Genesis 21:9

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Genesis 21:9

mocking. Hebrew "laughing" or "chaffing", or "mocking again" (as we say). read more

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Genesis 21:8-10

"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

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Genesis 21:9

Genesis 21:9. Son of Hagar—mocking— St. Paul calls this persecuting, Gal 4:29 and the original word מצחק metsachek, would lead one to think that Ishmael's ill-usage consisted, in part, of ridicule and abuse of Isaac for his name. The feast was, in fact, the initiation of Isaac, and his father's declaration concerning him, which Ishmael, who thought he had a prior right, was not able to bear; and there is no ground to imagine more, than that this exasperated his rough nature to commit such... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Genesis 21:9

9. Sarah saw the son of Hagar . . . mocking—Ishmael was aware of the great change in his prospects, and under the impulse of irritated or resentful feelings, in which he was probably joined by his mother, treated the young heir with derision and probably some violence ( :-). read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 21:1-21

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

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Genesis 21:8-21

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

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 21:1-34

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

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Genesis 21:9

(9) Mocking.—The verb used here is the same as that rendered to laugh in Genesis 21:6, but in an intensive conjugation. What exactly Ishmael was doing is not said, but we may dismiss all those interpretations which charge him with abominable wickedness; for had he been guilty of any such criminal conduct, the sending him away would not have been so “very grievous in Abraham’s sight” (Genesis 21:11). On the other hand, we may feel sure that Sarah was not without good reason for her conduct; for... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Genesis 21:1-34

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

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Genesis 21:1-34

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

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