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21:1 And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
21:2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
21:3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
21:4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.
21:5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
21:6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
21:7 And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.
21:8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
21:9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
21:10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
21:11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.
21:12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
21:13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
21:14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
21:15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
21:16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bow shot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
21:17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
21:18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
21:19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
21:20 And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
21:21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
21:22 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest: 21:23 Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.
21:24 And Abraham said, I will swear.
21:25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
21:26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing; neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.
21:27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.
21:28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
21:29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves? 21:30 And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
21:31 Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them.
21:32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
21:33 And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.
21:34 And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.

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King James Bible:Genesis
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to: Genesis
Book: Genesis
Chapter: 21

Overview:
Birth of Isaac, Sarah's joy. (1-8) Ishmael mocks Isaac. (9-13)
Hagar and Ishmael are cast forth, They are relieved and
comforted By an Angel. (14-21) Abimelech's Covenant with
Abraham. (22-34)

1-8 Few under the Old Testament were brought into the world
with such expectations as Isaac. He was in this a Type of
Christ, that Seed which the holy God So long promised, and holy
men So long expected. He was born according to the promise, at
the set time of which God had spoken. God's promised mercies
will certainly come at the time which He sets, and that is the
best time. Isaac means "laughter," and there was good reason for
the name, ch. 17:17; 18:13. When the Sun of comfort is risen
upon the soul, it is good to remember how welcome the dawning of
the Day was. When Sarah received the promise, she laughed with
distrust and doubt. When God gives us the mercies we began to
despair of, we ought to remember with sorrow and shame our
sinful distrust of his power and promise, when we were in
pursuit of them. This Mercy filled Sarah with joy and wonder.
God's favours to his Covenant people are such as surpass their
own and others' thoughts and expectations: who could imagine
that he should do So much for those that deserve So little, nay,
for those that deserve So ill? Who would have said that God
should send his Son to die for us, his Spirit to make us holy,
his angels to attend us? Who would have said that such great
sins should be pardoned, such mean services accepted, and such
worthless worms taken into Covenant? A short account of Isaac's
infancy is given. God's blessing upon the nursing of children,
and the preservation of them through the perils of the infant
Age, are to be acknowledged as signal instances of the care and
tenderness of the Divine Providence. See Ps 22:9,10; Ho
11:1,2.

9-13 Let us not overlook the manner in which this family matter
instructs us not to Rest in outward privileges, or in our own
doings. And let us seek the blessings of the new Covenant By
Faith in its Divine Surety. Ishmael's conduct was Persecution,
being done in profane contempt of the Covenant and promise, and
with malice against Isaac. God takes notice of what children say
and do in their play; and will reckon with them, if they say or
do amiss, though their parents do not. Mocking is a great Sin,
and very provoking to God. And the children of promise must
expect to be mocked. Abraham was grieved that Ishmael should
misbehave, and Sarah demand So severe a Punishment. But God
showed him that Isaac must be the Father of the promised Seed;
therefore, send Ishmael away, lest he corrupt the manners, or
try to take the rights of Isaac. The Covenant seed of Abraham
must be a people By themselves, not mingled with those who were
out of Covenant: Sarah little thought of this; but God turned
aright what she said.

14-21 If Hagar and Ishmael had behaved Well in Abraham's
family, they might have continued there; but they were justly
punished. By abusing privileges, we forfeit them. Those who know
not when they are Well off, will be made to know the worth of
mercies By the want of them. They were brought to distress in
the Wilderness. It is not said that the provisions were spent,
or that Abraham sent them away without Money. But the water was
spent; and having lost their way, in that hot climate Ishmael
was soon overcome with fatigue and thirst. God's readiness to
help us when we are in trouble, must not slacken, but quicken
our endeavours to help ourselves. The promise concerning her son
is repeated, as a reason why Hagar should bestir herself to help
him. It should engage our care and pains about children and
young people, to consider that we know not what great use God
has designed them for, and may make of them. The Angel directs
her to a present supply. Many who have reason to be comforted,
go mourning from Day to Day, because they do not see the reason
they have for comfort. There is a Well of water near them in the
Covenant of Grace, but they are not aware of it, till the same
God that opened their eyes to see their wound, opens them to see
their remedy. Paran was a wild place, fit for a wild Man; such
as Ishmael. Those who are born after the Flesh, take up with the
Wilderness of this world, while the children of the promise aim
at the heavenly Canaan, and cannot be at Rest till they are
there. Yet God was with the lad; his outward welfare was owing
to this.

22-34 Abimelech felt sure that the promises of God would be
fulfilled to Abraham. It is Wise to connect ourselves with those
who are blessed of God; and we ought to requite kindness to
those who have been kind to us. Wells of water are scarce and
valuable in eastern countries. Abraham took care to have his
title to the Well allowed, to prevent disputes in future. No
more can be expected from an honest Man than that he be ready to
do right, as soon as he knows he has done wrong. Abraham, being
now in a good neighbourhood, stayed a great while there. There
he made, not only a constant practice, but an open profession of
his religion. There he called On the name of the Lord, as the
Everlasting God; probably in the Grove he planted, which was his
place of Prayer. Abraham kept up public Worship, in which his
neighbours might join. Good men should do all they can to make
others So. Wherever we sojourn, we must neither neglect nor be
ashamed of the Worship of Jehovah.

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