Genesis 21:10. Cast out the bond-woman This was a type of the rejection of the unbelieving Jews, who, though they were the seed of Abraham, yet, because they submitted not to the gospel covenant, were unchurched and disfranchised. And that which above any thing provoked God to cast them off, was, their mocking and persecuting the gospel church, God’s Isaac, in its infancy. read more
Genesis 21:11. The thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight Because of his affection to his son, and God’s promise concerning him. He who, at God’s command, which he was bound to obey, afterward so cheerfully gave up Isaac, was not so ready to part with Ishmael, to gratify the passion of an angry woman. And probably he would have denied her desire, if God had not interposed. It is remarkable that it is not said the thing was grievous because of his wife; probably he hardly considered... read more
Birth of Isaac (21:1-21)When Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him as commanded. In this way he demonstrated that Isaac was heir to God’s covenant promises (21:1-7; cf. 17:9-14).Ishmael made fun of the covenant family, as Sarah had feared. Being the son of a slave-girl, Ishmael had the right to inherit some of Abraham’s wealth, but he could surrender this right in exchange for the freedom of himself and his mother. Sarah, determined that her son should be the sole heir, tried to persuade... read more
Cast out, &c. See the Divine interpretation. Galatians 1:3 , Gal 1:6-29 ; Galatians 4:22-31 . with my son, &c Hebrew idiom "with my son with Isaac". Compare Numbers 12:8 . read more
"And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. And Sarah saw the son of the Egyptian, whom she had borne unto Abraham, mocking. 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.""The child grew, and was weaned ..." "This occurred in his second or third year, as is usual among Orientals."[2] The apocryphal book of 2Maccabees has an account of a... read more
"And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight, on account of his son. 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. And also of the son of the handmaid will I make a nation, because he is thy seed."Abraham and Sarah were then reaping the bitterness created by themselves when they chose to introduce a slave girl into Abraham's... read more
Genesis 21:10. Cast out this bond-woman and her son, &c.— It is evident from what follows, Gen 21:12 that Sarah acted, in this affair, by a Divine impulse. While, at the same time, the character of Abraham appears in a very amiable light, from the anxious tenderness which he discovers for Hagar and Ishmael; nor can he be charged either with cruelty to them, or with a too uxorious deference to Sarah, when we remark, that he acted entirely by the Divine direction, and upon the certain... read more
10. Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman—Nothing but the expulsion of both could now preserve harmony in the household. Abraham's perplexity was relieved by an announcement of the divine will, which in everything, however painful to flesh and blood, all who fear God and are walking in His ways will, like him, promptly obey. This story, as the apostle tells us, in "an allegory" [ :-], and the "persecution" by the son of the Egyptian was the commencement of the four hundred... read more
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Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Genesis 21:1-34
- The Birth of Isaac7. מלל mı̂lēl “speak,” an ancient and therefore solemn and poetical word.14. חמת chêmet “bottle,” akin to חמה chāmâh, “surround, enclose,” and הוּם chûm “black. באר שׁבע beêr-sheba‛, Beer-sheba‘, “well of seven.”22. פיכל pı̂ykol, Pikhol, “mouth or spokesman of all.”23. נין nı̂yn “offspring, kin;” related: “sprout, flourish.” נכד neked “progeny,” perhaps “acquaintance,” cognate with נגד ngd, “be before” (the eyes) and נקד nqd, “mark.”33. אשׁל 'êshel “grove;” ἄρουρα... read more