Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

What does Genesis Chapter 21 mean?

Genesis 21 begins with the long-awaited birth of the son God had promised to Abraham and Sarah. This is the child through whom God would make of Abraham a great nation (Genesis 17:6–7). More recently, the Lord had promised both Abraham and Sarah that they would conceive and bear a son within a year’s time. Both of them laughed (Genesis 17:17; Genesis 18:12). God said the name of their son would be Isaac, which means laughter (Genesis 17:19).

Now the time has come. The Lord visits Sarah. She and Abraham conceive, just as God said, just as He promised (Genesis 18:14). At the ages of 100 and 90 respectively, Abraham and Sarah become parents. Sarah bears Abraham a son, full of joy at the laughter He has brought to her (Genesis 21:1–7).

That joy sours, though, after Isaac is weaned. Sarah sees Abraham’s son through Hagar, Ishmael, laughing. She seems to think this is directed at little Isaac. Ishmael is Abraham’s firstborn son, born to him by Sarah’s own Egyptian slave girl Hagar, at Sarah’s insistence. Now though, Sarah furiously demands that Abraham cast Hagar and Ishmael out into the wilderness to eliminate any possibility that Hagar’s son will share the inheritance with her Isaac (Genesis 21:8–10).

Abraham is greatly displeased at Sarah’s demand since he is attached to Ishmael. The Lord, however, speaks to Abraham. Abraham’s name and inheritance must pass to and through Isaac. The Lord assures Abraham He will still make a great nation of Ishmael, and so tells him to do what Sarah has asked (Genesis 21:11–13).

Abraham obeys and sends his slave wife and son into the wilderness with some bread and water. They soon run out of water, and Hagar puts her son under the shade of a bush to die. An angel calls to her from heaven, however. God has heard Ishmael’s voice, and He will still make of Ishmael a great nation. Water is provided; Hagar and Ishmael survive. Ishmael grows up in the wilderness, becoming a great archer, and eventually marrying an Egyptian woman (Genesis 21:14–21).

After Hagar and Ishmael have gone, Abimelech, king of Gerar, approaches Abraham. In spite of the fact that Abraham’s deception about Sarah being his wife nearly led to Abimelech’s death, the king has noticed that God is with Abraham. He has respect for God’s power and His blessing of all that Abraham does. Previously Abimelech has given to Abraham animals, servants, silver, and the land Abraham has been occupying. Now Abimelech would like to formalize their relationship, giving Abraham a permanent home in his region and becoming official allies (Genesis 21:22–24).

Abraham agrees to Abimelech’s request to swear not to deceive him or his offspring ever again, and to deal kindly with him and his people. Abraham insists on including in their agreement the resolution of the ownership of a disputed well, one Abraham himself had dug. He gives seven additional lambs to Abimelech as a sign that the well does indeed belong to Abraham (Genesis 21:25–30).

After they both swear their oaths to bind the agreement, the place where they met is called Beersheba, which means “well of seven” or “well of the oath.” It becomes an important place in Israel’s history (Genesis 21:31–34).

As Genesis 21 concludes, Isaac has been born and Abraham owns a well in Canaan. The promises of God to make of him a great nation and to give to him possession of the entire land have begun to come true. Still ahead, however, is the greatest test of all Abraham has learned about God, a dire request which seems to threaten this promised son.

Chapter Context
In the prior chapter, Abraham managed to get Sarah back from Abimelech, following his own deception and God’s intervention. Here, Abraham and Sarah finally conceive a natural child. Isaac, the long-awaited child of the promise, is born. In obedience to God, Abraham sends Hagar and Ishmael away. Abimelech approaches Abraham to make a treaty, giving Abraham a permanent home in a place that becomes known as Beersheba. In the following chapter, God will test Abraham’s faith and obedience, in one of Scripture’s ultimate examples of trust.

Verse by Verse

Verse 1. The Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as he had promised.

The Lord keeps His promises, no matter how unlikely they may seem from a human perspective. Not only had God promised to make Abraham a great nation, He had promised specifically that this nation would come through Sarah, a vow made twice within the last year (Genesis 17:16–21; 18:10–15). Now the Lord visits Sarah “as he had said” and the Lord does to her “as he had promised.” Somehow, in this visiting, the Lord made Sarah, finally, able to conceive a child with Abraham.

It’s interesting that, though most of God’s promises about the great nation that would flow from Abraham have been made directly to Abraham, the focus of the promise’s fulfillment rests on Sarah. God maintains a relationship with her and His promise is made to and through her.

