do. Since the text has been silent about Ishmael’s behavior until now, we do not know if this was an isolated incident or one that had been going on for a while. In either case, Sarah’s request was disturbing. Regardless of Sarah’s motives, her thoughts were in alignment with God’s plans. God told Abraham that He wanted him to do exactly what Sarah said he should do, since Isaac is the child of promise, not Ishmael.
21:13 And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.” 14 So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
By telling Abraham that Ishmael will also be the father of a nation, he is assuring him that he has nothing to worry about regarding Hagar and Ishmael. So, Abraham brought over some bread and water and sent Hagar and Ishmael on their way. Bread and water do not seem like a lot, especially since he was a wealthy man, but Abraham undoubtedly knew that God would provide all they needed. They left and wandered (no specific destination in mind) in the wilderness of Beersheba.
Archaeology has discovered evidence that there were several settlements by this time in the vicinity that would later take on the name of Beersheba. Although being mostly desert, living there would have been somewhat difficult if not completely hostile.
21:15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot, for she said, “Let me not look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept.
The narrative briefly follows Hagar and Ishmael, we see that they are out of water and Ishmael was to the point that he could die any time. Perhaps Hagar was more acclimated to the harsher weather or perhaps Ishmael had insisted that she take more for herself, he could not travel any further. Hagar left Ishmael in the shade and walked several feet away to avoid watching her son die and stopped to pray and cry. Apparently, Ishmael was also praying.
21:17 And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.
God heard their prayers, and the “angel of God,” who, more than likely was again the pre-incarnate Jesus who had come to Hagar many years earlier in the desert, spoke to Hagar reminding her that God will do as He promised He would do back then (see Genesis 16:7-14).
21:18 Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. 20 And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
The angel of God then told Hagar to get up and go back to Ishmael and bring him to a water well she could now see. He once again reiterates that God will indeed make him a great nation. The text then jumps from narrative to historical, by briefly stating how Ishmael grew up. He lived in the wilderness of Paran and became proficient with a bow. His mother apparently went back to Egypt and found him a wife. Ishmael ultimately had twelve sons (see Genesis 25:13-15).
Considerations
Previously in Genesis 16:7, the divine visitor is referred to as "the angel of YHWH" (the Tetragrammaton). In this text He is called "the angel of Ělō·hîm” (not a name but the plural reference to God). Scholars believe the reason for the change is that the name YHWH is related to God's covenant, and Hagar was at that time still under the responsibility and protection of Abraham (part of the covenant). Now, however, she and Ishmael have become, as the apostle Paul worded it, "strangers to the covenant of promise," (see Ephesians 2:12), the name could therefore reflect that change.
The location of the wilderness of Paran is another subject of debate. Due to an example of Hagar and Sarah used by Paul in his epistle to the church in Galatia, where he associates Hagar with Mount Sinai, many scholars try to place Paran west of the Red Sea (some believe the entire north end of what is currently called the Sinai Peninsula was known as the ‘wilderness’ of Paran, see also Considerations under Exodus 14). However, several other scholars believe that Mount Sinai is actually in Saudi Arabia, just where Paul said it would be (see Galatians 4:25), placing Paran then on the east side of the Red Sea. Many also point out that a mountain currently name Jebel Rum was once called Mount Paran, which is essentially due east of Mount Seir, also in Arabia.
Treaty with Abimelech
21:22 At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do. 23 Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my descendants or with my posterity, but as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned.” 24 And Abraham said, “I will swear.” 25 When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech’s servants had seized, 26 Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today.” 27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant. 28 Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock apart. 29 And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?” 30 He said, “These seven ewe lambs you will take from my hand, that this may be a witness for me that I dug this well.” 31 Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath. 32 So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God. 34 And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines.
While the text does not specify, it is assumed that this is the same Abimelech that Abraham encountered earlier in Gerar, as he appears to be fully aware of the power of God. Understanding how things can quickly change and endanger his people from past experience, Abimelech and his military commander approach Abraham with a proposition of peace and Abraham agrees.
Some believe that this agreement had been made earlier shortly after their last encounter, however, most believe that this treaty was created in response to Abraham desiring to discuss a certain matter about a well. Now that they agreed to be civil with each other, the matter at hand was presented. Abraham queried about the actions of Abimelech’s servants who had forcibly taken control of a well that Abraham was using. Abimelech had no answer, as this was the first time he had heard about it. This response satisfied Abraham and to aid in settling the matter, Abraham took some sheep and oxen and gave them Abimelech, making their covenant of peace official. Abraham then set seven ewe lambs apart from the flock. Abimelech immediately enquires as to why Abraham set those seven lambs aside. Abraham explained that since he is the one that dug the well, the right to use it was his by right of labor. By accepting the ewe lambs, Abimelech acknowledged the truth in Abraham’s claim of ownership.
The place was called Beersheba, which means “the well of the seven,” it is also referred to at times as the well of swearing.[3] Abimelech and Phicol proceed to return home, meanwhile Abraham, in honor of the covenant, planted a tamarisk tree there in Beersheba. He then called on the name of the LORD (the Tetragrammaton), the Everlasting God, perhaps in recognition that God is the true source of all provisions. Abraham will come back to Beersheba to stay, but not until after Isaac was a grown man.
Considerations
Similar to how the title ‘Abimelech’ is used to refer to the king, the term ‘Phicol’[4] is considered a military title similar to what we might call “chief-of-staff.” It is unknown as to why he accompanied Abimelech.
The Hebrew word ‘ě’·šěl’[5] can also refer to a grove of nearly any kind of tree. The Tamarisk is a small flowering tree that can tolerate hostile conditions such as soil with a high salt or alkali content and dry climates. Found around the world there are over 50 varieties ranging from small shrubs to small trees.
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[1] See also commentary under Genesis 15:2-6.
[2] See also Considerations under Genesis chapter 16.
[3] See also commentary and Considerations under Genesis 26:26-33.
[4] Strong’s Hebrew 6369.
[5] Strong’s Hebrew 815.