He had promised. 2 So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him (Gen. 21:1 2).

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Dominick Wells
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1 1 Then the LORD took note of Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as He had promised. 2 So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him (Gen. 21:1 2). The birth of Isaac (21:1 21) shows that God proved faithful to His promise by providing an heir. Abraham and Sarah responded with obedience and praise. Ishmael, however, became a threat to Abraham's heir and, consequently, his father sent him away into the wilderness where God continued to provide for him and his mother. 21:1 2 The emphasis in this brief section is on the faithfulness and power of God in keeping His promise and providing an heir miraculously through Sarah (17:16; 18:14). Note the threefold repetition of "as He had said," "as He had promised," and "of which God had spoken" (vv. 1 2). The tension of anticipation finally subsides, but only temporarily. God "visited" Sarah (v. 1, NIV), a common metaphor that describes God's intervention in nature and human affairs. The Hebrew word translated "visited" (paqad) also appears when God intervened to save the Israelites from Egyptian bondage (50:24 25; Exod. 4:31) and when He ended a famine (Ruth 1:6). It also occurs when He made Hannah conceive (1 Sam. 2:21) and when He brought the Jewish exiles home from Babylonian captivity (Jer. 29:10). Thus its presence here highlights the major significance of Isaac's birth. 334

3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac. 4 Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.

2 3 Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac. 4 Then Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 Now Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. 6 Sarah said, God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me. 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 (Gen. 21:3 7). 21:3 7 Abraham's obedience in naming his son "Isaac" (17:19) and circumcising him on the eighth day (17:12) was an expression of worship. Isaac s name ("laughter") was appropriate for two reasons. 1. Isaac would be a source of joy to his parents as the fulfillment of God's promised seed. 2. Both Abraham and Sarah had laughed in amazement and unbelief respectively when told that God had chosen to bless them by giving them a son so late in life (17:17; 18:12). 335

8 The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 9 Now Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.

3 8 The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 9 Now Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking. 10 Therefore she said to Abraham, Drive out this maid and her son, for the son of this maid shall not be an heir with my son Isaac. 11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because of his son (Gen. 21:8 11). Ishmael s expulsion and God's care of him and Hagar is described in 21:8 21. All was not well in Abraham's household even though God had provided the heir. Ishmael was a potential rival to Isaac's inheritance. This section records another crisis in the story of Abraham's heir. There are parallels between Hagar and Ishmael's trek and Abraham and Isaac's (ch. 22). 21:8 11 Normally in ancient Near Eastern culture the son of a concubine became the heir of his mother but not of his father (cf. Judg. 9:1 3). Now that Abraham had a son by his wife, Sarah did not want Ishmael to share Isaac's inheritance. Weaning would have normally occurred at age two or three (cf. 1 Sam. 1:22 24; Hos. 1:8). The Hebrew word translated "mocking" (v. 9) comes from the same root as Isaac's name and means "laughing. However this participle is in the intensive form in Hebrew, indicating that Ishmael was not simply laughing but ridiculing Isaac (cf. 19:14; Gal. 4:29). Ishmael disdained Isaac as Hagar had despised Sarai (16:4). Abraham understandably felt distressed by this situation since he loved Ishmael as well as Isaac (cf. 17:18). Even in that culture it was reprehensible to send Ishmael away. When a surrogate wife had borne a son to one's husband, that mother and child could not be dismissed even if the first wife subsequently gave birth to a son. This partly explains Abraham's reluctance to do what Sarah demanded (v. 11). 336

12 But God said to Abraham, Do not be distressed because of the lad and your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her, for through Isaac your descendants shall be named.

4 12 But God said to Abraham, Do not be distressed because of the lad and your maid; whatever Sarah tells you, listen to her, for through Isaac your descendants shall be named. 13 And of the son of the maid I will make a nation also, because he is your descendant (Gen. 21:12 13). 21:12 13 God appeared to him again (the seventh revelation) to assure Abraham that Sarah's desire was in harmony with His will (cf. 17:19-21). He encouraged Abraham to divorce Hagar. But how could God ask Abraham to do evil if divorce is always a sin? The answer must be that divorce in this case is either not a sin or else is the lesser of two evils. For other instances where God apparently commanded divorce, see Deuteronomy 21:10 14 and Ezra Since God makes the rules, He can also alter them according to His sovereign will. The key to Sarah's demand lies in a clause in the laws of Lipit-Ishtar where it is stipulated that the father may grant freedom to the slave woman and the children she has borne him, in which case they forfeit their share of the paternal property. The laws of Lipit-Ishtar were laws that governed life in Mesopotamia that antedated the Mosaic Law. The focus of this revelation is a clarification of God's purposes for each of the two sons. God would bless Abraham through Ishmael as well as through Isaac. As Cain suffered both banishment from the divine and protection by the divine, so Ishmael is both loser and winner, cut off from what should be his but promised a significant lineage. 337

