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A Baby for Sarah

21 The Lord ·cared for [visited] Sarah as he had said and did for her what he had promised. Sarah ·became pregnant [conceived] and gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. Everything happened at the time God had said it would. Abraham named his son Isaac, the son Sarah gave birth to. He circumcised [17:10] Isaac when he was eight days old as God had commanded.

Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born. And Sarah said, “God has made me laugh [C the name Isaac is related to a Hebrew word meaning “laugh”]. Everyone who hears about this will laugh ·with [or at] me. No one thought that I would ·be able to have Abraham’s child [L suckle/nurse children], but even though Abraham is old I have given him a son.”

Hagar and Ishmael Leave

Isaac grew, and when he ·became old enough to eat food [was weaned], Abraham gave a great feast [L on the day of his weaning]. But Sarah saw ·Ishmael [L the son of Hagar the Egyptian] ·making fun of Isaac [laughing; or playing]. 10 So Sarah said to Abraham, “·Throw [Drive] out this slave woman and her son. Her son should not inherit anything; my son Isaac should receive it all [Gal. 4:21—5:1].”

11 This ·troubled [distressed; upset] Abraham very much because Ishmael was also his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Don’t be ·troubled [distressed; upset] about the boy and the slave woman. Do ·whatever [all] Sarah tells you. ·The descendants I promised you will be from [L The seed will be named for you through] Isaac. 13 I will also make the ·descendants of Ishmael [L the son of your slave woman] into a great nation because he is your ·son [L seed], too.”

14 Early the next morning Abraham [L got up and] took some food and a ·leather bag full [skin] of water. He gave them to Hagar and sent her away. Carrying these things and her son [L on her shoulder], Hagar went and wandered [C the verb may imply moving aimlessly and without hope] in the ·desert [wilderness] of Beersheba [C an area in the northern part of the Negev, southern Canaan].

15 Later, when all the water was ·gone [finished] from the ·bag [skin], Hagar put her son under a bush. 16 Then she went a good way off, the distance of a bowshot, and sat down across from him. She thought, “My son will die, and I cannot watch this happen.” She sat there across from him and began to cry.

17 God heard the ·boy crying [L sound/voice of the boy], and God’s ·angel [messenger; 16:7] called to Hagar from heaven. He said, “What is wrong, Hagar? Don’t be afraid! God has heard the ·boy crying [L the sound/voice of the boy] there. 18 ·Help [Get up and lift] him up and take him by the hand. I will make ·his descendants [L him] into a great nation.” [C Ishmael is considered the ancestor of the Arab people.]

19 Then God [L opened her eyes and] showed Hagar a well of water. So she went to the well and filled her ·bag [skin] with water and gave the boy a drink.

20 God was with the boy as he grew up. Ishmael lived in the ·desert [wilderness] and became an archer. 21 He lived in the Desert of Paran [C a region in the eastern Sinai peninsula], and his mother found a wife for him in Egypt [C Hagar’s original homeland].

Abraham’s Bargain with Abimelech

22 ·Then [At that time] Abimelech came with Phicol, the commander of his army, and said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do. 23 So ·make a promise to me here before [swear to me by] God that you will ·be fair [L not deal falsely] with me and my children and my descendants. Be ·kind [loyal] to me and to this land where you have lived as a ·stranger [sojourner; wanderer; resident alien]—as ·kind [loyal] as I have been to you.”

24 And Abraham said, “I ·promise [swear].” 25 Then Abraham ·complained to [reproved; reproached] Abimelech about Abimelech’s servants who had seized a well of water.

26 But Abimelech said, “I don’t know who did this. You never told me [L and I have not heard] about this before today.”

27 Then Abraham gave Abimelech some sheep and cattle, and they made an ·agreement [covenant; treaty]. 28 Abraham also put seven female lambs ·in front of Abimelech [L apart by themselves].

29 Abimelech asked Abraham, “Why did you put these seven female lambs by themselves?”

30 Abraham answered, “Accept these lambs from ·me [L my hand] to ·prove that you believe [verify/witness that] I dug this well.”

31 So that place was called Beersheba [21:14; C meaning either “well of seven” or “well of promise”] because they ·made a promise to each other [swore an oath] there.

32 After Abraham and Abimelech ·made the agreement [L cut a covenant/treaty] at Beersheba, Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, went back to the land of the Philistines [C a region on the southern Mediterranean coast of Canaan].

33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba and prayed to the Lord, the ·God who lives forever [eternal God]. 34 And Abraham lived as a ·stranger [wanderer; sojourner; resident alien] in the land of the Philistines for ·a long time [L many days].

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