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Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age at the very time that the Lord had established. Abraham named the son whom Sarah bore Isaac. Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him to do. Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born.

Sarah said, “God has given me a reason to laugh out loud. All will smile because of me.” She then said, “Who would have ever said to Abraham, ‘Sarah will nurse sons’? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

Ishmael Is Sent Away.[a] Isaac grew and was weaned. On the day that he was weaned, Abraham threw a great banquet. But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, the one whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with[b] her son Isaac. 10 She said to Abraham, “Send this slave and her son away, for the son of this slave must not be an heir together with my son Isaac.”

11 This greatly distressed Abraham for he was concerned for his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not let this matter with your son and the slave woman distress you. Listen to what Sarah tells you. Listen to her voice, for it is through Isaac that descendants will bear your name. 13 But I will also make the son of the slave woman become a great nation, for he is your son.”

14 Abraham arose early in the morning and gave Hagar bread and a skin of water, placing them on her back. He entrusted the child to her and sent her away. They left and wandered in the desert of Beer-sheba.

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 21:8 The two stories that follow are from the Elohist tradition. According to a number of critics, the first story is another version of the Yahwist-Priestly story in 16:4-16. It is to be noted, among other things, that Ishmael is here shown as a boy, while at the period here indicated he would have been an adolescent.
    St. Paul uses the incident as an argument that the new Covenant replaces the old (Gal 4:21-31).
  2. Genesis 21:9 Playing with: this can also be translated as mocking. According to the later Jewish tradition, the word here refers to immoral or idolatrous practices on the part of Ishmael (“mocking” in the sense of Gen 39:14, 17); St. Paul, however, interprets it as meaning persecution (Gal 4:29), perhaps resulting from envy.

Sarah became pregnant and bore a son(A) to Abraham in his old age,(B) at the very time God had promised him.(C) Abraham gave the name Isaac[a](D) to the son Sarah bore him. When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him,(E) as God commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old(F) when his son Isaac was born to him.

Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter,(G) and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”(H)

Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away

The child grew and was weaned,(I) and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham(J) was mocking,(K) 10 and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman(L) and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”(M)

11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son.(N) 12 But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring[b] will be reckoned.(O) 13 I will make the son of the slave into a nation(P) also, because he is your offspring.”

14 Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar.(Q) He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba.(R)

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 21:3 Isaac means he laughs.
  2. Genesis 21:12 Or seed