English Standard Version
Genesis 21:20
20And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow.
Genesis 21:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
- New International Version (NIV)God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So God was with the lad; and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
- New Living Translation (NLT)And God was with the boy as he grew up in the wilderness. He became a skillful archer,
Context of Genesis 21:20
18Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation." 19Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. And she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow. 21He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt. 22At that time Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army said to Abraham, "God is with you in all that you do.
Read all of Genesis 21Genesis 21:20 word by word
וַיְהִ֧י אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הַנַּ֖עַר וַיִּגְדָּ֑ל וַיֵּ֙שֶׁב֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וַיְהִ֖י רֹבֶ֥ה קַשָּֽׁת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Genesis 21:20
- Genesis 17:20As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation.
- Genesis 28:15Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."
- Genesis 39:2The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, and he was in the house of his Egyptian master.
- Judges 6:12And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, "The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor."
- Judges 13:24And the woman bore a son and called his name Samson. And the young man grew, and the Lord blessed him.
- Luke 1:80And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
- Luke 2:40And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.
- Genesis 10:9He was a mighty hunter before the Lord. Therefore it is said, "Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the Lord."
- Genesis 16:12He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen."
- Genesis 25:27When the boys grew up, Esau was a skillful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, dwelling in tents.
- Genesis 27:3Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me,
- Genesis 49:23The archers bitterly attacked him, shot at him, and harassed him severely,
Commentaries on Genesis 21:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Became an archer - And by his skill in this art, under the continual superintendence of the Divine Providence, (for God was with the lad), he was undoubtedly enabled to procure a sufficient supply for his own wants and those of his parent.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-34Verses 1-34 - The Birth of Isaac 7. מלל mı̂lēl “speak,” an ancient and therefore solemn and poetical word. 14. חמת chêmet “bottle,” akin to חמה chāmâh “surround, enclose,” and הוּם chûm “black. באר שׁבע beêr -sheba‛ Beer-sheba, “well of seven.” 22. פיכל pı̂ykol Pikhol, “mouth or spokesman of all.” 23. נין nı̂yn “offspring, kin;” related: “sprout, flourish.” נכד neked “progeny,” perhaps “acquaintance,” cognate with נגד ngd “be before” (the eyes) and…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 14-21Verses 14-21 If Hagar and Ishmael had behaved well in Abraham's family, they might have continued there; but they were justly punished. By abusing privileges, we forfeit them. Those who know not when they are well off, will be made to know the worth of mercies by the want of them. They were brought to distress in the wilderness. It is not said that the provisions were spent, or that Abraham sent them away without money. But the water was spent; and having…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-21God rescued Hagar and Ishmael in the wilderness and promised them a future (compare 16:7–14). This passage is like chapter 16, but there are key differences. God saves Hagar and Ishmael, but there is no special naming. God repeats the promise to Hagar, but she is not told to return to Sarah. These repeated themes show God's plan for Hagar and Ishmael. As Joseph later explained to Pharaoh, a repeated event confirms God's plan (41:32). God did not leave…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2120-21. God was with the lad, &c.--Paran (that is, Arabia), where his posterity has ever dwelt (compare Ge 16:12; also Is 48:19; 1Pe 1:25). his mother took him a wife--On a father's death, the mother looks out for a wife for her son, however young; and as Ishmael was now virtually deprived of his father, his mother set about forming a marriage connection for him, it would seem, among her relatives.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 21:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries