15 And the water H4325 was spent H3615 in H4480 the bottle, H2573 and she cast H7993 the child H3206 under one H259 of the shrubs. H7880
So Moses H4872 brought H5265 Israel H3478 from the Red H5488 sea, H3220 and they went out H3318 into the wilderness H4057 of Shur; H7793 and they went H3212 three H7969 days H3117 in the wilderness, H4057 and found H4672 no water. H4325 And when they came H935 to Marah, H4785 they could H3201 not drink H8354 of the waters H4325 of Marah, H4785 for they were bitter: H4751 therefore the name H8034 of it was called H7121 Marah. H4785 And the people H5971 murmured H3885 against Moses, H4872 saying, H559 What shall we drink? H8354 And he cried H6817 unto the LORD; H3068 and the LORD H3068 shewed H3384 him a tree, H6086 which when he had cast H7993 into the waters, H4325 the waters H4325 were made sweet: H4985 there he made H7760 for them a statute H2706 and an ordinance, H4941 and there he proved H5254 them,
So the king H4428 of Israel H3478 went, H3212 and the king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and the king H4428 of Edom: H123 and they fetched a compass H5437 of seven H7651 days' H3117 journey: H1870 and there was no water H4325 for the host, H4264 and for the cattle H929 that followed H7272 them.
[[A Psalm H4210 of David, H1732 when he was in the wilderness H4057 of Judah.]] H3063 O God, H430 thou art my God; H410 early will I seek H7836 thee: my soul H5315 thirsteth H6770 for thee, my flesh H1320 longeth H3642 for thee in a dry H6723 and thirsty H5889 land, H776 where no H1097 water H4325 is;
And Abraham H85 rose up early H7925 in the morning, H1242 and took H3947 bread, H3899 and a bottle H2573 of water, H4325 and gave H5414 it unto Hagar, H1904 putting H7760 it on her shoulder, H7926 and the child, H3206 and sent her away: H7971 and she departed, H3212 and wandered H8582 in the wilderness H4057 of Beersheba. H884
And all the congregation H5712 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 journeyed H5265 from the wilderness H4057 of Sin, H5512 after their journeys, H4550 according to the commandment H6310 of the LORD, H3068 and pitched H2583 in Rephidim: H7508 and there was no water H4325 for the people H5971 to drink. H8354 Wherefore the people H5971 did chide H7378 with Moses, H4872 and said, H559 Give H5414 us water H4325 that we may drink. H8354 And Moses H4872 said H559 unto them, Why chide H7378 ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt H5254 the LORD? H3068 And the people H5971 thirsted H6770 there for water; H4325 and the people H5971 murmured H3885 against Moses, H4872 and said, H559 Wherefore is this that thou hast brought H5927 us up out of Egypt, H4714 to kill H4191 us and our children H1121 and our cattle H4735 with thirst? H6772
The smith H1270 H2796 with the tongs H4621 both worketh H6466 in the coals, H6352 and fashioneth H3335 it with hammers, H4717 and worketh H6466 it with the strength H3581 of his arms: H2220 yea, he is hungry, H7457 and his strength H3581 faileth: H369 he drinketh H8354 no water, H4325 and is faint. H3286
And their nobles H117 have sent H7971 their little ones H6810 to the waters: H4325 they came H935 to the pits, H1356 H1360 and found H4672 no water; H4325 they returned H7725 with their vessels H3627 empty; H7387 they were ashamed H954 and confounded, H3637 and covered H2645 their heads. H7218
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 21
Commentary on Genesis 21 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 21
Ge 21:1-13. Birth of Isaac.
1. the Lord visited Sarah—The language of the historian seems designedly chosen to magnify the power of God as well as His faithfulness to His promise. It was God's grace that brought about that event, as well as the raising of spiritual children to Abraham, of which the birth of this son was typical [Calvin].
3, 4. Abraham called the name of his son … Isaac … and circumcised—God was acknowledged in the name which, by divine command, was given for a memorial (compare Ge 17:19), and also in the dedication of the child by administering the seal of the covenant (compare Ge 17:10-12).
8. the child grew, and was weaned—children are suckled longer in the East than in the Occident—boys usually for two or three years.
Abraham made a great feast, &c.—In Eastern countries this is always a season of domestic festivity, and the newly weaned child is formally brought, in presence of the assembled relatives and friends, to partake of some simple viands. Isaac, attired in the symbolic robe, the badge of birthright, was then admitted heir of the tribe [Rosenmuller].
9. Sarah saw the son of Hagar … mocking—Ishmael was aware of the great change in his prospects, and under the impulse of irritated or resentful feelings, in which he was probably joined by his mother, treated the young heir with derision and probably some violence (Ga 4:29).
10. Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman—Nothing but the expulsion of both could now preserve harmony in the household. Abraham's perplexity was relieved by an announcement of the divine will, which in everything, however painful to flesh and blood, all who fear God and are walking in His ways will, like him, promptly obey. This story, as the apostle tells us, in "an allegory" [Ga 4:24], and the "persecution" by the son of the Egyptian was the commencement of the four hundred years' affliction of Abraham's seed by the Egyptians.
12. in all that Sarah hath said—it is called the Scripture (Ga 4:30).
13. also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation—Thus Providence overruled a family brawl to give rise to two great and extraordinary peoples.
Ge 21:14-21. Expulsion of Ishmael.
14. Abraham rose up early, &c.—early, that the wanderers might reach an asylum before noon. Bread includes all sorts of victuals—bottle, a leathern vessel, formed of the entire skin of a lamb or kid sewed up, with the legs for handles, usually carried over the shoulder. Ishmael was a lad of seventeen years, and it is quite customary for Arab chiefs to send out their sons at such an age to do for themselves: often with nothing but a few days' provisions in a bag.
wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba—in the southern border of Palestine, but out of the common direction, a wide extending desert, where they lost their way.
15. the water was spent, &c.—Ishmael sank exhausted from fatigue and thirst—his mother laid his head under one of the bushes to smell the damp while she herself, unable to witness his distress, sat down at a little distance in hopeless sorrow.
19. God opened her eyes—Had she forgotten the promise (Ge 16:11)? Whether she looked to God or not, He regarded her and directed her to a fountain close beside her, but probably hid amid brushwood, by the waters of which her almost expiring son was revived.
20, 21. God was with the lad, &c.—Paran (that is, Arabia), where his posterity has ever dwelt (compare Ge 16:12; also Isa 48:19; 1Pe 1:25).
his mother took him a wife—On a father's death, the mother looks out for a wife for her son, however young; and as Ishmael was now virtually deprived of his father, his mother set about forming a marriage connection for him, it would seem, among her relatives.
Ge 21:22-34. Covenant.
22. Abimelech and Phichol—Here a proof of the promise (Ge 12:2) being fulfilled, in a native prince wishing to form a solemn league with Abraham. The proposal was reasonable, and agreed to [Ge 21:24].
25-31. And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well—Wells were of great importance to a pastoral chief and on the successful operation of sinking a new one, the owner was solemnly informed in person. If, however, they were allowed to get out of repair, the restorer acquired a right to them. In unoccupied lands the possession of wells gave a right of property in the land, and dread of this had caused the offense for which Abraham reproved Abimelech. Some describe four, others five, wells in Beer-sheba.
33. Abraham planted a grove—Hebrew, "of tamarisks," in which sacrificial worship was offered, as in a roofless temple.
34. Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land—a picture of pastoral and an emblem of Christian life.