Genesis 21
1 The Lord came to help Sarah as he'd said he would. The Lord did for Sarah what he'd promised.
Yahweh paid attention to Sarah as he had said he would, and Yahweh did for Sarah just as he had promised.
2 She became pregnant and had a son for Abraham when he was old, at the exact time God said she would.
Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
3 Abraham named their son Isaac.
Abraham named his son, the one who had been born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.
4 Abraham circumcised him when Isaac was eight days old, following God's command.
Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, just as God had commanded him.
5 Abraham was 100 when Isaac was born.
Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
6 Sarah declared, “God has made me laugh, and all those who hear about this will laugh with me.”
Sarah said, “God has made me laugh; every one who hears will laugh with me.”
7 She also said, “Would anyone have announced to Abraham that Sarah was going to have children to nurse? But now I have had a son for Abraham even when he was old!”
She also said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children, and yet I have borne him a son in his old age!”
8 The baby grew up, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a large feast.
The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.
9 But Sarah noticed that Ishmael, Hagar the Egyptian's son she'd had for Abraham, was making fun of Isaac.
Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.
10 So she went to Abraham and told him, “You have to get rid of this slave woman and this son of hers! A slave woman's son is not going to be one of your heirs and inherit together with my son Isaac!”
So she said to Abraham, “Drive out this slave woman and her son, for the son of this slave woman will not be heir with my son, with Isaac.”
11 Abraham felt very bad about it because Ishmael was his son.
This thing was very grievous to Abraham because of his son.
12 But God told Abraham, “Don't feel bad about the boy and the slave woman. Do whatever Sarah tells you, because it's through Isaac that your descendants will be counted.
But God said to Abraham, “Do not be grieved because of the lad, and because of your servant woman. Listen to her words in all she says to you about this matter, because it is through Isaac that your descendants will be named.
13 Don't worry—I will also make the son of the slave woman into a nation because he's your son.”
I will also make the son of the servant woman into a nation, because he is your descendant.”
14 Abraham got up early the next morning. He packed up some food and a skin of water which he gave to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder. Then he sent her and the boy away. She left and wandered through the Desert of Beersheba.
Abraham rose up early in the morning, took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder. He gave her the boy and sent her away. She departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
15 When the water ran out, she left the boy under one of the bushes.
When the water in the waterskin was gone, she abandoned the child under one of the bushes.
16 She went and sat down some way off, a few hundred yards away, saying, “I can't bear to watch my son die!” As she sat down she burst into tears.
Then she went, and sat down a short distance from him, about the distance of a bowshot away, for she said, “Let me not look upon the death of the child.” As she sat there across from him, she lifted up her voice and wept.
17 God heard the boy's cries, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and asked her, “What's the matter, Hagar? Don't be afraid! God has heard the boy crying from where he is.
God heard the voice of the lad, and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is.
18 Get up, go over and help the boy up, and encourage him, for I will make him into a great nation.”
Get up, raise up the lad, and encourage him; for I will make him into a great nation.”
19 God opened her eyes and she saw a well nearby. She went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.
Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink.
20 God blessed Ishmael and he grew up, living in the desert. He became a skilled archer.
God was with the lad, and he grew. He lived in the wilderness and became an archer.
21 He lived in the Desert of Paran. His mother chose a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
22 Around this time Abimelech came with Phicol, the commander of his army, to see Abraham. “God blesses you in everything you do,” Abimelech said.
It came about at that time that Abimelech and Phicol the captain of his army spoke to Abraham, saying, “God is with you in all that you do.
23 “So swear to me right here and now that you won't betray me, my children, or my descendants. In the same way I've proved I'm trustworthy to you, do the same to me and my country where you're currently living.”
Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me, nor with my offspring, nor with my descendants. Show to me and to the land in which you have been staying the same covenant faithfulness that I have shown to you.”
24 “I so swear,” Abraham replied.
Abraham said, “I swear.”
25 Then Abraham raised an issue with Abimelech of a well that Abimelech's servants had taken by force.
Abraham also complained to Abimelech concerning a well of water that Abimelech's servants had seized from him.
26 “I don't know who did this, and you didn't mention it before. I haven't heard anything about it until today,” Abimelech responded.
Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing. You did not tell me before now; I have not heard of it until today.”
27 Then Abraham gave Abimelech some of his sheep and cattle, and the two of them made an agreement.
So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant.
28 Abraham also separated out seven female lambs from the flock.
Then Abraham set seven female lambs of the flock by themselves.
29 “What are these seven female lambs for that you've separated from the flock?” Abimelech asked.
Abimelech said to Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven female lambs that you have set by themselves?”
30 “I'm giving you these seven female lambs in return for your admission that I dug this well,” Abraham replied.
He replied, “These seven female lambs you will receive from my hand, so that it may be a witness for me, that I dug this well.”
31 That's why he called the place Beersheba, because the two of them swore and oath to each other.
So he called that place Beersheba, because there they both swore an oath.
32 After making the agreement at Beersheba, Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army left and went home to the country of the Philistines.
They made a covenant at Beersheba, and then Abimelech and Phicol, the captain of his army, returned to the land of the Philistines.
33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and there he worshiped the Lord, the Eternal God.
Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba. There he worshiped Yahweh, the eternal God.
34 Abraham lived in the country of the Philistines for a long time.
Abraham remained as a foreigner in the land of the Philistines many days.