The repetition and phrasing in this verse is meant to slow us down and cause us to notice that God is faithful. He does as He says.

Context Summary
Genesis 21:1–7 describes the moment Abraham and Sarah have been waiting on for many, many years. Ever since leaving their home to begin to wander in the land of Canaan, this is a promise they have wished to see fulfilled. God had promised to make Abraham a great nation, by giving him and Sarah a naturally-born son. Finally, their first child together is born. Isaac’s name means ”laughter,” and Sarah expresses her joy at his birth. God has done the unbelievable. He has made laughter for her.

Verse 2. And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him.

God’s timing is perfect. He had said within the hearing of both Abraham and Sarah that they would have a child within a year from a specific moment (Genesis 18:14). Though Abraham and Sarah had attempted to scheme a way to gain a son through another woman (Genesis 16:1–2), God specifically meant to provide them with their own natural child (Genesis 17:15–16). Despite their disbelieving laughter (Genesis 17:17; Genesis 18:12), that’s exactly what happened. Not only does God keep His promises, He keeps them specifically.

Sarah bears a son to Abraham in his old age. Saying these two are in their “old age,” in this situation, is quite an understatement. The following verses will reveal that Abraham is 100 years old, meaning that Sarah is right around 90. It’s never too late for God to keep His word. This makes Isaac’s birth miraculous, not only because Sarah had been barren her entire life, but also because of her advanced age when she conceived.

Verse 3. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac.

Just as God had instructed them (Genesis 17:9), Abraham named his son Isaac, which means “he laughs.” The repetition of the phrases here—”the son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him”—is meant to continue to slow the reader down and force us to ponder what has happened. Two primary points stand out.

First, of course, God kept His promise. He is faithful. He said this would happen, and it did.

Second, Abraham and Sarah were old and well beyond conceiving and bearing children. Further, Sarah had been barren for her entire life up to this point. Genesis intends for us to fully appreciate the idea that Isaac is a miracle baby. A normal married couple might reasonably have ten children, or even more, during their childbearing years, leading to numerous offspring for generations to come. This particular couple, though, through whom would come the nation of Israel, had just one son under miraculous circumstances. There should be no mistake that this birth was anything but the very work of God in the lives of His people.

Verse 4. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.

On the very same day when God had changed Abram’s name to Abraham, and Sarai’s name to Sarah, He told Abraham that Sarah would have a son within a year and they would call him Isaac. Abraham had laughed (Genesis 17:15–17). On that day, God had also commanded Abraham to be circumcised, along with every male in his household, and to circumcise all future male children born to his household at eight days old (Genesis 17:10–13).

The act of circumcision involves removing the foreskin from the penis, cutting in a circle around the organ. This ritual is deeply symbolic, echoing God’s sovereignty over fertility and children, the uniqueness of His people, and the permanence of His influence. God would continue the requirement for circumcision in the laws given to Israel through Moses (Leviticus 12:3).

Now Abraham obeys that command with this promised son Isaac, circumcising him on the eighth day of his life.

Verse 5. Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

Abraham’s age at the time of Isaac’s birth is given to emphasize that this was a supernatural work of God. This also reminds us that it has been less than a year since God had told Abraham and Sarah they would have a son. Both had laughed at the very idea of it (Genesis 17:17; Genesis 18:12), but even though Abraham was 100 years old, the day finally arrived.

God had kept His impossible, laughable, beautiful word. Even though Abraham and Sarah were well beyond the normal age of conception, and Sarah had been barren for her entire life, God provided them with a natural-born son.

Verse 6. And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.”

Previous verses listed the facts of Isaac’s birth. God has done as He said. He has kept His promise. The long-awaited child, the one who makes all future promises possible, has at last been born to a 100-year-old man and his childless, 90-year-old wife. This child is a blessing Abraham and Sarah have both desperately wanted for many years.

Here, we are witness to Sarah’s joyful emotional response. In a play on words, she gives all the credit for the birth of Isaac to the Lord. He has “made laughter” for her—Isaac’s name means “laughter.” Everyone who hears her story will laugh over her or with her, or perhaps she means people will laugh “at” her. Most scholars interpret this statement to mean Sarah believes her story will bring the joy of laughter to others. Some suggest that perhaps she believes others will laugh, as she did, at the idea that a 90-year-old woman could bear a child.

In any case, it has happened. She has laughter, at last.

