God’s Word Translation
Genesis 21:12
12But 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.
Genesis 21:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
- New International Version (NIV)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 will be reckoned.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But God said to Abraham, "Be not displeased because of the boy and because of your slave woman. Whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for through Isaac shall your offspring be named.
- New King James Version (NKJV)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 in Isaac your seed shall be called.
Context of Genesis 21:12
10She 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.” 11Abraham was upset by this because of his son Ishmael. 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. 13Besides, I will make the slave’s son into a nation also, because he is your child.” 14Early 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.
Read all of Genesis 21Genesis 21:12 word by word
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֗ם אַל־יֵרַ֤ע בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ עַל־הַנַּ֣עַר וְעַל־אֲמָתֶ֔ךָ כֹּל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תֹּאמַ֥ר אֵלֶ֛יךָ שָׂרָ֖ה שְׁמַ֣ע בְּקֹלָ֑הּ כִּ֣י בְיִצְחָ֔ק יִקָּרֵ֥א לְךָ֖ זָֽרַע׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto Abrahamאַבְרָהָם'abrâhâm · AbrahamH85
- Let it not be grievousיָרַעyâra‛ · quiverH3415
- in thy sightעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: appearanceH5869
- because of the ladנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
- and because of thy bondwomanאָמָה'âmâh · maidservantH519
- in all that Sarahשָׂרָהώârâh · SarahH8283
- unto thee, hearkenשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: obeyH8085
- unto her voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
- for in Isaacיִצְחָקyitschâq · IsaacH3327
- shall thy seedזֶ֫רַעzera‛ · seed: childrenH2233
- be calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call byH7121
Cross-references for Genesis 21:12
- 1 Samuel 8:7The Lord told Samuel, “Listen to everything the people are saying to you. They haven’t rejected you; they’ve rejected me.
- Isaiah 46:10From the beginning I revealed the end. From long ago I told you things that had not yet happened, saying, “My plan will stand, and I’ll do everything I intended to do.”
- Genesis 17:19God replied, “No! Your wife Sarah will give you a son, and you will name him Isaac [He Laughs]. I will make an everlasting promise to him and his descendants.
- Romans 9:7or a descendant of Abraham. However, ⌞as Scripture says,⌟ “Through Isaac your descendants will carry on your name.”
- Hebrews 11:18God had said to him, “Through Isaac your descendants will carry on your name.”
Commentaries on Genesis 21:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12In Isaac shall thy seed be called - Here God shows the propriety of attending to the counsel of Sarah; and lest Abraham, in whose eyes the thing was grievous, should feel distressed on the occasion, God renews his promises to Ishmael and his posterity.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. 9-13Verses 9-13 Let us not overlook the manner in which this family matter instructs us not to rest in outward privileges, or in our own doings. And let us seek the blessings of the new covenant by faith in its Divine Surety. Ishmael's conduct was persecution, being done in profane contempt of the covenant and promise, and with malice against Isaac. God takes notice of what children say and do in their play; and will reckon with them, if they say or do amiss…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-13Abraham was upset when Sarah asked him to send Hagar and Ishmael away. God told Abraham to agree, promising that Ishmael would also have a future as Abraham's descendant.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. in all that Sarah hath said--it is called the Scripture (Ga 4:30).Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 21:12
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
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