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21 L'Éternel se souvint de ce qu'il avait dit à Sara, et l'Éternel accomplit pour Sara ce qu'il avait promis.

Sara devint enceinte, et elle enfanta un fils à Abraham dans sa vieillesse, au temps fixé dont Dieu lui avait parlé.

Abraham donna le nom d'Isaac au fils qui lui était né, que Sara lui avait enfanté.

Abraham circoncit son fils Isaac, âgé de huit jours, comme Dieu le lui avait ordonné.

Abraham était âgé de cent ans, à la naissance d'Isaac, son fils.

Et Sara dit: Dieu m'a fait un sujet de rire; quiconque l'apprendra rira de moi.

Elle ajouta: Qui aurait dit à Abraham: Sara allaitera des enfants? Cependant je lui ai enfanté un fils dans sa vieillesse.

L'enfant grandit, et fut sevré; et Abraham fit un grand festin le jour où Isaac fut sevré.

Sara vit rire le fils qu'Agar, l'Égyptienne, avait enfanté à Abraham;

10 et elle dit à Abraham: Chasse cette servante et son fils, car le fils de cette servante n'héritera pas avec mon fils, avec Isaac.

11 Cette parole déplut fort aux yeux d'Abraham, à cause de son fils.

12 Mais Dieu dit à Abraham: Que cela ne déplaise pas à tes yeux, à cause de l'enfant et de ta servante. Accorde à Sara tout ce qu'elle te demandera; car c'est d'Isaac que sortira une postérité qui te sera propre.

13 Je ferai aussi une nation du fils de ta servante; car il est ta postérité.

14 Abraham se leva de bon matin; il prit du pain et une outre d'eau, qu'il donna à Agar et plaça sur son épaule; il lui remit aussi l'enfant, et la renvoya. Elle s'en alla, et s'égara dans le désert de Beer Schéba.

15 Quand l'eau de l'outre fut épuisée, elle laissa l'enfant sous un des arbrisseaux,

16 et alla s'asseoir vis-à-vis, à une portée d'arc; car elle disait: Que je ne voie pas mourir mon enfant! Elle s'assit donc vis-à-vis de lui, éleva la voix et pleura.

17 Dieu entendit la voix de l'enfant; et l'ange de Dieu appela du ciel Agar, et lui dit: Qu'as-tu, Agar? Ne crains point, car Dieu a entendu la voix de l'enfant dans le lieu où il est.

18 Lève-toi, prends l'enfant, saisis-le de ta main; car je ferai de lui une grande nation.

19 Et Dieu lui ouvrit les yeux, et elle vit un puits d'eau; elle alla remplir d'eau l'outre, et donna à boire à l'enfant.

20 Dieu fut avec l'enfant, qui grandit, habita dans le désert, et devint tireur d'arc.

21 Il habita dans le désert de Paran, et sa mère lui prit une femme du pays d'Égypte.

22 En ce temps-là, Abimélec, accompagné de Picol, chef de son armée, parla ainsi à Abraham: Dieu est avec toi dans tout ce que tu fais.

23 Jure-moi maintenant ici, par le nom de Dieu, que tu ne tromperas ni moi, ni mes enfants, ni mes petits-enfants, et que tu auras pour moi et le pays où tu séjournes la même bienveillance que j'ai eue pour toi.

24 Abraham dit: Je le jurerai.

25 Mais Abraham fit des reproches à Abimélec, au sujet d'un puits d'eau, dont s'étaient emparés de force les serviteurs d'Abimélec.

26 Abimélec répondit: J'ignore qui a fait cette chose-là; tu ne m'en as point informé, et moi, je ne l'apprends qu'aujourd'hui.

27 Et Abraham prit des brebis et des boeufs, qu'il donna à Abimélec; et ils firent tous deux alliance.

28 Abraham mit à part sept jeunes brebis.

29 Et Abimélec dit à Abraham: Qu'est-ce que ces sept jeunes brebis, que tu as mises à part?

30 Il répondit: Tu accepteras de ma main ces sept brebis, afin que cela me serve de témoignage que j'ai creusé ce puits.

31 C'est pourquoi on appelle ce lieu Beer Schéba; car c'est là qu'ils jurèrent l'un et l'autre.

32 Ils firent donc alliance à Beer Schéba. Après quoi, Abimélec se leva, avec Picol, chef de son armée; et ils retournèrent au pays des Philistins.

33 Abraham planta des tamariscs à Beer Schéba; et là il invoqua le nom de l'Éternel, Dieu de l'éternité.

34 Abraham séjourna longtemps dans le pays des Philistins.

The Birth of Isaac

21 The Lord (A)visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did to Sarah (B)as he had promised. And Sarah (C)conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age (D)at the time of which God had spoken to him. Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, (E)Isaac.[a] And Abraham (F)circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, (G)as God had commanded him. (H)Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. And Sarah said, (I)“God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.” And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? (J)Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

God Protects Hagar and Ishmael

And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. But Sarah (K)saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, (L)laughing.[b] 10 So she said to Abraham, (M)“Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.” 11 And the thing was very displeasing to Abraham on account of his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for (N)through Isaac shall your offspring be named. 13 And I will make (O)a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.” 14 So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of (P)Beersheba.

