[And He Walks With Me] Genesis 21
1-7 Notice the emphasis on God’s faithfulness throughout these verses. Yes, this passage is about Isaac’s birth, but it is far more about God’s faithfulness. The Lord came… as he had said, and the Lord did… what he had promised… at the appointed time God had told [Abraham]. As God had commanded him. God has made me laugh
God has made me laugh marked a dramatic departure from Sarah’s bitterness. It also acknowledged the ridiculousness of a postmenopausal woman (see note on 18:9-12) giving birth to a son. Indeed, from an objective standpoint, it was ridiculous. Yet, God can and does do seemingly preposterous things!
8 the child… was weaned at age two or three. This was a landmark occasion worthy of celebration because infant mortality rates among ancient peoples was nearly 50% or even higher within the first five years, with most of those happening in infancy before weaning. In fact, it is estimated that “having three children survive beyond the age of five would have entailed as many as six pregnancies—or more if preterm losses are included.”[43]
9-10 The KJV, NKJV, NIV, and CSB all accurately render mocking. Interestingly, the RSV translates this term “playing with,” but “the form here signifies ‘to laugh at’ or ‘make sport of.’”[44] In all likelihood, “Ishmael was probably making fun of Isaac’s role as Abraham’s promised son.”[45]
Ishmael was Abraham’s firstborn, but as the son of this slave who was now mocking her son, Sarah perceived him as a threat to the inheritance that was rightfully Isaac’s.
11 Sarah’s demand to drive away Ishmael was very distressing to Abraham because of his son. This distress arose from a combination of Abraham’s love for his son and the legal customs of the day. A servant’s son may have had relatively weak legal status, but custom still “prohibited the arbitrary expulsion of a female servant’s son.”[46]
12-13 Abraham’s fear had to be that Hagar and Ishmael would die in the wilderness without his provision and protection. However, God reiterated the promise made in 17:20 to bless Ishmael and make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. This must have seemed difficult to believe, but Abraham had seen God’s faithfulness time and again over the last 25 years. This was but one more exercise of his faith.
14 The Hebrew term rendered sent her… away (CSB) is the same one used for divorce (e.g., in Malachi 2:16). Clearly, this is not an ideal situation.
22-23 Though they were Philistines, Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army sought a permanent non-aggression pact with Abraham because they recognized that God is with you in everything you do. This represented the next step of God’s plan to make Abraham and his descendants a blessing to all the nations of the earth (see 12:3; 18:18).When unbelievers see the blessing of God upon the life of the believer, they find it compelling. They want to share in that blessing, even if they do not yet fully understand it. Be blessed, and be a blessing.
27-30 Just as Abimelech offered Abraham flocks and herds in 20:14 to affirm Sarah’s integrity, Abraham now returned the favor to affirm that [he] dug this well. This substantiates the mutual respect and amicable relationship of these two men.
33 A tamarisk tree was a leafy shrub that provided welcome shade in the desert. It was probably under a tamarisk tree that Hagar placed Ishmael in vs 15. Now, Abraham planted a similar tree so that both his son and he would find shelter and relief in the desert.
34 Again, we see that the conflict between Hebrews and Philistines is not intrinsic. The fact that Abraham lived as an alien in the land of the Philistines for many days is a poignant reminder of what could – and should – be in the Middle East today.
[43] Meyers 2013, 98
[44] Sproul 2016, Genesis 21:9
[45] The ESV Study Bible, English Standard Version 2008, Genesis 21:9
[46] NIV Study Bible 2011, Genesis 21:11