God’s Word Translation
Genesis 21:20
20God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became a skilled archer.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And God was with the boy, and he grew up. He lived in the wilderness and became an expert with the bow.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So God was with the lad; and he grew and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
Context of Genesis 21:20
18Come on, help the boy up! Take him by the hand, because I’m going to make him into a great nation.” 19God opened her eyes. Then she saw a well. She filled the container with water and gave the boy a drink. God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became a skilled archer. 21He lived in the desert of Paran, and his mother got him a wife from Egypt. 22At that time Abimelech, accompanied by Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, “God is with you in everything 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 17:20I have heard your request about Ishmael. Yes, I will bless him, make him fertile, and increase the number of his descendants. He will be the father of 12 princes, and I will make him a great nation.
- Genesis 28:15Remember, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. I will also bring you back to this land because I will not leave you until I do what I’ve promised you.”
- Genesis 39:2The Lord was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. He worked in the house of his Egyptian master.
- Judges 6:12The Messenger of the Lord appeared to Gideon and said, “The Lord is with you, brave man.”
- Judges 13:24So the woman had a son and named him Samson. The boy grew up, and the Lord blessed him.
- Luke 1:80The child John grew and became spiritually strong. He lived in the desert until the day he appeared to the people of Israel.
- Luke 2:40The child grew and became strong. He was filled with wisdom, and God’s favor was with him.
- Genesis 10:9He was a mighty hunter whom the Lord blessed. That’s why people used to say, “⌞He’s⌟ like Nimrod, a mighty hunter whom the Lord blessed.”
- Genesis 16:12He will be as free and wild as an untamed donkey. He will fight with everyone, and everyone will fight with him. He will have conflicts with all his relatives.”
- Genesis 25:27They grew up. Esau became an expert hunter, an outdoorsman. Jacob remained a quiet man, staying around the tents.
- Genesis 27:3Now take your hunting equipment, your quiver and bow, and go out into the open country and hunt some wild game for me.
- Genesis 49:23Archers provoked him, shot at him, and attacked him.
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
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