Part 1: Introduction | Part 2: Journey to Canaan | Part 3: Settlement | Part 4: Establishment | Part 5: Covenant | Part 6: Ishmael. Not. | Part 7: Implemented | Part 8: Isaac Promised | Part 9: Certified at Sodom | Part 10: Certified in Gerar
It’s time.
It’s time for a key element of God’s covenant with Abraham to be fulfilled. It’s time for the aged Abraham, and the aged Sarah, his wife, to have a son.
In the way this faithful God had promised, and at the time he had promised, the child is born (Ge 21.1-2). Nothing is too hard for the Lord (Ge 18.14), even 25 years after the initial promise (Ge 12.2). In obedience to God’s instruction (Ge 17.19), Abraham names him Isaac: “he laughs.” This is a reference to Sarah’s earlier laughter of disbelief (Ge 18.12), but with added meaning; disbelief has now turned to joy (Ge 21.6) at the miracle worked in her (Ge 21.7).
The narrative now turns to two events that necessarily follow from this significant development. First, after Isaac is weaned (probably at age 2 or 3) the existing conflict between Sarah and Hagar grows when Sarah sees Ishmael, now 16 or 17 years old (Ge 16.16; 21.5), “mocking” (Ge 21.9 KJV NASB; ESV “laughing”; NKJV “scoffing”) the baby. Ironically, this is the verb form of Isaac’s name; Ishmael is apparently playing with the child, probably teasing him. Paul later describes Ishmael’s action as “persecution” (Ga 4.29). Sarah will not stand for this.
So she orders her husband to expel the boy and his mother from her house (Ge 21.10).
Abram is troubled (Ge 21.11), and he should be; this directly violates the regional culture. We’ve noted earlier that the Nuzi texts and Hammurabi’s Code imposed on a barren wife the responsibility to provide a fertile substitute; the same texts explicitly state that the resulting child (Ishmael, in this case) may not be expelled from the home.
But Sarah is insistent. God takes the cultural pressure off Abraham (Ge 21.12) by telling him that the expulsion is acceptable and that his blessing will be upon Ishmael as well (Ge 21.13). Abraham provisions Hagar–meagerly–and sends the two off. When the provisions run out, as Abraham had to know they would, the angel of the Lord comes once again to the despairing mother–hearing Ishmael’s cries (Ge 21.17)–and provides for them (Ge 21.15-19). (Ishmael’s name, incidentally, means “God hears.”)
The event ends with a summary (Ge 21.20-21) that indicates that God keeps his promise to bless Ishmael as well. Ishmael will become a skilled archer (Ge 21.20) and therefore able to provide for himself. Centuries later the descendants of his son Kedar (Ge 25.13) will be noted for their skill with a bow (Is 21.17).
Now God has cleared the field for Isaac, the covenant son. Paul will make a point of this (Ga 4.30). The plan continues.
The second event that follows from Isaac’s birth returns us to Abraham’s old friend Abimelech, king of Gerar. When we last saw him, he was being generous to Abraham in an apparent effort to form an alliance with this man that he saw being blessed by God. Now he returns (Ge 21.22) and makes his intentions explicit (Ge 21.23). Abraham, seeing the obvious benefit in the relationship, agrees (Ge 21.24). We have every reason to think this was wise; though Abimelech (or his son) will later come into conflict with Isaac (Ge 26.8ff), that conflict is Isaac’s responsibility (Ge 26.9-10)–and he apparently learned it from his father (Ge 20.2ff).
As soon as Abraham has agreed to Abimelech’s proposal, he tests Abimelech’s good faith. Abimelech’s servants had seized one of Abraham’s wells (Ge 21.25), and Abraham asks Abimelech to right the wrong. When Abimelech shows willingness to discuss the matter (Ge 21.26), Abraham decides to commit to the long-term relationship (Ge 21.27-32). They name the place Beer-sheba (“the well of the covenant,” Ge 21.31). The city still exists today.
And then, Moses tells us, Abraham settles in (Ge 21.28-29). He plants tamarisk tree there (Ge 21.33), indicating the abundance of water. And he worships, for the first time by this name, “the Everlasting God.” The God who keeps his promise after 25 years will keep this covenant forever.
What’s the significance of this event? Why does Moses tell us about it here, hot on the heels of Isaac’s birth?
This is ongoing development of the Abrahamic Covenant. God has given him the promised son, and now he demonstrates that he will bless him–in this case, with peace with this neighbor. And the well serves as a permanent tie to The Land.
Things are proceeding nicely. But a test is coming.
Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash
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