T4T GEN Chapter 21

Sarah gave birth to Isaac

21 Yahweh was very kind to Sarah, just as he said he would be. He did for Sarah exactly what he promised to do. 2 She became pregnant and gave birth to a son for Abraham when he was very old, at the time God promised it would happen. 3 Abraham gave the name ‘Isaac’ (which means ‘he laughs’) to the son Sarah gave birth to. 4 Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when his son was eight days old, just as God commanded him to do. 5 Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born. 6 And Sarah said, “Although I was sad before because I did not have any children, God has now enabled me to laugh, and everyone who hears about what God has done for me will laugh with me.” 7 Then she also said, “No one would have said to Abraham that some day Sarah would nurse a child, but I have given birth to a son when Abraham is very old.”

Abraham sent Hagar and her son Ishmael away

8 The baby grew and was weaned when he was about three years old. On that day, Abraham prepared a large feast to celebrate. 9 ◄One day/During the feast► Sarah noticed that Hagar’s son Ishmael was ◄making fun of/playing with► Isaac. 10 So she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman from Egypt and her son! I do not want the son of that slave woman to be alone (OR, to be an heir along with) my son, Isaac!” 11 Abraham was very distressed about the matter, because he was concerned about his son Ishmael. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about your son, Ishmael, and about your maidservant, Hagar. Do everything that Sarah tells you to do. Listen to her, because Isaac is the one who will be considered the ancestor of the descendants I promised to give you. 13 But I will also cause the son of your maidservant to be the ancestor of the people of a great nation [MTY], because he is also your son.” 14 So Abraham got up early the next morning. He got some food ready, put water in a container, and gave them to Hagar. He put them in a bag on her shoulder and sent them away.

They wandered in the desert near Beersheba town. 15 After they had drunk all the water in the container, she put her son under one of the bushes there. 16 Then she went and sat nearby, about ◄as far as someone can shoot an arrow/100 meters away►, because she thought, “I cannot endure seeing my son die!” As she sat there, she began to cry loudly [MTY]. 17 The boy was crying too. And God heard the boy crying. So he caused one of his angels to call out from heaven to Hagar, saying, “Hagar, are you worried about something? Do not be afraid, because God has heard the boy crying there. 18 Help your son up, and hold his hand as you leave, because I will cause his descendants to become a great nation.” 19 Then God showed her a well of water. So she went to the well and filled the container with water, and gave the boy a drink.

20 God helped the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became a good ◄archer/man who hunts with bow and arrows►. 21 He lived in Paran Desert. While e was there, Hagar got a wife for him from Egypt.

22 At that time, King Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “It is clear that God helps you with everything that you do. 23 So now ◄solemnly promise/swear► to me here, as God is listening, that you will ◄not deceive/act fairly to► me and my children and my descendants, in return for my being kind to you. Be kind to me and to all the people here in the country where you are now living.” 24 So Abraham promised to do that.

25 Then Abraham complained to Abimelech about one of Abraham’s wells that Abimelech’s servants had seized. 26 But Abimelech said, “I do not know who has done that. You did not tell me previously, and I did not hear about it until today.” 27 So Abraham brought some sheep and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made a ◄treaty/peace agreement►. 28 Abraham separated seven female lambs from his flock. 29 Abimelech asked Abraham, “What are these seven female lambs that you have separated from the rest of your flock?” 30 Abraham replied, “I want you truly to accept these female lambs from me [SYN], so that it may be a ◄public witness/proof► that this well belongs to me because I dug it.” 31 So Abimelech accepted the animals, and as a result they called that place Beersheba, which means ‘Friendship Agreement Well’, because there the two of them made that agreement. 32 After they made the agreement at Beersheba, Abimelech and his army commander, Phicol, left, and returned to the land of the Philistine people-group. 33 Abraham planted a ◄tamarisk tree/kind of tree called esel► there, and he worshiped the eternal God there. 34 Abraham lived in the land of the Philistine people-group for a long time.