Genesis 21The Birth of Isaac

Genesis 21:1-2 The Birth of Isaac

1 And the LORD remembered Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as He had spoken.

2 And Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

Genesis 21:1-2 The Birth of Isaac

Q: How were they able to conceive and bear a child in their old age?

• Miraculously rejuvenated?

• Only Sarah became young again, enabling her to bear and nurse a child?

• Abraham will father not only Isaac but also six more sons by his 2nd wife Keturah (Gen. 25:2)

Q: Was the aging process completely reversed?

• Abraham lives to be 175; but Sarah dies at 127 (23:1)

Genesis 21:3-4 The Birth of Isaac

Ex: The significance of the name Isaac:

• Reminding Abraham of his laugh of amazement when told he would father a son at 99-100

• Reminding Sarah of her laugh of disbelief and repentance of her doubts

• Reminding them of the great joy they shared when Isaac was finally born (v. 6)

Genesis 21:3-4 The Birth of Isaac

3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.

4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.

Genesis 21:5-6 The Birth of Isaac

Q: Why mention circumcision (v. 4)

• To reveal the distinction between the promises God has made to the descendants of Abraham through Isaac (17:12)

• To remind us that God did not promise his covenant blessing through Abraham’s son Ishmael (Hagar) (17:18-19) even though Ishmael was circumcised

• To remind the Jews that the child Isaac was a child of faith/promise, not of the flesh/natural processes of youth

Genesis 21:5-6 The Birth of Isaac

5 And Abraham was a hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.

6 And Sarah said: 'God hath made laughter for me; every one that heareth will laugh on account of me.'

Genesis 21:7 The Birth of Isaac

7 And she said: 'Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.'

Genesis 21:7 The Birth of Isaac

“So far as the record goes, Isaac was an intelligent, handsome, and obedient son, fulfilling in every way his parents’ hopes and dreams” (Morris, p. 367)

• Sarah nursed him until age 2 or 3

• The day of his weaning was marked by a great feast, as was the custom

• Guests were all those born in his household, and perhaps those Philistines dwelling nearby (Gen. 21:34)

Genesis 21:9-21The Expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael

Genesis 21:9-119 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian [Ishmael], whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing.

• ‘scoffing’ is the same Hebrew word for ‘laugh’ although the context implies that he is mocking her

• Sarah had earlier mistreated Hagar (16:6)

• Now Hagar’s son is mistreating Sarah and her son

• Sarah had caused Hagar to flee when pregnant (16:6)

• Now Sarah is causing Hagar and her 16-17 year old son to flee

Genesis 21:9-11“Isaac, the object of holy laughter, was made the butt of unholy wit and profane sport. He did not laugh but he made fun. The little helpless Isaac a father of nations! Unbelief, envy, pride of carnal superiority, were the causes of his conduct. Because he did not understand the sentiment, ‘Is anything too wonderful for the Lord?’ it seemed to him absurd to link so great a thing to one so small” (K & D, p. 244)

Genesis 21:9-11Gal. 4:29 calls this the persecution of those who are living after the flesh toward those who are living according to the spirit.

Paul discerns in this a prediction of the persecution, which the Church of those who are born after the Spirit of faith endures from those who are in bondage to the righteousness of the law (whether that is OT Law, or the Sharia Law of another culture…).

Genesis 21:9-1110 Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.” 

“The two emphases [in 1-13] then are these: the birth of Isaac (in which the naming commemorated the fulfillment and the circumcision confirmed the covenant), and the expulsion of Ishmael as the removal of the threat. Once the promised child was received, Abraham and Sarah, rejoicing in God’s miraculous provision, had to avoid any possible threat to Isaac’s inheritance. Because God chose one son, His choice had to be protected.” (Walvoord, O.T. Bible Knowledge Commentary, p. 62)

Genesis 21:9-11Q: Did this demand proceed from maternal jealousy?

Yes, probably. But it is Divinely sanctioned.

Abraham loved Ishmael:

• He was his own flesh & blood (although not Sarah’s)

• He was the recipient of Divine promises (17:18-20), although they are distinct from the promises given to Isaac and Isaac’s descendants

• The Promises of Covenant blessing would go only through Isaac (17:21, cf. Rom. 9:7-8; Heb. 11:18)

Genesis 21:9-1111 And the matter was very displeasing in Abraham’s sight because of his son.

Genesis 21:12-1312 But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for in Isaac your seed shall be called. 

13 Yet I will also make a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your seed.”

• God repeats the blessing He has promised to Ishmael in 17:20)

Genesis 21:14-1614 So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy to Hagar, and sent her away. Then she departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba. 

Genesis 21:14-16Q: Does ‘putting it’ on her shoulder refer to the bread and water, or to Ishmael? Is he a young child? Does the following verse imply that he is young, because after wandering in the wilderness, she ‘cast the boy under one of the shrubs?’

No. The word here is not the Hebrew word for an infant, but for a boy, or a young man (4:23). Ishmael is 15-17 years old, as he was at least 14 before Isaac is born. (see 16:16 – “Abram was 86 years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him” and he is 100 when the conception of Isaac is promised to Sarah; and Isaac has been born and weaned at this time (21:8). )

Genesis 21:14-1615 And the water in the skin was used up, and she placed the boy under one of the shrubs. 

• Though despairing of his life, the mother took care that at least he should breathe out his life in the shade, and she sat in a distance, weeping over him

Genesis 21:14-1616 Then she went and sat down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself, “Let me not see the death of the boy.” So she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept.

• She sat ‘in the distance as archers,’ according to a concise simile very common in Hebrew

• She is as far off as archers are accustomed to place the target (180 – 250 yards or 1 ½ to 2 ½ football fields)

• Her maternal love could not bear to see him die, and yet she would not lose sight of him

Genesis 21:17-1817 And God heard the voice of the lad. Then the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, “What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. [NASB]

Q: How did God ‘hear’ the voice? Was He in heaven, as in 18:21, when the Angel of Jehovah is speaking to Abraham?

Q: Was only Ishmael crying, and not Hagar? Both? It seems clear that Hagar is weeping.

Genesis 21:17-18Q: Why is the Divine title ‘God’ (Elohim) used, instead of ‘LORD’ (Jehovah)?

• It was Elohim, not Jehovah, who heard the voice of the boy, and appeared as the angel of Elohim, not as the angel of Jehovah (as in 16:7), because, when Ishmael and Hagar had been dismissed from Abraham’s house, they were removed from the superintendence and care of the covenant God to the guidance and providence of God the ruler of all nations.” (K & D, p. 245)

Genesis 21:17-1818 Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation.” [NASB]