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 the next morning, prepared food and a container of water, and strapped them on Hagar’s shoulders. Then he sent her away with their son, and she wandered aimlessly in the wilderness of Beersheba. 15When the water was gone, she put the boy in the shade of a bush. Then she went and sat down by herself about a hundred yards away. “I don’t want to watch the boy die,” she said, as she burst into tears. 17But God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, “Hagar, what’s wrong? Do not be afraid! God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants.”

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

Words taken from the KJV.

• And she wentיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• and sat her downיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• over againstנֶ֫גֶדneged · beforeH5048
• a good way offרָחַקrâchaq · to removeH7368
• as it were a bowshotקֶ֫שֶׁתqesheth · bowH7198
• as it were a bowshotטָחָהţâchâh · to shootH2909
• for she saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Let me not seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• the deathמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
• of the childיֶ֫לֶדyeled · youthH3206
• and lift upנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: loudH5375
• her voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
• and weptבָּכָהbâkâh · to weepH1058

Cross-references for Genesis 21:16

• Genesis 44:34For how can I return to my father if the boy is not with me? I couldn’t bear to see the anguish this would cause my father!”
• 1 Kings 3:26Then the woman who was the real mother of the living child, and who loved him very much, cried out, “Oh no, my lord! Give her the child—please do not kill him!” But the other woman said, “All right, he will be neither yours nor mine; divide him between us!”
• Esther 8:6For how can I endure to see my people and my family slaughtered and destroyed?”
• Isaiah 49:15“Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you!
• Zechariah 12:10“Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died.
• Luke 15:20“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.
• Genesis 27:38Esau pleaded, “But do you have only one blessing? Oh my father, bless me, too!” Then Esau broke down and wept.
• Genesis 29:11Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and he wept aloud.
• Judges 2:4When the angel of the Lord finished speaking to all the Israelites, the people wept loudly.
• Ruth 1:9May the Lord bless you with the security of another marriage.” Then she kissed them good-bye, and they all broke down and wept.
• 1 Samuel 24:16When David had finished speaking, Saul called back, “Is that really you, my son David?” Then he began to cry.
• 1 Samuel 30:4they wept until they could weep no more.

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