以撒出生

21 耶和華按著自己說過的話眷顧撒拉,實現給她的應許。 亞伯拉罕年老的時候,撒拉懷了孕,在上帝指定的日期為他生了一個兒子。 亞伯拉罕為兒子取名叫以撒。 以撒出生後第八天,亞伯拉罕就照著上帝的吩咐為他行了割禮。 以撒出生時亞伯拉罕已經一百歲。 撒拉說:「上帝使我歡笑,凡聽見這事的人也必跟我一同歡笑。 誰曾料到我會為亞伯拉罕哺養孩子呢?我竟然在丈夫年老的時候給他生了兒子。」

夏甲和以實瑪利被逐

以撒漸漸長大,亞伯拉罕在他斷奶的那天擺設宴席。 撒拉見埃及人夏甲給亞伯拉罕生的兒子以實瑪利嘲笑以撒, 10 就對亞伯拉罕說:「趕走這婢女和她的兒子,因為這婢女的兒子不可和我的兒子以撒一同承受產業。」 11 亞伯拉罕因兒子以實瑪利的事非常煩惱。 12 上帝對亞伯拉罕說:「你不要再為這孩子和你的婢女煩惱,只管照撒拉的意思去做,因為以撒生的才可算為你的後代。 13 至於那婢女的兒子以實瑪利,我也會使他自成一國,因為他也是你的兒子。」

14 第二天,亞伯拉罕清早起來,把食物和一皮袋水放在夏甲肩上,讓她和孩子離開。夏甲在別示巴的曠野流浪。 15 皮袋的水喝光了,夏甲把兒子留在一叢灌木下, 16 自己走到離孩子約一箭之遠的地方,對著孩子坐下,說:「我不忍心看著他死啊!」夏甲坐在那裡放聲大哭起來。 17 上帝聽見孩子的哭聲,就差遣天使從天上安慰夏甲說:「夏甲,你怎麼了?不要害怕,上帝已經聽見孩子的哭聲了。 18 你去扶他起來,安慰他,我必使他成為大國。」 19 上帝使夏甲的眼睛明亮,讓她看見一口水井,她就上前把皮袋裝滿水拿給兒子喝。 20 在上帝的看顧下,孩子在曠野漸漸長大,成為一個射箭能手。 21 他住在巴蘭曠野,他母親為他娶了一個埃及女子。

亞伯拉罕與亞比米勒立約

22 有一次,亞比米勒和他的將領非各對亞伯拉罕說:「你做的一切都有上帝保佑。 23 現在請你在這裡當著上帝的面向我起誓,你不會欺騙我和我的子孫後代。我怎樣善待你,請你也同樣善待我以及你所寄居之地的百姓。」 24 亞伯拉罕說:「我願起誓。」

25 由於亞比米勒的僕人霸佔了一口水井,亞伯拉罕就指責亞比米勒。 26 亞比米勒說:「我不知道是誰做的,你以前沒有告訴我,我今天才聽說這事。」 27 亞伯拉罕把牛羊送給亞比米勒,他們二人立了約。 28 亞伯拉罕又從羊群中分出七隻母羊羔。 29 亞比米勒問亞伯拉罕:「你分出七隻母羊羔是什麼意思?」 30 亞伯拉罕回答說:「你要從我手中接受這七隻母羊羔,表示你承認這口井是我挖的。」 31 所以,那地方被稱為別示巴[a],因為他們二人在那裡起了誓。

32 他們立約以後,亞比米勒和他的將領非各便回非利士去了。 33 亞伯拉罕在別示巴栽了一棵紅柳,又在那裡呼求耶和華——永恆上帝的名。 34 亞伯拉罕在非利士住了很長時間。

Footnotes

  1. 21·31 別示巴」意思是「盟誓之井」。

Isaac Is Born(A)

21 And the Lord (B)visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah (C)as He had spoken. For Sarah (D)conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, (E)at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him—whom Sarah bore to him—(F)Isaac.[a] Then Abraham (G)circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, (H)as God had commanded him. Now (I)Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. And Sarah said, (J)“God has [b]made me laugh, and all who hear (K)will laugh with me.” She also said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? (L)For I have borne him a son in his old age.”

Hagar and Ishmael Depart(M)

So the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the same day that Isaac was weaned.

