Genesis 21

V 1–8: SON As God has promised, Sarah bears Isaac to Abraham, who is one hundred years old. Abraham circumcises Isaac at eight days old as God has commanded him. On the day that Isaac is weaned, Abraham gives a feast. V 9: SCOFFING Ishmael, Hagar’s son, scoffs at either Isaac, or Sarah, or both. V 10–13: SOVEREIGNTY Sarah reacts by wishing to cast out Hagar and Ishmael. Abraham is not pleased with this, but God tells him to go ahead because it is part of His plan to make Ishmael a nation, though not the nation that He has promised Abraham through Isaac. V 14–16: SADNESS Hagar and Ishmael are sent into the Wilderness of Beersheba and the water supply in the skin bottle is exhausted. Hagar weeps because she thinks Ishmael is going to die. V 17–21: SUSTAINED But God hears Ishmael’s voice, speaks to Hagar confirming that Ishmael will father a great nation, opens her eyes, and provides a well of water which sustains and saves them both. Ishmael dwells in the Wilderness of Paran, and Hagar finds a wife for him from Egypt. V 22–32: SWEAR Abimelech gets Abraham to swear to deal well with him in the future. This is tested in a dispute over a well of water, resulting in them making a covenant together. V 33–34: SUPPLICATION Abraham plants a tamarisk tree to mark the covenant. He stays in the land of the Philistines a long time. He begins to call on the name of ‘the Lord, the Everlasting God’.