Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 21:9
Mocking - What was implied in this mocking is not known. St. Paul, Galatians 4:29 , calls it persecuting; but it is likely he meant no more than some species of ridicule used by Ishmael on the occasion, and probably with respect to the age of Sarah at Isaac's birth, and her previous barrenness. Jonathan ben Uzziel and the Jerusalem Targum represent Ishmael as performing some idolatrous rite on the occasion, and that this had given the offense to Sarah. Conjectures are as useless as they... read more
John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 21:17
And God heard the voice of the lad ,.... By which it appears that he cried also; but whether it was in prayer to God, or through the distress and misery he was in, is not certain; and, be it which it will, his cries came up into the ears of the Lord, and he had compassion on him, and supplied his wants, and delivered him out of his miserable condition: and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven ; not a created angel, but the eternal one, the Son of God, the Angel of the covenant,... read more