And Sarah saw the son of Hagar (N)the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, (O)scoffing.[c] 10 Therefore she said to Abraham, (P)“Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.” 11 And the matter was very [d]displeasing in Abraham’s sight (Q)because of his son.

12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your sight because of the lad or because of your bondwoman. Whatever Sarah has said to you, listen to her voice; for (R)in Isaac your seed shall be called. 13 Yet I will also make (S)a nation of the son of the bondwoman, because he is your [e]seed.”

14 So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and [f]a skin of water; and putting it on her shoulder, he gave it and the boy to Hagar, and (T)sent her away. Then she departed and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba. 15 And the water in the skin was used up, and she placed the boy under one of the shrubs. 16 Then she went and sat down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself, “Let me not see the death of the boy.” So she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept.

17 And (U)God heard the voice of the lad. Then the (V)angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, “What ails you, Hagar? Fear not, for God has heard the voice of the lad where he is. 18 Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for (W)I will make him a great nation.”

19 Then (X)God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad a drink. 20 So God (Y)was with the lad; and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, (Z)and became an archer. 21 He dwelt in the Wilderness of Paran; and his mother (AA)took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

A Covenant with Abimelech

22 And it came to pass at that time that (AB)Abimelech and Phichol, the commander of his army, spoke to Abraham, saying, (AC)“God is with you in all that you do. 23 Now therefore, (AD)swear[g] to me by God that you will not deal falsely with me, with my offspring, or with my posterity; but that according to the kindness that I have done to you, you will do to me and to the land in which you have dwelt.”

24 And Abraham said, “I will swear.”

25 Then Abraham rebuked Abimelech because of a well of water which Abimelech’s servants (AE)had seized. 26 And Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done this thing; you did not tell me, nor had I heard of it until today.” 27 So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them (AF)made a [h]covenant. 28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.

29 Then Abimelech asked Abraham, (AG)“What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs which you have set by themselves?”

30 And he said, “You will take these seven ewe lambs from my hand, that (AH)they may be my witness that I have dug this well.” 31 Therefore he (AI)called that place [i]Beersheba, because the two of them swore an oath there.

32 Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba. So Abimelech rose with Phichol, the commander of his army, and they returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Then Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and (AJ)there called on the name of the Lord, (AK)the Everlasting God. 34 And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines many days.

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 21:3 Lit. Laughter
  2. Genesis 21:6 Lit. made laughter for me
  3. Genesis 21:9 Lit. laughing
  4. Genesis 21:11 distressing
  5. Genesis 21:13 descendant
  6. Genesis 21:14 A water bottle made of skins
  7. Genesis 21:23 take an oath
  8. Genesis 21:27 treaty
  9. Genesis 21:31 Lit. Well of the Oath or Well of the Seven

The Birth of Isaac

21 Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah(A) as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he had promised.(B) Sarah became pregnant and bore a son(C) to Abraham in his old age,(D) at the very time God had promised him.(E) Abraham gave the name Isaac[a](F) to the son Sarah bore him. When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him,(G) as God commanded him. Abraham was a hundred years old(H) when his son Isaac was born to him.

Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter,(I) and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” 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.”(J)

Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away

The child grew and was weaned,(K) and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham(L) was mocking,(M) 10 and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman(N) and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.”(O)

11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son.(P) 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[b] will be reckoned.(Q) 13 I will make the son of the slave into a nation(R) 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.(S) 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.(T)

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 bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she[c] began to sob.(U)

17 God heard the boy crying,(V) and the angel of God(W) called to Hagar from heaven(X) and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid;(Y) 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.(Z)

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

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

The Treaty at Beersheba

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

24 Abraham said, “I swear it.”

25 Then Abraham complained to Abimelek about a well of water that Abimelek’s servants had seized.(AL) 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.(AM) 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(AN) that I dug this well.(AO)

31 So that place was called Beersheba,[d](AP) because the two men swore an oath(AQ) there.

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

Footnotes

  1. Genesis 21:3 Isaac means he laughs.
  2. Genesis 21:12 Or seed
  3. Genesis 21:16 Hebrew; Septuagint the child
  4. Genesis 21:31 Beersheba can mean well of seven and well of the oath.