God’s Word Translation
Genesis 21:9
9Sarah saw that Abraham’s son by Hagar the Egyptian was laughing at Isaac.
Genesis 21:9 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
- New International Version (NIV)But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking,
- English Standard Version (ESV)But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, laughing.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing.
Context of Genesis 21:9
7Who would have predicted to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet, I have given him a son in his old age.” 8The child grew and was weaned. On the day Isaac was weaned, Abraham held a big feast. Sarah saw that Abraham’s son by Hagar the Egyptian was laughing at Isaac. 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.
Read all of Genesis 21Genesis 21:9 word by word
וַתֵּ֨רֶא שָׂרָ֜ה אֶֽת־בֶּן־הָגָ֧ר הַמִּצְרִ֛ית אֲשֶׁר־יָלְדָ֥ה לְאַבְרָהָ֖ם מְצַחֵֽק׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Genesis 21:9
- Genesis 16:3After Abram had lived in Canaan for ten years, Abram’s wife Sarai took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
- 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 16:1Sarai, Abram’s wife, was not able to have children. She owned an Egyptian slave named Hagar.
- 2 Kings 2:23From there he went to Bethel. As he walked along the road, some boys came out of the city and mocked him. They said, “Go away, baldy! Go away!”
- 2 Chronicles 30:10So the messengers went from city to city in the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun. But the people ridiculed them.
- 2 Chronicles 36:16But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words, and made fun of his prophets until the Lord became angry with his people. He could no longer heal them.
- Nehemiah 4:1When Sanballat heard we were rebuilding the wall, he became enraged and made fun of the Jews.
- Job 30:1“But now those who are younger than I am laugh at me. I didn’t think their fathers were fit to sit with the dogs of my flock.
- Psalms 22:6Yet, I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned by humanity and despised by people.
- Psalms 42:10With a shattering blow to my bones, my enemies taunt me. They ask me all day long, “Where is your God?”
- Psalms 44:13You made us a disgrace to our neighbors and an object of ridicule and contempt to those around us.
- Proverbs 20:11Even a child makes himself known by his actions, whether his deeds are pure or right.
- Lamentations 1:7“Now, during its suffering and oppression, Jerusalem remembers all the treasures it had from ancient times, when its people fell into the power of their enemies with no one to help them. Their opponents looked on, and they laughed at Jerusalem’s downfall.
- Galatians 4:22Scripture says that Abraham had two sons, one by a woman who was a slave and the other by a free woman.
- Hebrews 11:36Some were made fun of and whipped, and some were chained and put in prison.
Commentaries on Genesis 21:9
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 9Mocking - What was implied in this mocking is not known. St. Paul, Galatians 4:29, calls it persecuting; but it is likely he meant no more than some species of ridicule used by Ishmael on the occasion, and probably with respect to the age of Sarah at Isaac's birth, and her previous barrenness. Jonathan ben Uzziel and the Jerusalem Targum represent Ishmael as performing some idolatrous rite on the occasion, and that this had given the offense to Sarah…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. 8-9The feast for Isaac’s weaning probably happened when he was three. Ishmael was around 17 years old at that time (16:16). Sarah saw Ishmael mocking her son, Isaac. The verb metsakheq (“mocking”) is related to the word for “laughter.” This theme (21:6) becomes negative because of Ishmael’s mocking.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 99. Sarah saw the son of Hagar ... mocking--Ishmael was aware of the great change in his prospects, and under the impulse of irritated or resentful feelings, in which he was probably joined by his mother, treated the young heir with derision and probably some violence (Ga 4:29).Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 21:9
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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