Genesis 21

Genesis 21

The Birth of Isaac  –  21:1-7

21 The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised. 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. 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.”

Isaac and Jesus

1^st  – supernatural birth of both  – it was a the time God set – “The Lord Will Provide”  (Gen. 22:14)  –  The promise seed was born at the time it was to be.  The promise was freely given  –  Both the promised seed and son.  –  (Isa. 7:14 – “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and call him Immanuel.”  Sarah was told to call their son “Isaac”…

2st  – a period of delay between the promises and their fulfillment…

                Abraham from slightly before he was 75 (before he left Ur) till 100

                For Jesus it was hundreds of years, even 1,000s    (Gen. 3:15)  –  Then God told Mary she would give birth.  Mary questioned not that she’d have a son, but how by being a virgin?    

3^rd – AGAIN:  “Nothing is impossible with God”   ( Luke 1:37(ESV)  – ³⁷For nothing will be impossible with God.”  )   –  as with Sarah  Genesis 22:14(ESV)  –  ¹⁴So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”;^£ as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”^£

4^th – they were symbolic and announced before birth.    To Abraham, call him ‘Isaac’  –  To Joseph, call him ‘Jesus” as he will save the people.

5^th – the births occurred at God’s appointed times…. 

6^th – both births required “A Miracle”  –  True Jesus’s birth was a greater miracle in nature and depth, but only God could intervene and have it occur.   Most Amazing would be the dual nature of Jesus as both God and man as he was fully achieved and demonstrated.

7^th – There was ‘laughter’ of joy at the birth of Isaac and Jesus.   Luke 1:46-47(ESV)  ⁴⁶And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,  ⁴⁷    and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

The New Birth

 Christ delivers us from death through his death and resurrection. 

For the birth of Isaac it was humanly impossible for Abraham and Sarah as they were both dead in their ability to produce new life was concern.  THUS – the same for us – it is impossible for us to regenerate or save ourselves.  We are DEAD in transgressions and sins…  Ephesians 2:1(ESV)  – ¹And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 

 Abraham believed God’s promise of a son –
Romans 4:21says:Abraham was  ²¹fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised.  Abraham knew it would have had to come from above… 
We too must realize that and is what Jesus was saying to Nicodemus and then in
John 3:5(ESV)  – ⁵Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 
Romans 4:20(ESV)  ²⁰No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, 

For Abraham to have a son there was no way he & Sarah could have done it without a miracle from God.

Today –  God uses mere humans to do great things because of His power – and to a point that man can NOT boast in himself….
1 Corinthians 1:28-29(ESV)
²⁸God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,  ²⁹so that no human being^£ might boast in the presence of God. 

Genesis 21:5-7(ESV)
⁵Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 
⁶And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” 
⁷And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

The age of parents are recorded in the narrative as it was of importance in order to see God’s hand in it.    Abraham’s doubting laughter transformed into obedient faith by naming the child “Isaac” as the Lord told him to do…    For Sarah her doubting laughter is turned into a joyous faith.  Demonstrated with words:  V.6  –  “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” 

Genesis 21:8-21 – God’s Good and God’s Best…
Genesis 21:8-21(ESV)
⁸And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 
⁹But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing.^£ 
10So 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.” 
¹¹And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. 
¹²But 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. 
¹³And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.” 
¹⁴So 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.
¹⁵When the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the bushes. 
¹⁶Then 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. 
¹⁷And 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. 
¹⁸Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 
¹⁹Then 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. 
²⁰And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. 
²¹He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Genesis 21:8-10(ESV)
⁸And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 
⁹But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing. (m sa heq) H6711)   
¹⁰So 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.” 

Ishmael scorns the new child – Sarah’s stern and swift reaction agrees that some untoward behavior occurred that she witnessed.     “untoward” meaning: notappropriate, usual, or normal

(msaheq)  H6711

H6711.  צָחַקtsâchaq, tsaw-khak´; a prim. root; to laugh outright (in merriment or scorn); by impl. to sport:—laugh, mock, play, make sport.

In Hebrew the word of ‘laughing’ was (msaheq) mean it was done to make sport of Isaac.  It was serious to make fun of the anointed child of the nation of Israel.  Sarah responds and tells Abraham to have the slave son cast out of the household (family).

The was public ridicule at the child’s celebratory event that surrounded his birth.   Gal. 4:29 assumed the passage portrayed harmful behavior (“persecuted the son Isaac”)_   
Galatians 4:29says:
²⁹But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. 

  V.11   Abraham is in distress and frets over the repercussion of Sarah’s directive.  God comes to Abraham’s distress…  (He is there to help us!)

Genesis 21:11-13(ESV)
¹¹And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. 
¹²But 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. 
¹³And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.” 

By a dream God reveals to Abraham what he is to do and confirms his plan in store for each lad. 

FIRST God offers words of comfort:  “Do not be so distressed”   (IF WE were going to offer comfort, what would we say?  Would we stop after saying 5 words as God did?   Was God into ‘economy of words’?  It would be significant that the Eternal God was Speaking!?   When His “word” goes forth it carries action – in this case a calming sense to Abraham. 

By this, the Lord gives Abraham’s concession about the place Isaac holds in the divine design of the Lord.   Abraham is instructed to follow Sarah’s demand.  God will provide a future for both children.  A nation from each – Yet God confirms that it is Isaac  alone will bear the family name.  A different kind of blessing for each child, yet a purpose of each in God’s plan. 

