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.
And the Lord visited Sara, as he had promised: and fulfilled what 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.
And she conceived and bore a son in her old age, at the time that God had foretold her.
3 Abraham gave the name ‘Isaac’ (which means ‘he laughs’) to the son Sarah gave birth to.
And Abraham called the name of his son, whom Sara bore him, Isaac.
4 Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when his son was eight days old, just as God commanded him to do.
And he circumcised him the eighth day, as God had commanded him,
5 Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born.
When he was a hundred years old: for at this age of his father was Isaac born.
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.”
And Sara said: God hath made a laughter for me: whosoever shall hear of it 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.”
And again she said: Who would believe that Abraham should hear that Sara gave suck to a son, whom she bore to him 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.
And the child grew and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast on the day of his weaning.
9 ([One day/During the feast)] Sarah noticed that Hagar’s son Ishmael was (making fun of/playing with) Isaac.
And when Sara had seen the son of Agar the Egyptian playing with Isaac her son, she said to Abraham:
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!”
Cast out this bondwoman, and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.
11 Abraham was very distressed about the matter, because he was concerned about his son [Ishmael].
Abraham took this grievously for 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.
And God said to him: Let it not seem grievous to thee for the boy, and for thy bondwoman: in all that Sara hath said to thee, hearken to her voice: for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
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.”
But I will make the son also of the bondwoman a great nation, because he is thy seed.
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].
So Abraham rose up in the morning, and taking bread and a bottle of water, put it upon her shoulder, and delivered the boy, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Bersabee.
15 After they had drunk all the water in the container, she put her son under one of the bushes there.
And when the water in the bottle was spent, she cast the boy under one of the trees that were there.
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].
And she went her way, and sat over against him a great way off as far as a bow can carry, for she said: I will not see the boy die: and sitting over against, she 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.
And God heard the voice of the boy: and an angel of God called to Agar from heaven, saying: What art thou doing, Agar? fear not: for God hath heard the voice of the boy, from the place wherein 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.”
Arise, take up the boy, and hold him by the 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.
And God opened her eyes: and she saw a well of water, and went and filled the bottle, and gave the boy to 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).
And God was with him: and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became a young man, an archer.
21 He lived in Paran Desert. While e was there, Hagar got a wife for him from Egypt.
And he dwelt in the wilderness of Pharan, and his mother took 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 the same time Abimelech, and Phicol the general of his army said to Abraham: God is with thee in all that thou dost.
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.”
Swear therefore by God, that thou wilt not hurt me, nor my posterity, nor my stock: but according to the kindness that I have done to thee, thou shalt do to me, and to the land wherein thou hast lived a stranger.
24 So Abraham promised to do that.
And Abraham said: I will swear.
25 [Then] Abraham complained to Abimelech about one of Abraham’s wells that Abimelech’s servants had seized.
And he reproved Abimelech for a well of water, which his servants had taken away by force.
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.”
And Abimelech answered: I knew not who did this thing: and thou didst not tell me, and I heard not of it till today.
27 So Abraham brought some sheep and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a (treaty/peace agreement).
And Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech: and both of them made a league.
28 Abraham separated seven female lambs from his flock.
And Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs of the flock.
29 Abimelech asked Abraham, “What are these seven female lambs that you have separated from the rest of your flock?”
And Abimelech said to him: What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set apart?
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.”
But he said: Thou shalt take seven ewe lambs at my hand: that they may be a testimony for me, that I 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 that place was called Bersabee: because there both of them did swear.
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.
And they made a league for the well of oath.
33 Abraham planted a (tamarisk tree/kind of tree called esel) there, and he worshiped the eternal God there.
And Abimelech, and Phicol the general of his army arose and returned to the land of the Palestines. But Abraham planted a grove in Bersabee, and there called upon the name of the Lord God eternal.
34 Abraham lived in the land of the Philistine people-group for a long time.
And he was a sojourner in the land of the Palestines many days.