14 So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder, and gave her the boy, and sent her away.

5 14 So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder, and gave her the boy, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered about in the wilderness of Beersheba. 15 When the water in the skin was used up, she left the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went and sat down opposite him, about a bowshot away, for she said, Do not let me see the boy die. And she sat opposite him, and lifted up her voice and wept. 17 God heard the lad crying; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. 18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him by the hand, for I will make a great nation of him. 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 lad a drink. 20 God was with the lad, and he grew; and he lived in the wilderness and became an archer. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt (Gen. 21:14 21). 21:14 21 The concluding description of Ishmael's experiences provides information essential to understanding and appreciating later references in the text to him and his descendants. Ishmael became the father of 12 sons (25:13 16) as Jacob did. From his sons came the Arab nations that have ever since been the chief antagonists of the Israelites. The term "Arab" (someone from Arabia) came into use for the first time in the ninth century B.C. Hagar chose a wife for her son from her homeland, Egypt. In this respect she does not display the wisdom used by Abraham in choosing, as he did, a god-fearing wife for his son. The picture of Ishmael as the rejected son is complete: he is the son of a slave woman, married to an Egyptian, lives outside normal social bounds, and is remembered for his hostilities. God makes not only promises but also provision. His provision of what He has promised results in great joy and should lead to separation from whatever might hinder His program of blessing. See Paul's use of this account in Galatians 4:

22 Now it came about at that time that Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, God is with you in all that you do; 23 now therefore, swear to me here by God that

6 22 Now it came about at that time that Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, God is with you in all that you do; 23 now therefore, swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my offspring or with my posterity, but according to the kindness that I have shown to you, you shall show to me and to the land in which you have sojourned. 24 Abraham said, I swear it. 25 But Abraham complained to Abimelech because of the well of water that the servants of Abimelech had seized. 26 And Abimelech said, I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor did I hear of it until today (Gen. 21:22 26). Abimelech's treaty with Abraham is described in 21: This scene occurs at the same time as the events of Scene 6 (21:1 21) but focuses on different characters and tensions. This second conflict with Abimelech creates a bracket around the Isaac birth narrative. Whereas the first conflict, Scene 5 (20:1 18), concerned jeopardy of the seed, the second conflict, Scene 7 (21:22 34), concerns jeopardy of the land (i.e., well rights). 21:22 26 God's blessing of Abraham resulted in his material prosperity. In response to Abimelech's initiative Abraham agreed to make a covenant of peaceful coexistence. This treaty enabled Abraham to serve and worship God freely in the Promised Land. The writer may have included this incident in the text partially because it records the testimony of a Gentile king to God's faithfulness (v. 22) and Abraham's strong testimony to God's faithfulness (vv ). It also sets the stage for Isaac's dealings with Abimelech (ch. 26). Since Abraham had become a powerful individual in the land by God's blessing, Abimelech initiated a bilateral treaty with him for his own protection. This was evidently the same Abimelech that Abraham had dealt with previously (ch. 20). They made a parity covenant (i.e., between equals, vv ). This is the first of several parity covenants in Genesis (cf. 26:28; 31:43 45). This covenant was a remarkable admission of Abraham's standing and blessing by God and an expression of Abimelech's confidence in the future existence of the patriarch's family. The birth of Isaac seems to have produced a much stronger faith in Abraham (cf. v. 14). Note his immediate response to God's instructions to him from then on (cf. 22:3). "Phicol" (v. 22) seems to have been a title rather than a proper name, probably of Anatolian origin. Wells were extremely important in the life of semi-nomads like Abraham (v. 25). 339

27 Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant. 28 Then Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.

