Genesis 21: The Birth of Isaac
God fulfills his promise as Sarah bears Isaac, while Hagar and Ishmael are sent away yet sustained by God.
Genesis 21 (WEB)
1 Yahweh visited Sarah as he had said, and Yahweh did to Sarah as he had spoken.
2 Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
3 Abraham called his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.
4 Abraham circumcised his son, Isaac, when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.
5 Abraham was one hundred years old when his son, Isaac, was born to him.
6 Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears will laugh with me.”
7 She said, “Who would have said to Abraham, that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.”
8 The child grew, and was weaned. Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.
9 Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.
10 Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this handmaid and her son! For the son of this handmaid will not be heir with my son, Isaac.”
11 The thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight on account of his son.
12 God said to Abraham, “Don’t let it be grievous in your sight because of the boy, and because of your handmaid. In all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice. For from Isaac will your seed be called.
13 I will also make a nation of the son of the handmaid, because he is your seed.”
14 Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a bottle of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder; and gave her the child, and sent her away. She departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
15 The water in the bottle was spent, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
16 She went and sat down opposite him, a good way off, about a bow shot away. For she said, “Don’t let me see the death of the child.” She sat over against him, and lifted up her voice, and wept.
17 God heard the voice of the boy. The angel of God called to Hagar out of the sky, and said to her, “What ails you, Hagar? Don’t be afraid. For God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.
18 Get up, lift up the boy, and hold him in your hand. For I will make him a great nation.”
19 God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went, filled the bottle with water, and gave the boy drink.
20 God was with the boy, and he grew. He lived in the wilderness, and became, as he grew up, an archer.
21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran. His mother took a wife for him out of the land of Egypt.
22 At that time, Abimelech and Phicol the captain of his army spoke to Abraham, saying, “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, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son. But according to the kindness that I have done to you, you shall do to me, and to the land in which you have lived as a foreigner.”
24 Abraham said, “I will swear.”
25 Abraham complained to Abimelech because of a water well, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away.
26 Abimelech said, “I don’t know who has done this thing. You didn’t tell me, neither did I hear of it, until today.”
27 Abraham took sheep and cattle, and gave them to Abimelech. Those two made a covenant.
28 Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
29 Abimelech said to Abraham, “What do these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves mean?”
30 He said, “You shall take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that it may be a witness to me, that I have dug this well.”
31 Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because they both swore there.
32 So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Abimelech rose up with Phicol, the captain of his army, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and called there on the name of Yahweh, the Everlasting God.
34 Abraham lived as a foreigner in the land of the Philistines many days.
Genesis 21 (KJV)
1 And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.
5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
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.
8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
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.
11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son.
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.
13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
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 Beer–sheba.
15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: 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.
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.
18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
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.
20 And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
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:
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.
24 And Abraham said, I will swear.
25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away.
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.
27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.
28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
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.
31 Wherefore he called that place Beer–sheba; because there they sware both of them.
32 Thus they made a covenant at Beer–sheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
33 And Abraham planted a grove in Beer–sheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God.
34 And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines’ land many days.
Genesis 21 (ASV)
1 And Jehovah visited Sarah as he had said, and Jehovah did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
2 And Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.
5 And Abraham was a hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh; every one that heareth will laugh with me.
7 And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should give children suck? for I have borne him a son in his old age.
8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.
9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne unto Abraham, mocking.
10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this handmaid and her son: for the son of this handmaid shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight on account of his son.
12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy handmaid; in all that Sarah saith unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
13 And also of the son of the handmaid will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
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 gave her the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.
15 And the water in the bottle was spent, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not look upon the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lifted up her voice, and wept.
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.
18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thy hand; for I will make him a great nation.
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.
20 And God was with the lad, and he grew; and he dwelt in the wilderness, and became, as he grew up, an archer.
21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
22 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol the captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:
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.
24 And Abraham said, I will swear.
25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of the well of water, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away.
26 And Abimelech said, I know not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to-day.
27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and they two made a covenant.
28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
30 And he said, These seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that it may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
31 Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba; because there they sware both of them.
