Genesis 21:16

Genesis 21:16 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
• New International Version (NIV)Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she began to sob.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot, for she said, "Let me not look on the death of the child." And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then she went and sat down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself, “Let me not see the death of the boy.” So she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept.

Context of Genesis 21:16

14So Abraham got up early in the morning and took bread and a skin of water, and gave them to Hagar, putting them on her shoulder, and gave her the boy, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered about in the wilderness of Beersheba. 15When the water in the skin was used up, she left the boy under one of the bushes. Then she went and sat down opposite him, about a bowshot away, for she said, “May I not see the boy die!” And she sat opposite him, and raised her voice and wept. 17God heard the boy crying; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter with you, Hagar? Do not fear, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18Get up, lift up the boy, and hold him by the hand, for I will make a great nation of him.”

Genesis 21:16 word by word

וַתֵּלֶךְ֩ וַתֵּ֨שֶׁב לָ֜הּ מִנֶּ֗גֶד הַרְחֵק֙ כִּמְטַחֲוֵ֣י קֶ֔שֶׁת כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֔ה אַל־אֶרְאֶ֖ה בְּמ֣וֹת הַיָּ֑לֶד וַתֵּ֣שֶׁב מִנֶּ֔גֶד וַתִּשָּׂ֥א אֶת־קֹלָ֖הּ וַתֵּֽבְךְּ׃Read the interlinear

• Then she wentהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• and satיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• oppositeמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• oppositeנֶ֫גֶדneged · beforeH5048
• him, about a bowshotטָחָהţâchâh · to shootH2909
• him, about a bowshotקֶ֫שֶׁתqesheth · bowH7198
• awayרָחַקrâchaq · to removeH7368
• for she saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• the boyיֶ֫לֶדyeled · youthH3206
• dieמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
• raisedנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: loudH5375
• her voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
• and weptבָּכָהbâkâh · to weepH1058

Cross-references for Genesis 21:16

• Genesis 44:34For how shall I go up to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear that I may see the evil that would overtake my father.”
• 1 Kings 3:26But the woman whose child was the living one spoke to the king, for she was deeply stirred over her son, and she said, “Pardon me, my lord! Give her the living child, and by no means kill him!” But the other woman was saying, “He shall be neither mine nor yours; cut him!”
• Esther 8:6For how can I endure to see the disaster which will happen to my people, and how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?”
• Isaiah 49:15“Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.
• Zechariah 12:10“And I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of pleading, so that they will look at Me whom they pierced; and they will mourn for Him, like one mourning for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.
• Luke 15:20So he set out and came to his father. But when he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
• Genesis 27:38Esau said to his father, “Do you have only one blessing, my father? Bless me, me as well, my father.” So Esau raised his voice and wept.
• Genesis 29:11Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and raised his voice and wept.
• Judges 2:4Now when the angel of the Lord spoke these words to all the sons of Israel, the people raised their voices and wept.
• Ruth 1:9May the Lord grant that you may find a place of rest, each one in the house of her husband.” Then she kissed them, and they raised their voices and wept.
• 1 Samuel 24:16When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, “Is this your voice, my son David?” Then Saul raised his voice and wept.
• 1 Samuel 30:4Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept until there was no strength in them to weep.

Commentaries on Genesis 21:16

• 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. 16a bowshot away: This means the distance an arrow can travel when someone shoots a bow. The phrase connects with Ishmael’s future work as an archer (21:20).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 14-2114. Abraham rose up early, &c.--early, that the wanderers might reach an asylum before noon. Bread includes all sorts of victuals--bottle, a leathern vessel, formed of the entire skin of a lamb or kid sewed up, with the legs for handles, usually carried over the shoulder. Ishmael was a lad of seventeen years, and it is quite customary for Arab chiefs to send out their sons at such an age to do for themselves: often with nothing but a few days' provisions…Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 21:16

• Beer-Sheba
• Bow
• Despondency
• Ishmael
• Parents
• Polygamy
• Women

In the dictionaries

• Call
• Cast
• Everlasting
• Falsely
• Grievous
• Ishmael
• Lift
• Mean
• Visit
• Atonement, Day of

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