12. The birth of Isaac 21:1-21God proved faithful to His promise by providing Isaac. Abraham and Sarah responded with obedience and praise. Ishmael, however, became a threat to Abraham’s heir and, consequently, his father sent him away into the wilderness where God continued to provide for him and his mother. read more
The expulsion of Ishmael and God’s care of him and Hagar 21:8-21All was not well in Abraham’s household even though God had provided the heir. Ishmael was a potential rival to Isaac’s inheritance. This section records another crisis in the story of Abraham’s heir. Waltke pointed out six parallels between Hagar and Ishmael’s trek and Abraham and Isaac’s (ch. 22). [Note: Waltke, Genesis, p. 292.] Normally in ancient Near Eastern culture the son of a concubine became the heir of his mother but not... read more
Birth of Isaac. Dismissal of Hagar and Ishmael. Covenant between Abraham and Abimelech8. Weaned] in his second or third year, as is usual among Orientals.9. Ishmael had no doubt been regarded as Abraham’s heir until the birth of Isaac. The change in his prospects may account for his conduct, which St. Paul uses to illustrate the persecution of the Christians by the Jews (Galatians 4:29). Proud of their natural descent as children of Abraham, the Jews scorned the idea that God could regard... read more
(11) The thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight.—Heb., the word (or matter) was evil exceedingly in Abraham’s eyes. It was not merely painful to him because of his natural affection for Ishmael (Genesis 17:18), but he also thought the proposal unjust. read more
Sarah the Steadfast Genesis 21:0 What is that quality in the mind of Sarah which lies below all other qualities, and which subsists when others change? It may be expressed in one word steadfastness. The abiding secret of this woman's greatness is her own abidingness. I. Sarah in the romantic stage. When the scene first opens in the married life of Abraham and Sarah, they are having an experience which their romance had not bargained for the poverty of the land. For a married pair I can imagine... read more
ISHMAEL AND ISAACGenesis 21:1-34; Genesis 22:1-24Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. Which things are an allegory.- Galatians 4:22."Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son." Genesis 22:10IN the birth of Isaac, Abraham at length sees the long-delayed fulfilment of the promise. But his trials are by no means over. He has himself introduced into his family the seeds of discord and disturbance, and speedily the fruit is borne. Ishmael,... read more
CHAPTER 21 Isaac and Ishmael and the Covenant with Abimelech 1. Isaac’s birth (Genesis 22:1-3 ) 2. His circumcision (Genesis 22:4-8 ) 3. Ishmael mocking (Genesis 22:9 ) 4. Sarah’s demand (Genesis 22:10-11 ) 5. God speaks to Abraham (Genesis 22:12-13 ) 6. Hagar and Ishmael cast out (Genesis 22:14-16 ) 7. The intervention of God (Genesis 22:17-21 ) 8. The covenant with Abimelech (Gen. 22:22-34) Isaac, the promised seed, was born at the set time as God had spoken. As there was a set... read more
THE PROMISE FULFILLED IN ISAAC Now the grace of God bears its most important fruit in the history of Abraham. Sarah, at the unlikely age of 90 years, gives birth to Isaac, at the time God Himself had appointed (v.2). Though faith (that of Abraham) had waited long, till he was 100 years of age, yet grace (as seen in Sarah) eventually bore the fruit that God had promised. This pictures the fact that believers throughout the Old Testament had waited through centuries before the grace of God is... read more
ISAAC ’S BIRTH , SARAH ’S DEATH THE BONDWOMAN AND HER SON (CHAP. 21) There is little requiring explanation in this chapter, but Genesis 21:9-13 should not be passed without a look at Galatians 4:21-31 . Christians are the spiritual seed of Abraham, and those who would supplement faith in Christ by the works of the law are the children of the bond-woman, who have no place with the children of the promise. God, however, is not unmindful of Hagar and Ishmael, nor of His promise to Abraham... read more
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Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 21:11-13
"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