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Genesis 21
The Voice
Genesis 21
The Voice
Once again Abraham and Sarah take matters into their own hands. Although God has promised to protect and prosper them, they choose half-truths and deception in order to stay in Abimelech’s favor. The results could have been disastrous; but God’s intervention stops Abimelech from violating Sarah’s marriage, and in the end obedience preserves them all. Abraham, it seems, is rewarded, not because of his deception but in spite of it. Since Abimelech does the right thing, God brings hope and healing to his family as well. Does good then result from evil? Not at all. The good comes from God’s action and everyone’s eventual obedience. What is clear through these narratives is that God has a plan, and He can manage any contingency in achieving His purpose. When God is on the move, even evil can be turned into good.
21 The Eternal One kept His promise, 2 and Sarah conceived and gave birth to Abraham’s son (in their advanced age) exactly as the Eternal had indicated. 3 Abraham named his child, who was born to Sarah, Isaac; 4 and Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, just as God had told him to do. 5 Abraham was already one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born.
Sarah: 6 God has graced me with the gift of laughter! To be sure, everyone who hears my story will laugh with me.
7 Who would ever have said to Abraham that Sarah would one day nurse children? Yet I have given birth to his son at this late stage in his life!
8 Time went on, and Isaac grew and was weaned from his mother. Abraham prepared a special feast in Isaac’s honor, to celebrate the day he was weaned. 9 But a damper was put on the day when Sarah saw the son Hagar (the Egyptian girl) bore for Abraham laughing and teasing her son. 10 She became jealous and demanded of Abraham:
Sarah: Throw this slave woman and her son out right now! The son of this slave is not going to share the inheritance along with my son, Isaac, if I have anything to do with it![a]
11 Sarah’s demand was extremely distressing to Abraham, since Ishmael was also his son. 12 But God assured Abraham.
Eternal One: Don’t worry about the young man and your servant. Go along with whatever Sarah says, for through Isaac your covenant children will be named.[b] 13 As for the son of the slave woman, I will take care of him. I will raise up a nation through him as well because he is also your son.
14 So Abraham got up early in the morning, took bread and a container of water, and gave them to Hagar. He placed them on her shoulder, gave her the child—his firstborn—and sent her away. She left and wandered in the wilderness near Beersheba. 15 When the water in the container was all gone, in desperation she left the child under the shade of one of the bushes. 16 Then she walked off and sat down opposite him, about a bowshot away.
Hagar: I can’t bear to watch my child die.
Though Ishmael is about 16 years old at this time, she still considers him her child.
As she sat there, she cried loudly. 17 God heard the voice of young Ishmael, and a messenger of God called out to Hagar from heaven.
Messenger: Why are you so upset, Hagar? Don’t be afraid. God has heard the voice of young Ishmael. 18 Come now, lift him up, and take him by the hand. I have plans to make a great nation from his descendants!
19 Then God opened Hagar’s eyes. She looked up from her grief and saw a well of water not far away. She went over to it, filled the container she carried with water, and gave the young man a drink. 20 God watched over him for the rest of his life. Ishmael grew up, lived in the wilderness, and became an expert archer. 21 So Ishmael went on to live out his life in the wilderness of Paran. When the time was right, his mother obtained a wife for him from her homeland Egypt.
22 Meanwhile, Abimelech, along with Phicol, the commander of his army, spoke confidentially to Abraham.
Now that Abraham’s people are so numerous and powerful, Abimelech wants to see whether Abraham will remain loyal to him.
Abimelech: God seems to bless everything you do. 23 So swear to me right now on the name of your God that you and your people will be honest with me and never try to deceive me, my children, or my descendants. Promise that you will always treat me and this land where you have resided as a foreigner with kindness and grace, as I have treated you.
Abraham: 24 I swear.
25 Then Abraham complained to Abimelech about a time when he wasn’t treated so kindly: a well of water Abraham’s men had dug had been seized by Abimelech’s servants.
Abimelech: 26 I don’t know who has done this. You didn’t tell me before; this is the first I have heard about it.
27 Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant-treaty together. 28 Abraham took seven female lambs from the flock and set them aside.
Abimelech (to Abraham): 29 Why have you set these seven female lambs apart from the others?
Abraham: 30 These seven female lambs I am presenting to you represent your personal and public acknowledgment that I am the one who dug this well, and that it belongs to me.
31 From then on, the place where the well was located was called Beersheba because it was there that the two of them swore this oath together. 32 After they had made the covenant-treaty at Beersheba, Abimelech, along with Phicol, the commander of his army, left and went back to the land which now belongs to the Philistines. 33 And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba at the site, and he used it as yet another place to honor and call upon the name of the Eternal One, the Everlasting God.[c] 34 For many years Abraham lived in peace as a foreigner in what would become the land of the Philistines.
