Wayfinding Bible - Flipbook - Page 39
33
Genesis 21
PG 34
OBSERVATION POINT
EXPLORATION POINT
Isaac was weaned at around age three, which was
the cultural norm. A feast commemorated this rite
of passage, celebrating the life of the child who had
survived the most fragile years of infancy and would
now probably live to adulthood. By this time, Ishmael
was seventeen. If he had been younger, making fun of
his little brother would have been considered typical
teasing between siblings, but because of his age it
was much more serious than that.
THE BIRTH OF ISAAC
21
PG 1444
b | HEALING | 21:1-7
The Lord kept his word and did for Sar
ah exactly what he had promised. 2 She
became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son
for Abraham in his old age. This happened
at just the time God had said it would. 3 And
Abraham named their son Isaac. 4 Eight days
after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised
him as God had commanded. 5 Abraham was
100 years old when Isaac was born.
6
And Sarah declared, “God has brought me
laughter.* All who hear about this will laugh
with me. 7 Who would have said to Abraham
that Sarah would nurse a baby? Yet I have
given Abraham a son in his old age!”
HAGAR AND ISHMAEL ARE SENT AWAY
When Isaac grew up and was about to be
weaned, Abraham prepared a huge feast to
celebrate the occasion. 9 But Sarah saw Ish
mael—the son of Abraham and her Egyptian
servant Hagar—making fun of her son, I saac.*
10
So she turned to Abraham and demanded,
“Get rid of that slave woman and her son. He is
not going to share the inheritance with my son,
Isaac. I won’t have it!”
11
This upset Abraham very much because
Ishmael was his son. 12 But God told Abraham,
“Do not be upset over the boy and your servant. Do whatever Sarah tells you, for Isaac is
the son through whom your descendants will
be counted. 13 But I will also make a nation of
the descendants of Hagar’s son because he is
your son, too.”
14
So Abraham got up early the next morning, prepared food and a container of water,
8
PG 419
prophet. Then you will live. But if you d
on’t return her to him, you can be sure that you and
all your people will die.”
8
Abimelech got up early the next morning
and quickly called all his servants together.
When he told them what had happened, his
men were terrified. 9 Then Abimelech called
for Abraham. “What have you done to us?” he
demanded. “What crime have I committed that
deserves treatment like this, making me and
my kingdom guilty of this great sin? No one
should ever do what you have done! 10 Whatever possessed you to do such a thing?”
11
Abraham replied, “I thought, ‘This is a
godless place. They will want my wife and will
kill me to get her.’ 12 And she really is my sister,
for we both have the same father, but different mothers. And I married her. 13 When God
called me to leave my father’s home and to
travel from place to place, I told her, ‘Do me a
favor. Wherever we go, tell the people that I am
your brother.’”
14
Then Abimelech took some of his sheep and
goats, cattle, and male and female servants,
and he p
resented them to Abraham. He also returned his wife, Sarah, to him. 15 Then Abimelech
said, “Look over my land and choose any place
where you would like to live.” 16 And he said to
Sarah, “Look, I am giving your ‘brother’ 1,000
pieces of silver* in the presence of all these witnesses. This is to compensate you for any wrong
I may have done to you. This will settle any claim
against me, and your reputation is cleared.”
17
Then Abraham prayed to God, and God
healed Abimelech, his wife, and his female
servants, so they could have children. 18 For the
Lord had caused all the women to be infertile
because of what happened with Abraham’s
wife, Sarah.
The tension in this family was unusual. The boys
were too far apart in age to be true rivals: Isaac
was a toddler, Ishmael a seventeen-year-old and
considered an adult. Each mother wanted to p
rotect
her son and secure his position in the family. Each
mother loved her son. Both acted in a customary
way. The tension and dilemma appeared to have no
resolution, but God intervened and blessed both
boys. Unfortunately, the tension that began between
these two brothers thousands of years ago continues
among their descendants even today.
20:16 Hebrew 1,000 [shekels] of silver, about 25 pounds or
11.4 kilograms in weight. 21:6 The name Isaac means “he laughs.”
21:9 As in Greek version and Latin Vulgate; Hebrew lacks of her
son, Isaac.
