21
God Provides for Hagar and Ishmael
1 The Lord came to help Sarah and did for her what he had promised. 2 So she became pregnant, and at the exact time God had promised, she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. 3 Abraham named his newborn son Isaac. 4 When Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded. 5 Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born.
6 Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me. 7 Who would have predicted to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet, I have given him a son in his old age.”
8 The child grew and was weaned. On the day Isaac was weaned, Abraham held a big feast. 9 Sarah saw that Abraham’s son by Hagar the Egyptian was laughing at Isaac. 10 She said to Abraham, “Get rid of this slave and her son, because this slave’s son must never share the inheritance with my son Isaac.” 11 Abraham was upset by this because of his son Ishmael. 12 But God said to Abraham, “Don’t be upset about the boy and your slave. Listen to what Sarah says because through Isaac your descendants will carry on your name. 13 Besides, I will make the slave’s son into a nation also, because he is your child.”
14 Early the next morning Abraham took bread and a container of water and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder. He also gave her the boy and sent her on her way. So she left and wandered around in the desert near Beersheba. 15 When the water in the container was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went about as far away as an arrow can be shot and sat down. She said to herself, “I don’t want to watch the boy die.” So she sat down and sobbed loudly.
17 God heard the boy crying, and the Messenger of God called to Hagar from heaven. “What’s the matter, Hagar?” he asked her. “Don’t be afraid! God has heard the boy crying from the bushes. 18 Come on, help the boy up! Take him by the hand, because I’m going to make him into a great nation.”
19 God opened her eyes. Then she saw a well. She filled the container 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 a skilled archer. 21 He lived in the desert of Paran, and his mother got him a wife from Egypt.
Abraham’s Agreement with Abimelech
22 At that time Abimelech, accompanied by Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything you do. 23 Now, swear an oath to me here in front of God that you will never cheat me, my children, or my descendants. Show me and the land where you’ve been living the same kindness that I have shown you.”
24 Abraham said, “I so swear.”
25 Then Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well which Abimelech’s servants had seized. 26 Abimelech replied, “I don’t know who did this. You didn’t tell me, and I didn’t hear about it until today.”
27 Abraham took some sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech, and the two of them made an agreement. 28 Then Abraham set apart seven female lambs from the flock. 29 Abimelech asked him, “What is the meaning of these seven female lambs you have set apart?”
30 Abraham answered, “Accept these lambs from me so that they may be proof* that I dug this well.” 31 This is why that place is called Beersheba,† because both of them swore an oath there.
32 After they made the treaty at Beersheba, Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, left and went back to the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba and worshiped the Lord, the Everlasting God, there. 34 Abraham lived a long time in the land of the Philistines.
* 21:30 Or “a witness.” † 21:31 Beersheba can mean either “Well of the Seven” or “Well of the Oath.”