32 So they made a covenant at Beer-sheba: and Abimelech rose up, and Phicol the captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
33 And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of Jehovah, the Everlasting God.
34 And Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days.
Summary
Yahweh visits Sarah as he had promised, and she bears Abraham a son, Isaac, in his old age. Abraham circumcises him on the eighth day; Sarah rejoices that God has made her laugh. At Isaac's weaning feast, Sarah sees Ishmael mocking and demands that Hagar and her son be cast out. Though grieved, Abraham obeys after God assures him that Isaac is the line of promise and that Ishmael too will become a nation. In the wilderness Hagar despairs as the water runs out, but God hears the boy, opens her eyes to a well, and promises to make him great. Later Abimelech and Phicol seek a covenant with Abraham, who confronts them over a seized well; they swear an oath at Beersheba, where Abraham plants a tamarisk and calls on Yahweh, the Everlasting God.
Main Characters
- Isaac — The promised son born to Abraham and Sarah in their old age, fulfilling God's long-awaited word.
- Sarah — Abraham's wife, who bears Isaac and laughs with joy, yet insists Hagar and Ishmael be sent away.
- Abraham — The father of Isaac who, though grieved, obeys God and later makes a covenant of peace at Beersheba.
- Hagar — Sent into the wilderness with Ishmael, she despairs until God hears, provides water, and promises him a future.
- Abimelech — The king who seeks a covenant with Abraham and settles a dispute over a well at Beersheba.
Key Verse
Genesis 21:1 (WEB)
Yahweh visited Sarah as he had said, and Yahweh did to Sarah as he had spoken.
Lessons Learned
- God keeps his promises at exactly the time he has appointed, however long the wait.
- God hears the cry of the desperate and provides for those the world overlooks.
- God's purposes can move forward even through painful and imperfect family situations.
- A life of faith includes worship, peacemaking, and calling on the name of God.
- God acts exactly as he has spoken. Yahweh visited Sarah as he had said and did to her as he had spoken, fulfilling his promise precisely (Genesis 21:1, WEB).
- God turns waiting into laughter. Sarah says God has made her laugh and that everyone who hears will laugh with her, joy replacing long years of barrenness (Genesis 21:6, WEB).
- God hears the cry of the helpless. When the water is gone, God hears the voice of the boy and tells Hagar not to be afraid (Genesis 21:17, WEB).
- God opens eyes to provision already near. God opens Hagar's eyes and she sees a well of water, finding help that was present all along (Genesis 21:19, WEB).
- God's election does not abandon the other. Though Isaac is the line of promise, God still vows to make Ishmael a nation because he is Abraham's seed (Genesis 21:13, WEB).
- Faith calls on the Everlasting God. Abraham plants a tamarisk at Beersheba and calls there on the name of Yahweh, the Everlasting God (Genesis 21:33, WEB).
- How does the birth of Isaac display God's faithfulness to his word (Genesis 21:1-2)?
- What does God's care for Hagar and Ishmael in the wilderness reveal about his compassion (Genesis 21:17-19)?
- How does Abraham handle the grief of sending Ishmael away, and what role does God's reassurance play (Genesis 21:12-13)?
- Where are you currently waiting on a promise or hope, and how does Isaac's birth encourage you?
- How have you experienced God hearing and providing in a moment of desperation like Hagar's?
- After decades of waiting, Sarah conceives and bears Isaac at the very set time God had spoken, when Abraham is a hundred years old. The birth proves that God's promises are not empty; he fulfills his word with precision, even when fulfillment seems biologically impossible.
- When Hagar gives up hope and weeps, God hears the boy's voice, comforts her, opens her eyes to a well, and promises to make Ishmael a great nation. It shows God's tender compassion for the outcast and desperate, and his attentiveness to those the family circle has pushed away.
- The matter is very grievous to Abraham because of his son, yet God reassures him that the promise runs through Isaac and that Ishmael will also become a nation. Trusting God's word enables Abraham to release what he cannot control into God's faithful hands.
- Personal: invite members to name a promise or hope they are waiting on. Encourage them, through Isaac's birth, to trust God's perfect timing even when the wait stretches long and seems impossible.
- Personal: ask members to recall a moment of desperation where help appeared. Encourage them to share how God heard them, and to look, like Hagar, for provision that may already be near but unseen.