ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for Genesis 21

Gen. 21:1–21 In fulfillment of God’s promise, Sarah bears Abraham a son, who is named Isaac. While Isaac takes priority over Ishmael, God does not abandon Hagar and her son.

Gen. 21:1–2 as he had promised. See 17:16, 19, 21. at the time of which God had spoken to him. See 18:10, 14.

Gen. 21:3 Isaac. God had announced the name to Abraham in 17:19 (see note).

Gen. 21:4 Isaac is circumcised by Abraham, fulfilling God’s instructions in 17:12.

Gen. 21:8 Isaac was probably two or three years old when he was weaned.

Gen. 21:9 The Hebrew verb translated laughing can mean either “mocking” or “playing.” Here, it probably means “mocking.”

Gen. 21:12 through Isaac shall your offspring be named. Even though Ishmael is older than Isaac, God confirms that Isaac will take priority over Ishmael (see 17:19). The importance of this is explained in Rom. 9:7 and Heb. 11:18.

Gen. 21:14 putting it on her shoulder, along with the child. While these words might suggest that Ishmael was placed on Hagar’s shoulder, this is hardly likely, since Ishmael is about 16 years old (see 16:16; 21:5; 8). Abraham gave Ishmael to Hagar, probably after putting the bread and water on Hagar’s shoulder. The Hebrew term for “child” may mean an older teenager. wilderness of Beersheba. Water was difficult to find in this region. Man-made wells appear to have been the main source (see 21:30; 26:18–22).

Gen. 21:17–18 God’s intervention saves Hagar and confirms to her that her son will become a great nation, echoing the promise given to Abraham in v. 13. God heard . . . the boy (v. 17). “Ishmael” means “God hears” (see 16:11).

Gen. 21:21 wilderness of Paran. The central region in northern Sinai.

Gen. 21:22–23 God is with you in all that you do. Abimelech attributes Abraham’s success to God.

Gen. 21:25–30 Before sealing the treaty, Abraham raises the controversial issue of ownership of a well. The covenant or treaty was designed to prevent conflict between the two parties. The gift of seven ewe lambs to Abimelech confirms Abraham’s ownership of the well.

Gen. 21:31 In light of Abraham’s gift to Abimelech, the name Beersheba probably means “well of seven.” It could also mean “well of the oath,” since the Hebrew words for “seven” and “oath” are similar. Perhaps the name was chosen because it embraced both concepts. When a permanent settlement was established in this area, it was named after the well (see 26:33). The town of Beersheba, in the northern Negeb, marked the southern boundary of Israel (e.g., Judg. 20:1).

Gen. 21:32 land of the Philistines. The term “Philistines” is normally associated with non-Canaanites from the Aegean region who inhabited southwest Canaan from about 1180 b.c. onward—nearly a thousand years after Abraham’s time. In light of this, the term may have been used here and elsewhere to replace an earlier, obscure term; Genesis contains various examples of such modernizations.

Gen. 21:33 Everlasting God. Here the common Semitic term for “God” is followed by the attribute of everlastingness.