Verse 7. And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

Sarah, 90 years old, continues to express her joyful response to the birth of Isaac. In the previous verse, she says that everyone who hears will laugh with her, or perhaps “at” her, since her situation is so unusual.

Now she asks, who would ever have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? The implied answer is that nobody would have said such a thing. The truth, though, is that the Lord said exactly that thing to Abraham. He is the only one who could have predicted this moment, because He is the one who made it come to pass. Despite Abraham and Sarah’s own doubts (Genesis 17:17; Genesis 18:12), and their schemes (Genesis 16:1–2), God has faithfully provided exactly what He said He would, in the time He said He would provide it (Genesis 18:14).

Sarah concludes her expression of joy by saying that though nobody could ever have predicted it, she has indeed borne Abraham a son in his old age.

Verse 8. And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.

Not only was the miracle child Isaac born, he survived being weaned. Compared to modern times, this era would have had extremely high infant mortality rates. A substantial number of infants did not survive to become independent adults. A child who survived the helplessness of their early years, until they were no longer directly dependent on their mother for food, took a step towards surviving to adulthood. Women of this time may have breastfed their children as late as two or three years old, so Isaac was likely a toddler on the day of this great feast thrown to celebrate his life.

As earlier verses indicated, there is no doubt that Isaac’s birth was entirely miraculous. His parents are decades beyond the normal age to bear children. His mother had previously been unable to conceive. Despite the doubts of Abraham and Sarah themselves (Genesis 17:17; Genesis 18:12), God’s promises came true in the form of this long-awaited child.

Context Summary
Genesis 21:8–21 describes the painful departure of Hagar and Ishmael from Abraham’s life. Now that Isaac is born, Sarah furiously demands that Abraham cast them out. He is greatly displeased, but is told by God that Ishmael will be protected and blessed. So Abraham obeys the Lord and sends them into the wilderness. God steps in and saves the mother and child. He renews his promise to make Ishmael a great nation in his own right. Ishmael grows up in the wilderness, eventually marrying an Egyptian woman.

Verse 9. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing.

The joyful arrival of Isaac as the keeping of God’s promises to Abraham and Sarah is clouded by the existence of Abraham’s older son Ishmael, perhaps 16 years old now. This is not the first time Sarah has reacted with anger and hurt feelings towards Hagar and Ishmael. That prior incident complicates our understanding of Sarah’s actions in this passage. Sarah is partly responsible for Ishmael’s place in their family. She was the one who had convinced Abraham to try to have a child with her servant girl in hopes of having her own child by proxy (Genesis 16:1–2). Almost immediately after it worked, however, Sarah had become outraged with Hagar’s new status in Abraham’s life and her contemptuous attitude (Genesis 16:4–6).

Now that Isaac has been born, it seems, Sarah simply cannot bear to have either mother or son around any longer, as will become clear in the following verses. She would have reason to be concerned, on one level, that Ishmael would somehow take Isaac’s place as Abraham’s heir.

On the day of the great feast thrown by Abraham to celebrate Isaac being fully weaned, Sarah sees something that upsets her. She sees Ishmael—”the son of Hagar the Egyptian”—laughing or mocking. The text is not clear what exactly is meant about Ishmael’s laughing. It’s possible that he was simply laughing or even playing with Isaac. Given the response described here, it’s more likely that he was making fun of something, perhaps even ridiculing little Isaac in some way. Whatever he was doing, it was enough to make Sarah angry.

Verse 10. So she said to Abraham, “Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.”

On the day of a great feast to celebrate Isaac’s being weaned, Sarah suddenly became very angry. The previous verse tells us that she saw Ishmael, now maybe 16, laughing or perhaps mocking. Whatever he was doing apparently triggered her anger over something she was likely already deeply concerned about. This is not surprising, since Sarah has already demonstrated anger and hurt feelings towards Hagar and Ishmael in the past (Genesis 16:4–6). Of course, Sarah is partly responsible for their place in her life, since she was the one who encouraged Abraham to conceive a child with Hagar (Genesis 16:1–2).

Ishmael was Abraham’s firstborn son by Sarah’s Egyptian slave girl Hagar, and Abraham clearly loved the boy. Sarah’s concerns are not entirely unreasonable. Would Ishmael somehow become Abraham’s heir? Would his presence in their family keep Sarah’s son Isaac from receiving all that was due to him? Sarah decided she could not allow this, even if she was partly responsible for it in the first place.

Apparently in a fury, she demands that Abraham cast out both the slave woman and her son. She refuses even to say their names. She simply declares her objection in direct, impersonal terms: “The son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.”

