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

14And Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. 15And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. And she went, and sat her down apart from 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 apart from him, and raised her voice, and wept. 17And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said to her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is . 18Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thy hand; for I will make him a great nation.

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

• wentיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• downיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
• fromנֶ֫גֶדneged · beforeH5048
• offרָחַקrâchaq · to removeH7368
• bowshotטָחָהţâchâh · to shootH2909
• bowshotקֶ֫שֶׁתqesheth · bowH7198
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• deathמָ֫וֶתmâveth · deathH4194
• childיֶ֫לֶדyeled · youthH3206
• raisedנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: loudH5375
• voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voiceH6963
• weptבָּכָהbâkâh · to weepH1058

Cross-references for Genesis 21:16

• Genesis 44:34For how shall I return to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest perhaps I see the evil that shall come on my father.
• 1 Kings 3:26Then spoke the woman whose the living child was to the king, for her heart yearned over her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and by no means slay him. But the other said, Let he be neither mine nor thine, but divide him .
• Esther 8:6For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come to my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?
• Isaiah 49:15Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet I will not forget thee.
• Zechariah 12:10And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
• Luke 15:20And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
• Genesis 27:38And Esau said to his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father. And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.
• Genesis 29:11And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.
• Judges 2:4And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
• Ruth 1:9The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.
• 1 Samuel 24:16And it came to pass, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.
• 1 Samuel 30:4Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power 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