Genesis 21:1-13

Contemporary English Version

Sarah Has a Son

21 The Lord was good to Sarah and kept his promise. ²^(A) Although Abraham was very old, Sarah had a son exactly at the time God had said. ³Abraham named his son Isaac, ⁴^(B) and when the boy was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, just as God had commanded.

⁵Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born, ⁶and Sarah said, “God has made me laugh.^[a] And now everyone will laugh with me. ⁷Who would have dared to tell Abraham that someday I would have a child? But in his old age, I have given him a son.”

⁸The time came when Sarah no longer had to nurse Isaac,^[b] and on that day Abraham gave a big feast.

Hagar and Ishmael Are Sent Away

^9-10^(C) One day, Sarah noticed Hagar's son Ishmael^[c] playing,^[d] and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that Egyptian slave woman and her son! I don't want him to inherit anything. It should all go to my son.”^[e]

¹¹Abraham was worried about Ishmael. ¹²^(D) But God said, “Abraham, don't worry about your slave woman and the boy. Just do what Sarah tells you. Isaac will inherit your family name, ¹³but the son of the slave woman is also your son, and I will make his descendants into a great nation.”

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Footnotes

21.6 God has made me laugh: In Hebrew “Isaac” sounds like “laugh.”
21.8 no longer had to nurse Isaac: In ancient Israel mothers nursed their children until they were about three years old. Then there was a family celebration.
21.9,10 Ishmael: The son of Abraham and Hagar, who was Sarah's slave woman (see 16.1-16).
21.9,10 playing: Hebrew; one ancient translation “playing with her son Isaac.”
21.9,10 Get rid … son: When Abraham accepted Ishmael as his son, it gave Ishmael the right to inherit part of what Abraham owned. But slaves who were given their freedom lost the right to inherit such property.