Abraham will not take this well.

Verse 11. And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son.

The language of this short verse indicates that Abraham expressed great emotion. He was very displeased with Sarah’s sudden demand to cast out his firstborn son, Ishmael. The word “displeased” is not often used in the Old Testament and only to express great anger. Abraham was very displeased.

Clearly, Abraham loved Ishmael. When God revealed that Isaac would be born within a year’s time, Abraham had immediately mentioned his wish that Ishmael could live before God (Genesis 17:18). God had assured Abraham that Ishmael would be greatly blessed, but that the covenant would pass through Isaac.

Sarah, on the other hand, is expressing a similar level of anger and bitterness as she did earlier in Ishmael’s life (Genesis 16:4–6). She claims to be concerned that Ishmael will interfere with Isaac’s inheritance. That’s not completely unreasonable, since Abraham is obviously attached to his teenaged son.

Despite Sarah’s insistence, Abraham would not likely have let Ishmael go if the Lord had not instructed him to do so in the following verse. This instruction comes along with an assurance, from God, that Ishmael will be blessed.

Verse 12. But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named.

Abraham was very displeased about Sarah’s angry demand that Hagar and Ishmael be cast out of their household. The language may indicate that he became explosively angry. He clearly loved Ishmael, who was born to Sarah’s servant Hagar at Sarah’s own urging. This was not the first time Sarah reacted to Hagar with anger and bitterness (Genesis 16:4–6). Abraham is understandably concerned: he does not want to see his teenaged son die from being cast out.

Now God speaks to Abraham and tells him not to be displeased. In fact, He tells Abraham to do whatever Sarah tells him to do. God agrees with Sarah’s point about Isaac and his inheritance, restating what He said to Abraham in Genesis 17:21: Abraham’s name will pass to Isaac, not Ishmael.

Though God will assure Abraham again in the following verse that Hagar and Ishmael will be blessed, it still seems harsh for Abraham to cast them out in into the wilderness. It doesn’t seem that either the mother or the boy have done anything to deserve such treatment. The context, however, is clear that the Lord intended to take the responsibility for caring for Hagar and Ishmael Himself. He would not abandon them.

As painful as it was for Abraham, God wanted Abraham to end his role in Ishmael’s life for the sake of the covenant and Israel’s future.

Verse 13. And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.”

Abraham was greatly displeased at the idea of casting his firstborn son Ishmael out of his family and household. God told Abraham to do it anyway, just as Sarah had said. Abraham’s name must pass to Isaac, not Ishmael. But God’s intent is not to abandon these two to death or poverty.

Here, God reassures Abraham once more that He will make a nation of Hagar. She and Ishmael would be provided for and become established. It’s the same promise God had previously made both to Hagar (Genesis 16:10) and to Abraham (Genesis 17:20).

Why would God do this for Ishmael? He was Abraham’s son, and God had promised to bless Abraham in every way. This included blessing all those related to Abraham. Even though Ishmael was the result of Abraham and Sarah trying to scheme towards their own desires, God still faithfully keeps His promises. Ishmael will not be punished or treated unfairly on account of his parents’ dispute.

Verse 14. So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.

The concept of “slavery” most often seen in the Bible is a type of servanthood very different from the lifelong, abusive slavery modern people associate with the term. The slavery practiced by Egypt, on the other hand, brought them condemnation and judgment (Exodus 1:8–11; Exodus 3:9–10). It was not uncommon in this era to give a slave his or her freedom. With that freedom, however, would come the understanding that any children born to the slave, by the slave owner, would lose any claim on future inheritance. This appears to have been Sarah’s intent in demanding that Abraham cast out Hagar and his firstborn son Ishmael.

After being instructed by God to do so, Abraham now complies. At first glance, this feels cold and uncaring. At the same time, we need to remember that God has promised to prosper Ishmael (Genesis 21:13). So, Abraham gives Hagar bread and water and sends her off to wander in the wilderness. We’re not told of any parting words or additional provisions. From Abraham’s earlier reaction, we can only assume that it wounded him deeply to send them away in such a fashion.

It’s helpful to understand that Ishmael was likely about 16 years old at this time. He had been born when Abraham was 86. Abraham was 100 when Isaac was born, and this takes place after Isaac was weaned, likely at the age of two or three. When the passage says that Abraham placed the skin of water on Hagar’s shoulder, “along with the child,” we should not read that he placed Ishmael on her shoulder.