Footnotes
- 21:10 Galatians 4:30
- 21:12 Romans 9:7; Hebrews 11:18
- 21:33 Hebrew, El Olam
创世记 21
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
创世记 21
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
以撒出生
21 耶和华按着自己说过的话眷顾撒拉，实现给她的应许。 2 亚伯拉罕年老的时候，撒拉怀了孕，在上帝指定的日期为他生了一个儿子。 3 亚伯拉罕为儿子取名叫以撒。 4 以撒出生后第八天，亚伯拉罕就照着上帝的吩咐为他行了割礼。 5 以撒出生时亚伯拉罕已经一百岁。 6 撒拉说：“上帝使我欢笑，凡听见这事的人也必跟我一同欢笑。 7 谁曾料到我会为亚伯拉罕哺养孩子呢？我竟然在丈夫年老的时候给他生了儿子。”
夏甲和以实玛利被逐
8 以撒渐渐长大，亚伯拉罕在他断奶的那天摆设宴席。 9 撒拉见埃及人夏甲给亚伯拉罕生的儿子以实玛利嘲笑以撒， 10 就对亚伯拉罕说：“赶走这婢女和她的儿子，因为这婢女的儿子不可和我的儿子以撒一同承受产业。” 11 亚伯拉罕因儿子以实玛利的事非常烦恼。 12 上帝对亚伯拉罕说：“你不要再为这孩子和你的婢女烦恼，只管照撒拉的意思去做，因为以撒生的才可算为你的后代。 13 至于那婢女的儿子以实玛利，我也会使他自成一国，因为他也是你的儿子。”
14 第二天，亚伯拉罕清早起来，把食物和一皮袋水放在夏甲肩上，让她和孩子离开。夏甲在别示巴的旷野流浪。 15 皮袋的水喝光了，夏甲把儿子留在一丛灌木下， 16 自己走到离孩子约一箭之远的地方，对着孩子坐下，说：“我不忍心看着他死啊！”夏甲坐在那里放声大哭起来。 17 上帝听见孩子的哭声，就差遣天使从天上安慰夏甲说：“夏甲，你怎么了？不要害怕，上帝已经听见孩子的哭声了。 18 你去扶他起来，安慰他，我必使他成为大国。” 19 上帝使夏甲的眼睛明亮，让她看见一口水井，她就上前把皮袋装满水拿给儿子喝。 20 在上帝的看顾下，孩子在旷野渐渐长大，成为一个射箭能手。 21 他住在巴兰旷野，他母亲为他娶了一个埃及女子。
亚伯拉罕与亚比米勒立约
22 有一次，亚比米勒和他的将领非各对亚伯拉罕说：“你做的一切都有上帝保佑。 23 现在请你在这里当着上帝的面向我起誓，你不会欺骗我和我的子孙后代。我怎样善待你，请你也同样善待我以及你所寄居之地的百姓。” 24 亚伯拉罕说：“我愿起誓。”
25 由于亚比米勒的仆人霸占了一口水井，亚伯拉罕就指责亚比米勒。 26 亚比米勒说：“我不知道是谁做的，你以前没有告诉我，我今天才听说这事。” 27 亚伯拉罕把牛羊送给亚比米勒，他们二人立了约。 28 亚伯拉罕又从羊群中分出七只母羊羔。 29 亚比米勒问亚伯拉罕：“你分出七只母羊羔是什么意思？” 30 亚伯拉罕回答说：“你要从我手中接受这七只母羊羔，表示你承认这口井是我挖的。” 31 所以，那地方被称为别示巴[a]，因为他们二人在那里起了誓。
32 他们立约以后，亚比米勒和他的将领非各便回非利士去了。 33 亚伯拉罕在别示巴栽了一棵红柳，又在那里呼求耶和华——永恒上帝的名。 34 亚伯拉罕在非利士住了很长时间。
Footnotes
- 21:31 “别示巴”意思是“盟誓之井”。
Genesis 21
New International Version
Genesis 21
New International Version
The Birth of Isaac
21 Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah(A) as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised.(B) 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son(C) to Abraham in his old age,(D) at the very time God had promised him.(E) 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac[a](F) to the son Sarah bore him. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him,(G) as God commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old(H) when his son Isaac was born to him.
6 Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter,(I) and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” 7 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.”(J)
Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away
8 The child grew and was weaned,(K) and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. 9 But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham(L) was mocking,(M) 10 and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman(N) and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”(O)
11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son.(P) 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.(Q) 13 I will make the son of the slave into a nation(R) 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.(S) 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.(T)
15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she[c] began to sob.(U)
17 God heard the boy crying,(V) and the angel of God(W) called to Hagar from heaven(X) and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid;(Y) God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.(Z)”
19 Then God opened her eyes(AA) and she saw a well of water.(AB) So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.
20 God was with the boy(AC) as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. 21 While he was living in the Desert of Paran,(AD) his mother got a wife for him(AE) from Egypt.
The Treaty at Beersheba
22 At that time Abimelek(AF) and Phicol the commander of his forces(AG) said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do.(AH) 23 Now swear(AI) to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants.(AJ) Show to me and the country where you now reside as a foreigner the same kindness I have shown to you.”(AK)
24 Abraham said, “I swear it.”
25 Then Abraham complained to Abimelek about a well of water that Abimelek’s servants had seized.(AL) 26 But Abimelek said, “I don’t know who has done this. You did not tell me, and I heard about it only today.”
