Genesis 21:8-21

International Children’s Bible

Hagar and Ishmael

⁸ Isaac grew and became old enough to eat food. At that time Abraham gave a great feast. ⁹ But Sarah saw Ishmael making fun of Isaac. (Ishmael was the son of Abraham by Hagar, Sarah’s Egyptian slave.) ¹⁰ So Sarah said to Abraham, “Throw out this slave woman and her son. When we die, our son Isaac will inherit everything we have. I don’t want her son to inherit any of our things.”

¹¹ This troubled Abraham very much because Ishmael was also his son. ¹² But God said to Abraham, “Don’t be troubled about the boy and the slave woman. Do whatever Sarah tells you. The descendants I promised you will be from Isaac. ¹³ I will also make the descendants of Ishmael into a great nation. I will do this because he is your son, too.”

¹⁴ Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a leather bag full of water. He gave them to Hagar and sent her away. Hagar carried these things and her son. She went and wandered in the desert of Beersheba.

¹⁵ Later, all the water was gone from the bag. So Hagar put her son under a bush. ¹⁶ Then she went away a short distance and sat down. Hagar thought, “My son will die. I cannot watch this happen.” She sat there and began to cry.

¹⁷ God heard the boy crying. And God’s angel called to Hagar from heaven. He said, “What is wrong, Hagar? Don’t be afraid! God has heard the boy crying there. ¹⁸ Help the boy up. Take him by the hand. I will make his descendants into a great nation.”

¹⁹ Then God showed Hagar a well of water. So she went to the well and filled her bag with water. Then she gave the boy a drink.

²⁰ God was with the boy as he grew up. Ishmael lived in the desert. He learned to shoot with a bow very well. ²¹ He lived in the Desert of Paran. His mother found a wife for him in Egypt.