Mother and son walked away together into the wilderness of Beersheba, which would be in the desert region of the Negev. We’re told they wandered. They had nowhere to go.

Verse 15. When the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the bushes.

In the previous verse, Abraham sent away Hagar, his slave wife, and Ishmael, his firstborn son. He was obeying the Lord’s instruction to do as his wife Sarah had demanded. God’s instruction for Abraham to follow Sarah’s wishes came with a reassurance that Ishmael would be blessed (Genesis 21:13). This was not Abraham abandoning his son to certain death, or to poverty. Still, it feels harsh to us to see a father send his son away like this.

We’re told the pair wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. Abraham had given them bread and a skin of water. If the skin was a goat skin, as was apparently common, it could have held about 3 gallons, or 15 liters, of water. That wouldn’t last two people very long in the desert, and now it was gone.

The pair were likely quite dehydrated. From a human perspective, they probably felt they had little hope of survival. Hagar found some bushes and put Ishmael under one of them in the shade. Ishmael was likely about 16 years old.

Verse 16. Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot, for she said, “Let me not look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept.

This verse continues a heartbreaking scene. Hagar and Ishmael have been wandering in the wilderness, sent away by Abraham at the Lord’s command. Sarah had demanded that these two be banished from Abraham’s family in order to ensure that Isaac would have no competition for his father’s inheritance. God reassured Abraham that Ishmael would prosper, but this did not make the act any less distressing to Abraham (Genesis 21:11–13).

Now, Hagar and Ishmael are out of water and seem certain to die. In the previous verse Hagar put her son, about 16 years old, under the shade of a bush. Here, she walks quite a distance away from him and sits down herself. She tells herself she doesn’t want to see the death of her child. This might indicate that Ishmael was faltering due to a lack of water. Or, it might simply mean that Hagar was anticipating his eventual death.

The length of a bowshot, however, is not quite far enough away to be completely out of view. She doesn’t abandon him. Perhaps she doesn’t want to hear Ishmael weeping, or she doesn’t want him to hear her. In any case, this is a sad moment.

Verse 17. And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.

The Lord had promised Abraham that Hagar and Ishmael would become a great nation. In other words, they would survive, and Ishmael’s offspring would thrive. Based on the scene described in the prior verse, this seems especially unlikely. The pair have been wandering in the wilderness, out of water and with nowhere to go. Hagar has put Ishmael, about 16 years old, under the shade of bush and walked quite a distance away so as not to see him die.

Now, though, God hears and arrives to save. Specifically, an angel of God calls from heaven to tell Hagar that God has heard the voice of the boy. Of course, God could have heard Hagar’s voice, as well. It’s not clear why the angel emphasizes that God has heard Ishmael’s voice. Perhaps it was to comfort Hagar with the understanding that she was not alone in caring about Ishmael; God would care for the boy, as well.

Hagar first met the Lord, also in the wilderness, when she fled from Sarah’s wrath after becoming pregnant by Abraham. That time, she called the Lord the “God of seeing.” She said she had seen the One who looks after her (Genesis 16:13). Now the Lord makes clear to Hagar that He will look after Ishmael, as well.

Verse 18. Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”

Hagar and her son Ishmael have come to the end of their lives, as far as she is concerned. They are out of water and lost in the wilderness. She has recently put him under a bush and sat down some distance from him, expecting him to die. Then an angel of God called to her from heaven. God had heard Ishmael’s voice.

Now the angel instructs Hagar to get up and move back to her son, to lift him up and embrace him. In other words, it’s not time to give up. The angel renews God’s promise that Ishmael would become a great nation. This is the only reason Abraham agreed to Sarah’s demand that Hagar and Ishmael be cast out: God’s promise to prosper Ishmael, not to destroy him (Genesis 21:12–13).

A common theme of the book of Genesis is that God’s plans are often fulfilled in ways we would not have expected. They sometimes take longer to complete than we’d prefer. Hagar’s story serves to remind us that our individual stories aren’t done until God’s promises to us have all been fulfilled, no matter how bleak things look in the moment.

Verse 19. Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

Hagar and Ishmael were lost in the wilderness, out of water, and seemed likely to die. They were cast out of Abraham’s family at the demand of Abraham’s wife, Sarah (Genesis 21:9–10). Hagar had given up any hope of surviving, and walked some distance away from her son, so that she wouldn’t have to watch him waste away (Genesis 21:15–16).

