Genesis 21 – Study

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Genesis 21:1-7

1 Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac [Isaac means he laughs] to the son Sarah bore him. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

6 Sarah said, ‘God has brought me laughter, 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.’

A. Find Out:

1. What did the Lord do for Sarah? v.1
2. When did she bear a son? v.2
3. What was the name of the child? v.3
4. What did Abraham do when it was 8 days old? v.4
5. How old was Abraham when the child was born? v.5
6. What did Sarah say the Lord had brought her? v.6

B. Think:

In the establishing of their covenant (agreement) both the Lord and Abraham had promised to do things. In this passage –

1. What did the Lord do that He had promised?
2. What did Abraham do that he had promised?
3. Look up the following promises in the New Testament: Mt. 28:20b / Jn 14:16,17 / Acts 1:8a

C. Comment:

At last it has happened. Sarah has the child God has spoken about for so long. The Lord has fulfilled His promise that she WOULD have a child and His promise WHEN she would have it. The lesson that is obvious here is that the Lord is FAITHFUL and He WILL do what He has promises, however long it takes!

Jewish names frequently have a meaning that is significant. The baby is called Isaac, which means “he laughs”. Abraham (and Sarah) can both laugh with joy in their old age. The name will be a proclamation to all of what he has done for his parents. Few Christians seem to realise that God does desire to bless them, and blessing so often brings laughter and joy. Whenever Jesus healed anyone there must have been much joy, Hallelujah!

As soon as Isaac is 8 days old, Abraham circumcises him just as God has asked. Abraham is keeping his part of the agreement as God has kept His. The Lord always keeps His promises. In the New Testament there are many that apply to us. Watch for them. Do we keep our side of the commitment?

D. Application?

1. Thank the Lord that He ALWAYS keeps His promises.
2. Thank Him that He has promised that He will always be with us.

Passage: Genesis 21:8-21

8 The child grew and was weaned, 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 was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, ‘Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.’

11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. 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 will be reckoned. 13 I will make the son of the slave into a nation 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. 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.

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 bow-shot away, for she thought, ‘I cannot watch the boy die.’ And as she sat there, she began to sob.

17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, ‘What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; 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.’

19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.

20 God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. 21 While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt.

A. Find Out:

1. Why was Sarah upset? v.9
2. Why did she want them sent away? v.10
3. Why did the Lord say not to be distressed? v.12,13
4. What did Hagar believe would happen? v.16
5. How did the Lord help her? v.19
6. Why was the boy secure & safe? v.20

B. Think:

1. How do you think YOU would have felt in Sarah’s shoes?
2. Why was Ishmael being sent away not the end of the world for him?
3. What general method of help when we are in trouble, does this passage show us?

C. Comment:

Sarah’s joy is full because of the arrival of long awaited Isaac, but then it is all spoilt because the “other son” was mocking Sarah or Isaac in some way, this son who was not Sarah’s; how dare he spoil their joy at this moment! Yet again the consequences of their earlier “human endeavours” are acting against them.

Hagar and Ishmael are subsequently sent away at Sarah’s instigation, but not before the Lord confirms to Abraham that it is right. Their place is not to be in this household and the Lord will take care of them. As they go there is no indication that Hagar has any real knowledge of the Lord but that doesn’t stop HIM looking after them. In desperation they wander and appear to come to the very end of their resources, and it is then that the Lord steps in and shows Hagar further resources that she had missed seeing in her misery.

Despite Ishmael being the fruit of human endeavour, despite him mocking the chosen of God, the Lord still looks after them, truly a God of great grace. He will yet make a nation out of this young man, a nation that will have a part in His plans.

D. Application?

1. Are there things in our lives that mock us, that shouldn’t be there?
2. Sometimes the Lord waits until we come to the end of our resource before He steps in and provides.

Passage: Genesis 21:22-34

22 At that time Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces said to Abraham, ‘God is with you in everything you do. 23 Now swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. Show to me and the country where you now reside as a foreigner the same kindness that I have shown to you.’

24 Abraham said, ‘I swear it.’

25 Then Abraham complained to Abimelek about a well of water that Abimelek’s servants had seized. 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. 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 that I dug this well.’

31 So that place was called Beersheba, because the two men swore an oath there.

32 After the treaty had been made at Beersheba, Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Eternal God. 34 And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for a long time.

A. Find Out:

1. What did Abimelech recognise? v.22
2. What did he fear would happen? v.23
3. What complaint did Abraham have? v.25
4. What did they then do? v.27
5. What particular thing did they agree over? v.30
6. How was the Lord now described? v.33

B. Think:

1. What does Abimelech’s initial concern indicate about Abraham now?
2. Why would the matter of a well be of such importance?
3. What was the purpose of the treaty?

C. Comment:

Abraham, his family and possessions, have now obviously grown to such a size that even this Philistine king feels threatened by him, and not only that he recognizes that Abraham is like that because God is with him. Isn’t that great! People can now look at Abraham and KNOW something about God. Even though this man of faith has sometimes wavered, the Lord has continued to be with him and bless him, and that is obvious to all and sundry!

But now Abraham has a complaint: he has just dug a well and some Philistines have taken it over. Abimelech acts as we have seen him before, graciously and honorably and declares he has only just heard about it, with the inference being that he will sort it out.

The two men then make a peace treaty to ensure neither will act against the other, and again this is an indication of Abraham’s strength and power. Small powerless people don’t go making treaties with kings! Abraham emphasizes that part of the treaty must involve the matter of the well because water was an important commodity, so he ensures the well is seen to be his, and Abimelech agrees. The thing that comes over again and again in this passage is the powerful man God has now made Abraham to be.

D. Application?

1. Ask the Lord to so bless your life that others will see and know.
2. Thank the Lord for the clear and obvious way He blessed Abraham.