7 27 Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a covenant. 28 Then Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves. 29 Abimelech said to Abraham, What do these seven ewe lambs mean, which you have set by themselves? 30 He said, You shall take these seven ewe lambs from my hand so that it may be a witness to me, that I dug this well. 31 Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because there the two of them took an oath (Gen. 21:27 31). 21:27 31 Beersheba, one of the more important sites throughout Old Testament times, meaning "oath of seven" or "oath-well," became Abraham's possession with the payment of seven ewe lambs (v. 28; cf. 26:33). Critics of the historicity of the patriarchal narratives have pointed out references to the Philistines in Genesis (vv. 32, 34; 26:1) as evidence that the Bible contains errors. It is common knowledge that the Philistines did not invade Palestine until about 1200 B.C. whereas Abraham evidently lived about 800 years earlier. One explanation is that since the Philistines of Genesis were peaceful and those of Judges and later were warlike perhaps the same name describes an earlier group of people. They may have resembled the later thirteenth-century Philistines who also emigrated from the Aegean area into Palestine. On the other hand, perhaps the Philistines of 2000 B.C. were Minoan and peaceful whereas those of 1200 B.C. were Mycenean and warlike. The Philistines of Genesis probably represent the first wave of Sea Peoples from the Aegean (ca B.C.), and the later Philistines represent the last wave (cf B.C.). 340

8 32 So they made a covenant at Beersheba; and Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, arose and returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God. 34 And Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines for many days (Gen. 21:32 34). 21:32 34 By planting a tree Abraham indicated his determination to stay in that region. Tamarisk trees (v. 33) were long-lived and evergreen. This tree was an appropriate symbol of the enduring grace of the faithful God whom Abraham recognized as "the Everlasting God (El Olam). Abraham now owned a small part of the land God had promised him. By granting Abraham rights to a well, Abimelek had made it possible for Abraham to live there permanently and had acknowledged his legal right at least to water. In other words, after so many delays the promises of land and descendants at last seem on their way to fulfillment. In contrast to Abraham's fear of Abimelech (ch. 20) we now see him boldly standing up to this powerful king. His changed attitude evidently resulted from God's grace in blessing the patriarch as He had promised. The reader is forced to ask why the author constantly draws attention to the fact that Abraham was dwelling with the Philistines during this time (cf. v. 34). The purpose of such reminders may be to portray Abraham as one who had yet to experience the complete fulfillment of God's promises. Peaceful interpersonal relationships with those who acknowledge God enable the believer to proclaim his or her faith freely (cf. 1 Tim. 2:1 4). 341

There are several life lessons (applications) that derive from a study of Genesis 21. 1. The Lord fulfills His promises in accordance with His word and at the appointed time. 2. When God fulfills a promise HIs people should rejoice greatly.

9 There are several life lessons (applications) that derive from a study of Genesis The Lord fulfills His promises in accordance with His word and at the appointed time. 2. When God fulfills a promise HIs people should rejoice greatly. 3. The necessary response to opposition to God s program is the removal of, or separation from, the threat. 4. Faith and unbelief are incompatible. That which trifles with God s work must be removed so that the faith can prosper under God s blessing. 5. God protects and provides for outcasts in the wilderness. God desires to be the God of the outcast, the rejected, the abused, the dying. God will not permit them to die in the wilderness but will give them a new life and a great future. 6. When God provides the fulfillment of a promise one that evokes jubilation and renewed obedience the people of God should remove or separate from anything that poses a threat to God s work of blessing. 7. The flesh struggles against the spirit, making a mockery of it at times, for unbelief will attack belief. Believers should cast out those things of the flesh that undermine and threaten our freedom in Christ. 8. Believers should agree to the request for peaceful relationships. Guaranteed truthfulness is essential for maintaining peaceful relationships. 9. The promise of divine presence ensures protection and provision for those who enjoy it fully. 10. Believers should seek to restore peace when it is disrupted and seek to ensure that peaceful relationships continue into the future. 11. Believers should use their peaceful, prosperous life to serve God. The blessings of peace and prosperity facilitate the believer s proclamation of the faith. 342

Genesis The Place where the Lord Will Provide

Genesis The Place where the Lord Will Provide Introduction After chapter 17 with the promise of Isaac to Abraham, Genesis abruptly left us hanging as it moved on to complete the story of Lot with the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and describe