Then, an angel of God called to Hagar from heaven. God had heard Ishmael’s voice. The angel tells her not to give up yet. Ishmael will still become a great nation. This promise is the reason Abraham was willing—though heartbroken—to send them away (Genesis 21:11–13). Even when things look bleak, God’s promises are still intact.

Here, God provides water. Just as He did when Hagar was pregnant (Genesis 16:7–13), the Lord demonstrates His intent to protect her son, Ishmael. Hagar suddenly sees a well she did not see before. She fills the skin Abraham gave to her, and she gives water to Ishmael.

Verse 20. And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow.

Abraham evicted Hagar and Ishmael at the demand of Sarah (Genesis 21:9–10). At first, the idea made Abraham extremely upset, but God promised to prosper Ishmael (Genesis 21:11–13), and agreed that they should be sent away. Eventually, the pair ran out of water after wandering in the wilderness, and Hagar went to sit far enough away from her son that she would not have to watch him die.

God’s promise, however, was not going to fail. In the prior verse, God saved Hagar and Ishmael from dying of thirst in the wilderness, as Hagar stumbles across a well of water. God’s promise is still in place. Ishmael would not only survive; he would become a great nation.

In Genesis 17, Abraham had expressed his desire for his son Ishmael to live with God. Though God would not establish Abraham’s covenant with Ishmael, the Lord had assured Abraham that Ishmael would not be abandoned (Genesis 17:18–20). Now we see that God is still with Ishmael.

Though he and his mother continued to live in the wilderness, Ishmael grew and thrived. He became an expert bowman. This may mean he became a skilled hunter or skilled in battle as an archer, or both.

Verse 21. He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Abraham’s firstborn son had been sent away at God’s instruction, after the birth of Isaac. After nearly dying in the wilderness, Ishmael and Hagar had been saved by the Lord. God continues to be with Ishmael, blessing the boy as he grows into a man in a place called the wilderness of Paran.

Normally, a father would arrange his son’s marriage. Hagar took on that duty, finding a wife for her son among her own people in Egypt (Genesis 12:16; 16:1).

When Hagar first met the Lord while pregnant with Ishmael, He had revealed to her some details about Ishmael’s future. He would be a wild donkey of a man in conflict with everyone. He would dwell over and against his kinsman, meaning his extended family (Genesis 16:12). God had revealed even more to Abraham. Ishmael would father 12 princes and become a great nation (Genesis 17:20). God would not fail to keep His promise to bless Abraham’s firstborn son. This verse establishes the beginning of these promises coming true.

Verse 22. At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, “God is with you in all that you do.

Abimelech is the king of Gerar. He and Abraham had met under difficult circumstances, as described in Genesis 20. In short, Abraham had lied about Sarah not being his wife (Genesis 20:2). Abimelech had taken her for his own wife only to be struck with an illness and threatened with death by Abraham’s God (Genesis 20:3–6). After confronting Abraham about the reasons for his lie, Abimelech had returned Sarah to Abraham, untouched, along with gifts of animals, servants, silver, and the land upon which Abraham was now settled (Genesis 20:8–15).

Apparently, realizing how abundantly God was blessing Abraham, now including the miraculous birth of a promised child, Abimelech set aside any lingering resentment over the incident and hoped to become Abraham’s formal ally.

He brought with him the commander of his army and opened by stating flatly that it was apparent to him that God was with Abraham in everything he did. Having spoken to God himself in a dream, Abimelech had firsthand reason to be impressed with the level of God’s favor for Abraham.

Context Summary
Genesis 21:22–34 describes a covenant treaty between Abraham and Abimelech, king of Gerar. Abimelech had previously given Abraham land to occupy. Now the king wishes to formalize their relationship. Abraham swears not to deceive Abimelech or his offspring again, and to deal kindly with all in the land. Abimelech agrees to recognize Abraham’s ownership of a well at the place which becomes known as Beersheba, which means ”well of seve” or ”well of the oath.”

Verse 23. Now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my descendants or with my posterity, but as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned.”

Abimelech, king of Gerar, approached Abraham in hopes of formalizing their relationship in his kingdom. Abimelech understood that Abraham’s God was powerful and was committed to blessing Abraham in all he did. Abimelech wanted to have a good relationship with Abraham and share in that blessing.

To that end, Abimelech came with a request that Abraham would swear to several things by God. First, he asked Abraham to swear not to be deceptive with him or his descendants or even those who would come after. Abimelech pictured a long relationship between his own people and Abraham’s people in the land of his kingdom.