15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the child under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot, for she said, “Let me not look on the death of the child.” And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. 17 And God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18 Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 19 Then (Q)God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. 20 And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness (R)and became an expert with the bow. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

A Treaty with Abimelech

22 At that time (S)Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, (T)“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 descendants or with my posterity, but (U)as I have dealt kindly with you, so you will deal with me and with the land where you have sojourned.” 24 And Abraham said, “I will swear.”

25 When Abraham reproved Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech's servants (V)had seized, 26 Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today.” 27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men (W)made a covenant. 28 Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock apart. 29 And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?” 30 He said, “These seven ewe lambs you will take from my hand, that this[c] may be a witness for me that I dug this well.” 31 Therefore (X)that place was called Beersheba,[d] because there both of them swore an oath. 32 So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and (Y)called there on the name of the Lord, (Z)the Everlasting God. 34 And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 21:3 Isaac means he laughs
  2. Genesis 21:9 Possibly laughing in mockery
  3. Genesis 21:30 Or you
  4. Genesis 21:31 Beersheba means well of seven or well of the oath

21 The Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for her as He had promised.

For Sarah became pregnant and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time God had told him.

Abraham [a]named his son whom Sarah bore to him Isaac [laughter].

And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him.

Abraham was a hundred years old when Isaac was born.

And Sarah said, God has made me to laugh; all who hear will laugh with me.

And she said, Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children at the breast? For I have borne him a son in his old age!(A)

And the child grew and was [b]weaned, and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.

Now Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking [Isaac].

10 Therefore she said to Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son, for the son of this bondwoman shall not be an heir with my son Isaac.(B)

11 And the thing was very grievous (serious, evil) in Abraham’s sight on account of his son [Ishmael].

12 God said to Abraham, Do not let it seem grievous and evil to you because of the youth and your bondwoman; in all that Sarah has said to you, do what she asks, for in Isaac shall your posterity be called.(C)

13 And I will make a nation of the son of the bondwoman also, because he is your offspring.

14 So Abraham rose early in the morning and took bread and a bottle of water and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulders, and he sent her and the [c]youth away. And she wandered on [aimlessly] and lost her way in the wilderness of Beersheba.

15 When the water in the bottle was all gone, Hagar caused the youth to lie down under one of the shrubs.

16 Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about a bowshot, for she said, Let me not see the death of the lad. And as she sat down opposite him, [d]he lifted up his voice and wept and she raised her voice and wept.

17 And God heard the voice of the youth, and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven and said to her, What troubles you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the youth where he is.

18 Arise, raise up the youth and support him with your hand, for I intend to make him a great nation.

19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the [empty] bottle with water and caused the youth to drink.

20 And God was with the youth, and he developed; and he dwelt in the wilderness and became an archer.

21 He dwelt in the Wilderness of Paran; and his mother took a wife for him out of the land of Egypt.

22 At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, God is with you in everything you do.

23 So now, swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my son or with my posterity; but as I have dealt with you kindly, you will do the same with me and with the land in which you have sojourned.

24 And Abraham said, I will swear.

25 When Abraham complained to and reasoned with Abimelech about a well of water [Abimelech’s] servants had violently seized,

26 Abimelech said, I know not who did this thing; you did not tell me, and I did not hear of it until today.

27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a league or covenant.

28 Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs of the flock,

29 And Abimelech said to Abraham, What do these seven ewe lambs which you have set apart mean?

30 He said, You are to accept these seven ewe lambs from me as a witness for me that I dug this well.

31 Therefore that place was called Beersheba [well of the oath], because there both parties swore an oath.

32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba; then Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army returned to the land of the Philistines.

33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and called there on the name of the Lord, the Eternal God.

34 And Abraham sojourned in Philistia many days.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 21:3 See footnote on Gen. 16:15.
  2. Genesis 21:8 This was probably when the child was about three years of age. Samuel served in the sanctuary from the time that he was weaned (I Sam. 1:22-28). A Hebrew mother is quoted in II Maccabees 7:27 as saying to her son that she gave him “suck three years.”
  3. Genesis 21:14 Ishmael was born when Abraham was eighty-six years old (Gen. 16:16), so Ishmael was fourteen when Isaac was born. Isaac was weaned (Gen. 21:8) at least three years later probably (II Chron. 31:16; II Maccabees 7:27).
  4. Genesis 21:16 The Hebrew says, “she lifted up her voice.” The Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) says “he.. .”—which the next verse seems to support. The circumstances allow either.