God quiets the patriarch’s heart by repeating the promise of making the boy into a ‘nation’.  Both promises will be realized by the same reliable word of God. 

Today, we can read this account and be assured that the same caring God   if watching over us and ready to ease our pain.  Ready to add His strength to our weary bones. 

Ishmael and Hagar are sent away…  Genesis 21:14-21

Genesis 21:17-21(ESV)
¹⁷And God heard (paqah)H8085 – 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. 
¹⁸Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 
¹⁹Then God opened  (paqah)H6491  her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. 
²⁰And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. 
²¹He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Note the compassion Abraham shows to Hagar and the boy Ishmael. 

When their water is gone she separates herself from the boy so she doesn’t see his distress. 

V.17-19 – God initiates the rescue of the boy and his mother….   God heard (shama)(H8085) (17a) and V. 19 God Opened (paqah) H6491
Recall the meaning of the name:  Ishmael   – “God hears”….

H8085.  שָׁמַעshâmaʿ, shaw-mah´; a prim. root; to hear intelligently (often with impl. of attention, obedience, etc.; caus. to tell, etc.):—× attentively, call (gather) together, × carefully, × certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, × diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear (-ken, tell), × indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim (-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, × surely, tell, understand, whosoever [heareth], witness. (Strongs)

H6491.  פָּקַחpâqach, paw-kakh´; a prim. root; to open (the senses, espec. the eyes); fig. to be observant:—open. (Strongs)

God speaks from the heavens and starts with questioning her condition.  (rhetorical question – as God knows the condition she is in.  God speaks of hearing Ishmael  (again, it is because of the boy, Abraham’s son, that God hears to protect and preserve.)  God opens her eyes and she see the well.   The desert is the ultimate abode of the “Ishmaelites” and the ‘Bow” his livelihood. 

We see God’s grace extends to outsiders….  God instructs Hagar not to abandon the boy any longer to “take him by the and” – “make strong your hand in his” – so as to save him for he will not die but flourish as “a great nation”  THE language honors Ishmael as the son of Abaraham.  Very similar to the divine promise made to Jacob when entering Egypt.  However, it falls short of the grander promises made to Abraham and his chosen line, who will enjoy an eternal relationship with God, inhert the land, and be a blessing for all peoples. 

Genesis 21:22–26 (ESV) -A Treaty with Abimelech

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.”

Abimelech request indicates his fear of Abraham’s potential to supplant his future dynasty and kingdom.  Prudence dictates that the secure good will with him by a formal pact.  Complained (hiphil)   Here the implication is that the herdsman take control of the access to the well by congregating their flocks nearby.  In this area water was a necessary need to survive – thus a vital resource.  Abraham makes the request on 2 reasons:  1 – he dug the well (v.30) – 2 – Abimelech has invited the man to reside in the area.  (20:15)   which naturally requires the use of local pasturage and water. 

Genesis 21:27–30 (ESV)

27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant (krt berit)(H3772 -H1285). 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.”

Abraham initiates the covenant ritual by submitting voluntarily sheep and cattle, which are probably lain by both parties.  (A classic bilateral covenant involving mutual obligations by two parties.   V.27 “made a covenant (treaty).  (krt-berit) Two words combined meaning:  

Krt – H3772.  כָּרַתkârath, kaw-rath´; a prim. root; to cut (off, down or asunder); by impl. to destroy or consume; spec. to covenant (i.e. make an alliance or bargain, orig. by cutting flesh and passing between the pieces):—be chewed, be con- [feder-] ate, covenant, cut (down, off), destroy, fail, feller, be freed, hew (down), make a league ([covenant]), × lose, perish, × utterly, × want.

berit – H 1285.  בְּרִיתb^erîyth, ber-eeth´: from 1262 (in the sense of cutting [like 1254]); a compact (because made by passing between pieces of flesh):—confederacy, [con-]feder[-ate], covenant, league.

Abraham gives 7 ewe lambs and Abimelech questions the meaning of the gift.   Seven is a significant number and such is valuable to propagate the herd.  It shows the importance of the well to the well bring of Abraham and his family’s growth.  It might be a gift to make Abimelech more obligated to keep his word (contract).

Genesis 21:31–34 (ESV)

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.

Beersheba means “well (beer) of oath (sebua)  or well of seven (seba)  –  This site was slater remembered by Isaac under similar circumstances (26:33).   Beersheba in located in the southern boundary of Israel as stated “from Dan to Beersheba (Judge 20:1; 1 Kgs 4:27)   –  It was not an area in the Philistine control.

Abraham plants a tree “Tamarisk Tree”  – an evergreen with very small leaves –  grows some 20-30 feet tall and provides good shade.   Trees especially help symbolic religious significance in the ancient Near East indicating fecundity; the representations of flora in the tabernacle and Solomon’s temple symbolized the divine Giver of fecundity (ability to reproduce).  Abraham’s actions of planting the tree expressed his devotion to and recognition of God as the source of his prosperity. 

By this the Lord establishes Abraham in the eyes of the native population as a leading chieftain in the land whose deity presides over him wherever he travels.  Attention given to Abraham’s deity as the Eternal One whose will for man and the nations can not be thwarted / stopped.  Proof:  Abraham survives the troubles of the region as an alien and enjoys a prosperity that God alone can provide.  In the climactic movement of the binding of Isaac, the patriarch will discover again divine provision (22:8, 14).