Abimelech had reason to be wary of Abraham’s deceptiveness. Abraham’s lie about not being married to Sarah had nearly cost Abimelech his life when God struck him with an illness after taking Sarah for his own wife (Genesis 20:3–11).

On the positive side, Abimelech also asked Abraham to swear to deal kindly with him and with the land, in the same way that Abimelech had already been kind to Abraham.

The following verse contains Abraham’s reply.

Verse 24. And Abraham said, “I will swear.”

Abimelech, king of Gerar, has asked Abraham to swear to a several things as a way of formalizing an agreement between them. Abimelech had previously given to Abraham the land upon which he and his household were now living. He had seen that Abraham’s God is with him in everything. This would have included the miraculous birth of Abraham’s son, Isaac, through his wife, Sarah.

Abimelech asked, in essence, that Abraham would swear not to deceive him or his descendants. This provision is made because of the lie Abraham told earlier about Sarah, which nearly cost Abimelech his life (Genesis 20:3–11). Abraham is also asked to swear to act kindly toward Abimelech and the land, in this case meaning the kingdom. Abimelech seems to want to be included in, or least associated with, the blessings Abraham has obtained from God.

Now Abraham replies with what seems to be a short, blunt reply. As the next verse will reveal, Abraham has a complaint he wants to address with Abimelech.

Verse 25. When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech ‘s servants had seized,

Abraham has agreed to swear before God to several things Abimelech has asked about, including not deceiving him and dealing kindly with him and his kingdom. The provision for honesty is the result of Abraham’s own deception. Earlier, Abraham and Sarah had caused great trouble for Abimelech’s household by hinting that they were not actually married (Genesis 20:3–11). Abimelech treated Abraham well, given all of this, but still wants to encourage Abraham’s honesty.

Now though, Abraham raises an issue that has been bothering him. Abimelech’s servants had seized a well of water from Abraham, one we will soon learn that Abraham dug himself. Water, of course, was of vital importance in this part of the world. Without a reliable source of water, Abraham could not hope to remain in Abimelech’s kingdom.

Abraham was understandably upset that Abimelech’s men had seized his well. He believed himself to be the owner of the well. Why would Abimelech’s men do this? Abimelech will respond in the following verse.

Verse 26. Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today.”

Abimelech, the king of Gerar, has approached Abraham with a proposal. The king wishes to create a formal agreement with Abraham, seemingly in order to gain some benefit from Abraham’s blessings from God. After agreeing to swear before God not to deceive Abimelech again and only to deal kindly with him, Abraham immediately presented a grievance: A well that Abraham had dug and rightly felt belonged to him had been seized by Abimelech’s men.

Here, Abimelech insists he didn’t know anything about this issue. He didn’t even know which men had seized the well. This was all new information to him. This is similar to his claims that he was unaware of Sarah’s marriage to Abraham in chapter 20. We’re not told how or if Abimelech offered to resolve the issue, though the men continue with their covenant, so Abimelech clearly planned to return the well to Abraham and his men. Abraham will specifically include this well in the oath, described in the following verses.

Verse 27. So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant.

Abimelech, king of Gerar, had approached Abraham to make a covenant meant to formalize their relationship. Abraham was living in Abimelech’s land, at his invitation, in spite of Abraham’s earlier deception (Genesis 20). Abraham has agreed to swear not to deceive Abimelech and to deal kindly with him. At the same time, Abraham has expressed his concern that Abimelech’s men have taken his well. A water source, which Abraham had established, had been captured by men under Abimelech’s command. Abimelech claims he knows of no such incident, and agrees to return the rights to this well to Abraham.

Now Abraham gives to Abimelech sheep and oxen as a sign of this covenant between them. In the following verses, he will give additional sheep specifically to show a clear resolution to the issue of the disputed well.

Verse 28.Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock apart.

Abraham has already given to Abimelech oxen and sheep as a sign of the formal covenant sealing their relationship. Abraham will live in the land of Abimelech’s kingdom in good faith, dealing kindly with all and not again deceiving Abimelech, or his offspring. Part of this agreement deals with the rights to a well, which Abraham had dug (Genesis 21:25).

Now Abraham sets aside seven additional sheep, ewe lambs, for a specific purpose related to this covenant. In the next verses, he will explain how these sheep will signify the true ownership of this well.

Verse 29. And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?”

