Genesis 21
1 Yahweh was very kind to Sarah, just as he said he would be. He did for Sarah exactly what he promised to do.
The LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did to Sarah as he had spoken.
2 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son for Abraham when he was very old, at the time God promised it would happen.
Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
3 Abraham gave the name ‘Isaac’ (which means ‘he laughs’) to the son Sarah gave birth to.
Abraham called his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.
4 Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when his son was eight days old, just as God commanded him to do.
Abraham circumcised his son, Isaac, when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.
5 Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born.
Abraham was one hundred years old when his son, Isaac, was born to him.
6 And Sarah said, “[Although I was sad before because I did not have any children], God has now enabled me to laugh, and everyone who hears about what God has done for me will laugh with me.”
Sarah said, “God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears will laugh with me.”
7 Then she also said, “No one would have said to Abraham that some day Sarah would nurse a child, but I have given birth to a son when Abraham is very old.”
She said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.”
8 The baby grew and was weaned [when he was about three years old]. On that day, Abraham prepared a large feast to celebrate.
The child grew and was weaned. Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.
9 ([One day/During the feast)] Sarah noticed that Hagar’s son Ishmael was (making fun of/playing with) Isaac.
Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.
10 So she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman from Egypt and her son! I do not want the son of that slave woman to be alone (OR, to be an heir along with) my son, Isaac!”
Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this servant and her son! For the son of this servant will not be heir with my son, Isaac.”
11 Abraham was very distressed about the matter, because he was concerned about his son [Ishmael].
The thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight on account of his son.
12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about your son, Ishmael, and about your maidservant, Hagar. Do everything that Sarah tells you to do. Listen to her, because Isaac is the one who will be considered the ancestor of the descendants I promised to give you.
God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be grievous in your sight because of the boy, and because of your servant. In all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice. For your offspring will be named through Isaac.
13 But I will also cause the son of your maidservant to be the ancestor of the people of a great nation [MTY], because he is also your son.”
I will also make a nation of the son of the servant, because he is your child.”
14 So Abraham got up early the next morning. He got some food ready, put water in a container, and gave them to Hagar. He put them [in a bag] on her shoulder and sent them away. They wandered in the desert near Beersheba [town].
Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a container of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder; and gave her the child, and sent her away. She departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
15 After they had drunk all the water in the container, she put her son under one of the bushes there.
The water in the container was spent, and she put the child under one of the shrubs.
16 Then she went and sat nearby, about (as far as someone can shoot an arrow/100 meters away), because she thought, “I cannot endure seeing my son die!” As she sat there, she began to cry [loudly] [MTY].
She went and sat down opposite him, a good way off, about a bow shot away. For she said, “Do not let me see the death of the child.” She sat opposite him, and lifted up her voice, and wept.
17 [The boy was crying too.] And God heard the boy crying. So he caused one of his angels to call out from heaven to Hagar, saying, “Hagar, are you worried about something? Do not be afraid, because God has heard the boy crying there.
God heard the voice of the boy. The angel of God called to Hagar out of the sky, and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid. For God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.
18 Help your son up, and hold his hand as you leave, because I will cause his descendants to become a great nation.”
Get up, lift up the boy, and hold him with your hand. For I will make him a great nation.”
19 Then God showed her a well of water. So she went to the well and filled the container with water, and gave the boy a drink.
God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went, filled the container with water, and gave the boy a drink.
20 God helped the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became a good (archer/man who hunts with bow and arrows).
God was with the boy, and he grew. He lived in the wilderness, and as he grew up, he became an archer.
21 He lived in Paran Desert. While e was there, Hagar got a wife for him from Egypt.
He lived in the wilderness of Paran. His mother got a wife for him out of the land of Egypt.
22 At that time, [King] Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “It is clear that God helps you with everything that you do.
At that time, Abimelech and Phicol the captain of his army spoke to Abraham, saying, “God is with you in all that you do.
23 So now (solemnly promise/swear) to me here, as God is listening, that you will (not deceive/act fairly to) me and my children and my descendants, in return for my being kind to you. Be kind to me and to all the people here in the country where you are now living.”
Now, therefore, swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son’s son. But according to the kindness that I have done to you, you shall do to me, and to the land in which you have lived as a foreigner.”
24 So Abraham promised to do that.
Abraham said, “I will swear.”
25 [Then] Abraham complained to Abimelech about one of Abraham’s wells that Abimelech’s servants had seized.
Abraham complained to Abimelech because of a water well, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away.
26 But Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done that. You did not tell me previously, and I did not hear about it until today.”
Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing. You did not tell me, and I did not hear of it until today.”
27 So Abraham brought some sheep and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a (treaty/peace agreement).
Abraham took sheep and cattle, and gave them to Abimelech. Those two made a covenant.
28 Abraham separated seven female lambs from his flock.
Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
29 Abimelech asked Abraham, “What are these seven female lambs that you have separated from the rest of your flock?”
Abimelech said to Abraham, “What do these seven ewe lambs, which you have set by themselves, mean?”
30 Abraham replied, “I want you truly to accept these female lambs from me [SYN], so that it may be a (public witness/proof) that this well belongs to me because I dug it.”
He said, “You shall take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that it may be a witness to me, that I have dug this well.”
31 So Abimelech accepted the animals, and as a result they called that place Beersheba, [which means ‘Friendship Agreement Well’, ] because there the two of them made that agreement.
Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because they both swore an oath there.
32 After they made the agreement at Beersheba, Abimelech and his army commander, Phicol, left, and returned to the land of the Philistine people-group.
So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Abimelech rose up with Phicol, the captain of his army, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
33 Abraham planted a (tamarisk tree/kind of tree called esel) there, and he worshiped the eternal God there.
Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God.
34 Abraham lived in the land of the Philistine people-group for a long time.
Abraham lived as a foreigner in the land of the Philistines many days.
