Genesis 21

The Birth of Isaac

21The LORD kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised.H3068H6485H8283H559H3068H6213H8283H16962She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would.H8283H2029H3205H85H1121H2208H4150H430H16963And Abraham named their son Isaac.H85H7121H8034H1121H3205H8283H3205H33274Eight days after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded.H85H4135H1121H3327H8083H3117H1121H430H66805Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born.H85H3967H8141H1121H1121H3327H32056And Sarah declared, "God has brought me laughter

. All who hear about this will laugh with me.H8283H559H430H6213H6712H8085H67117Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a baby? Yet I have given Abraham a son in his old age!"H559H4448H85H8283H1121H3243H3205H1121H2208

Hagar and Ishmael Are Sent Away

8When Isaac grew up and was about to be weaned, Abraham prepared a huge feast to celebrate the occasion.H3206H1431H1580H85H6213H1419H4960H3117H3327H15809But Sarah saw Ishmael—the son of Abraham and her Egyptian servant Hagar—making fun of her son, Isaac

.H8283H7200H1121H1904H4713H3205H85H671110So she turned to Abraham and demanded, "Get rid of that slave woman and her son. He is not going to share the inheritance with my son, Isaac. I won't have it!"H559H85H1644H519H1121H1121H519H3423H1121H332711This upset Abraham very much because Ishmael was his son.H1697H3966H3415H85H5869H182H112112But God told Abraham, "Do not be upset over the boy and your servant. Do whatever Sarah tells you, for Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.H430H559H85H3415H5869H5288H519H8283H559H8085H6963H3327H2233H712113But I will also make a nation of the descendants of Hagar's son because he is your son, too."H1121H519H7760H1471H223314So Abraham got up early the next morning, prepared food and a container of water, and strapped them on Hagar's shoulders. Then he sent her away with their son, and she wandered aimlessly in the wilderness of Beersheba.H85H7925H1242H3947H3899H2573H4325H5414H1904H7760H7926H3206H7971H3212H8582H4057H88415When the water was gone, she put the boy in the shade of a bush.H4325H3615H4480H2573H7993H3206H259H788016Then she went and sat down by herself about a hundred yards

away. "I don't want to watch the boy die," she said, as she burst into tears.H3212H3427H5048H7368H2909H7198H559H7200H4194H3206H3427H5375H6963H105817But God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, "Hagar, what's wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the boy crying as he lies there.H430H8085H6963H5288H4397H430H7121H1904H8064H559H1904H3372H430H8085H6963H528818Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants."H6965H5375H5288H2388H3027H7760H1419H147119Then God opened Hagar's eyes, and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink.H430H6491H5869H7200H875H4325H3212H4390H2573H4325H8248H5288H824820And God was with the boy as he grew up in the wilderness. He became a skillful archer,H430H5288H1431H3427H4057H7235H719921and he settled in the wilderness of Paran. His mother arranged for him to marry a woman from the land of Egypt.H3427H4057H6290H517H3947H802H776H4714

Abraham’s Covenant with Abimelech

22About this time, Abimelech came with Phicol, his army commander, to visit Abraham. "God is obviously with you, helping you in everything you do," Abimelech said.H6256H40H6369H8269H6635H559H85H559H430H621323"Swear to me in God's name that you will never deceive me, my children, or any of my descendants. I have been loyal to you, so now swear that you will be loyal to me and to this country where you are living as a foreigner."H7650H2008H430H8266H5209H5220H2617H6213H6213H776H148124Abraham replied, "Yes, I swear to it!"H85H559H765025Then Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech's servants had taken by force from Abraham's servants.H85H3198H40H182H875H4325H40H5650H149726"This is the first I've heard of it," Abimelech answered. "I have no idea who is responsible. You have never complained about this before."H40H559H3045H6213H1697H3808H5046H3808H8085H1115H311727Abraham then gave some of his sheep, goats, and cattle to Abimelech, and they made a treaty.H85H3947H6629H1241H5414H40H8147H3772H128528But Abraham also took seven additional female lambs and set them off by themselves.H85H5324H7651H3535H662929Abimelech asked, "Why have you set these seven apart from the others?"H40H559H85H2008H7651H3535H532430Abraham replied, "Please accept these seven lambs to show your agreement that I dug this well."H559H7651H3535H3947H3027H5668H5713H2658H87531Then he named the place Beersheba (which means "well of the oath"), because that was where they had sworn the oath.H7121H4725H884H7650H814732After making their covenant at Beersheba, Abimelech left with Phicol, the commander of his army, and they returned home to the land of the Philistines.H3772H1285H884H40H6965H6369H8269H6635H7725H776H643033Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he worshiped the LORD, the Eternal God

.H5193H815H884H7121H8034H3068H5769H41034And Abraham lived as a foreigner in Philistine country for a long time.H85H1481H6430H776H7227H3117