Abraham and Abimelech have been discussing a formal covenant to solidify their relationship. This has included provisions that Abraham be honest with Abimelech and his descendants—inspired by Abraham’s own dishonesty regarding Sarah (Genesis 20:3–11). Abraham agreed to this idea, but also brought up the issue of a well which he had dug, and which Abimelech’s men had captured (Genesis 21:25). The covenant process, so far, has included the exchange of animals.

In addition to the more general covenant of friendship between Abraham and Abimelech, Abraham set aside seven ewe lambs. Now Abimelech asks what this is about. What is the meaning of these seven lambs? The following verses will reveal that these lambs are Abraham’s attempt to resolve the issue of a disputed well.

Verse 30. He said, “These seven ewe lambs you will take from my hand, that this may be a witness for me that I dug this well.”

In addition to giving Abimelech sheep and oxen as a sign of the broad covenant between them to treat each other agreeably, Abraham has set aside seven ewe lambs for a specific purpose. Here, in verse 30, he reveals their exact purpose. He wants Abimelech to take the lambs as a witness that he dug the well that is in dispute between them. Earlier, Abraham complained about Abimelech’s men taking over a water source which he had dug (Genesis 21:25).

In broad terms, Abraham is offering to formally buy back his own well, in order to once and for all resolve the issue of who it belongs to. Abimelech apparently agrees to this, and the two swear their oaths in the following verse.

Verse 31. Therefore that place was called Beersheba, because there both of them swore an oath.

The formal treaty between Abraham and Abimelech seems to have been significant enough to warrant changing the name of the well involved in the transaction. Beersheba means “well of seven” or “well of the oath.” The two men swore their oaths in that place, giving Abraham the official ownership of a well in the land of Canaan. Their agreement also included a promise for their respective households to treat each other agreeably. Abimelech had originally been the one to approach Abraham, seeking to benefit from Abraham’s favor with God.

The taking of an oath is a significant event in the Bible. God’s Law would command His people to always keep their oaths, at any cost. Jesus would later tell Christians to avoid taking oaths, to prevent even the possibility of breaking them. Instead, we must be so trustworthy that our “yes” and “no” require no additional swearing to be believed (Matthew 5:34–37; James 5:12).

Verse 32. So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines.

A solemn treaty between Abimelech, king of Gerar, and Abraham has just been completed. Abimelech and Abraham have exchanged animals as part of an agreement for their households to treat each other agreeably. Abraham has also claimed formal ownership of the well he dug, and which was taken at some point by men serving under Abimelech. His symbolic price for these rights was seven sheep. This agreement was significant enough that the name of the well’s location was changed to Beersheba, meaning “well of the oath” or “well of seven.”

Now Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, return home. We’re told that Gerar is located in the land of Philistines. These Philistines may have been the forerunners to those who would later plague Israel in the time of Saul and David. Or, the text may be saying that Gerar was in a region which would later be occupied by the Philistines.

Verse 33. Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord, the Everlasting God.

In prior verses, Abraham formally accepted a covenant with Abimelech, the king of Gerar (Genesis 21:22–24). As part of this agreement, Abraham gave seven sheep to Abimelech to absolutely secure his right to a particular well. Abraham had dug this water source himself, but Abimelech’s men, at some point, had taken it over (Genesis 21:25).

Having secured the ownership rights to the well at Beersheba, Abraham further puts down roots, so to speak, by planting a tamarisk tree. Tamarisk trees could reach 30 feet high and would provide excellent shade in the desert climate of the region. The planting of a tree required a reliable water source, and this further symbolizes the importance of this location.

The planting of this tree may have been related to Abraham’s calling on the name of “El-Olam,” the Everlasting God. Much later, Abraham’s son Isaac would meet the Lord here at Beersheba and build and altar to Him. Beersheba becomes a significant spot for Israel’s patriarchs and the nation.

Verse 34. And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines.

Earlier in Genesis, God had promised to make Abraham a great nation and to give to Abraham’s descendants all of the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:1–3). For much of Abraham’s life, that seemed very unlikely, at least from a human perspective. Now, though, it had at least begun. Isaac had been born, a miraculous birth to a married couple decades beyond normal child-rearing ages (Genesis 21:1–3). Abraham now formally owned a well in Canaan, and had come to a covenant agreement with the king of Gerar, Abimelech (Genesis 21:22–31).

Abraham continued to live in this region of Beersheba for “many days.” This area is called “the land of the Philistines.” This may be because the people who lived there in Abraham’s day were the ancestors of those later to be called Philistines. It is also possible that the writer is referring to this region by the name of those who would later occupy it.

End of Chapter 21.

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