27 So Abraham brought sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelek, and the two men made a treaty.(AM) 28 Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs from the flock, 29 and Abimelek asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs you have set apart by themselves?”
30 He replied, “Accept these seven lambs from my hand as a witness(AN) that I dug this well.(AO)”
31 So that place was called Beersheba,[d](AP) because the two men swore an oath(AQ) there.
32 After the treaty(AR) had been made at Beersheba,(AS) Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces(AT) returned to the land of the Philistines.(AU) 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree(AV) in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord,(AW) the Eternal God.(AX) 34 And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines(AY) for a long time.
Footnotes
- Genesis 21:3 Isaac means he laughs.
- Genesis 21:12 Or seed
- Genesis 21:16 Hebrew; Septuagint the child
- Genesis 21:31 Beersheba can mean well of seven and well of the oath.
Genesis 21
King James Version
Genesis 21
King James Version
21 And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.
5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
7 And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.
8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.
12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bow shot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
20 And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
22 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:
23 Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.
24 And Abraham said, I will swear.
25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing; neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.
27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.
28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
30 And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
31 Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them.
32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
33 And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God.
34 And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.
Genesis 21
Lexham English Bible
Genesis 21
Lexham English Bible
The Birth of Isaac
21 And Yahweh visited Sarah as he had said. And Yahweh did to Sarah as he had promised. 2 And she conceived, and Sarah bore to Abraham a son in his old age at the appointed time that God had told him. 3 And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac. 4 And Abraham circumcised Isaac his son when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5 And Abraham was one hundred years old when Isaac his son was born to him. 6 And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; all who hear will laugh for me.” 7 And she said, “Who would announce to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne a son to Abraham in his old age.”
Hagar and Ishmael
8 And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day Isaac was weaned. 9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne Abraham, mocking. 10 Then she said to Abraham, “Drive out this slave woman and her son, for the son of this slave woman will not be heir with my son, with Isaac.” 11 And the matter displeased Abraham very much[a] on account of his son. 12 Then God said to Abraham, “Do not be displeased[b] on account of the boy and on account of the slave woman. Listen to everything that Sarah said to you,[c] for through Isaac your offspring will be named. 13 And I will also make the son of the slave woman into a nation, for he is your offspring.” 14 Then Abraham rose up early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder. And he sent her away with the child, and she went, wandering about in the wilderness, in Beersheba. 15 And when the water was finished from the skin, she put the child under one of the bushes. 16 And she went and she sat a good distance away,[d] for she said, “Let me not see the child’s death.” So she sat away from him and lifted up her voice and wept. 17 And God heard the cry[e] of the boy and the angel of God called to Hagar from the heavens and said to her, “What is the matter[f] Hagar? Do not be afraid, for God has heard the cry[g] of the boy from where he is.[h] 18 Get up, take up the boy and take him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation.” 19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave a drink to the boy. 20 And God was with the boy, and he grew and lived in the wilderness. And he became an expert with a bow.[i] 21 And he lived in the wilderness of Paran. And his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
The Covenant Between Abraham and Abimelech
22 And it happened that at that time, Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “God is with you, in all that you do. 23 So now, swear to me here by God that you will not deal with me falsely, or with my descendants, or my posterity. According to the kindness that I have done to you, you shall pledge to do with me and with the land where you have dwelled as an alien.” 24 And Abraham said, “I swear.” 25 Then Abraham complained to Abimelech on account of the well of water that servants of Abimelech had seized. 26 And Abimelech said, “I do not know who did this thing, neither did you tell me, nor have I heard of it except for today.” 27 And Abraham took sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech. And the two of them made[j] a covenant. 28 Then Abraham set off seven ewe-lambs of the flock by themselves. 29 And Abimelech said to Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe-lambs that you have set off by themselves?” 30 And he said, “You shall take the seven ewe-lambs from my hand as proof on my behalf[k] that I dug this well.” 31 Therefore that place is called Beersheba, because there the two of them swore an oath. 32 And they made[l] a covenant at Beersheba. And Abimelech, and Phicol his army commander stood and returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 And he[m] planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of Yahweh, the everlasting God.[n] 34 And Abraham dwelled as an alien in the land of the Philistines many days.
Footnotes
- Genesis 21:11 Literally “was very bad in the eyes of Abraham”
- Genesis 21:12 Literally “Do not let it be bad”
- Genesis 21:12 Literally “Everything Sarah said to you, listen with respect to her voice”
- Genesis 21:16 Literally “she sat with respect to her, opposite, far away, as the shooting of a bow”
- Genesis 21:17 Or “voice”
- Genesis 21:17 Literally “What to you”
- Genesis 21:17 Or “voice”
- Genesis 21:17 Literally “in which he is there”
- Genesis 21:20 Literally “an archer with the bow”
- Genesis 21:27 Literally “cut”
- Genesis 21:30 Literally “for the sake that it shall be a witness for me”
- Genesis 21:32 Literally “cut”
- Genesis 21:33 That is, Abraham
- Genesis 21:33 Literally “El-Olam”
The Voice (VOICE)
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Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified) (CCB)
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Lexham English Bible (LEB)
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