Genesis 21:2-5

21:2 So Sarah became pregnant 1  and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the appointed time that God had told him. 21:3 Abraham named his son – whom Sarah bore to him – Isaac. 2  21:4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, 3  Abraham circumcised him just as God had commanded him to do. 4  21:5 (Now Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.) 5 

Genesis 21:12

21:12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be upset 6  about the boy or your slave wife. Do 7  all that Sarah is telling 8  you because through Isaac your descendants will be counted. 9 

1 tn Or “she conceived.”

2 tn Heb “the one born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.” The two modifying clauses, the first introduced with an article and the second with the relative pronoun, are placed in the middle of the sentence, before the name Isaac is stated. They are meant to underscore that this was indeed an actual birth to Abraham and Sarah in fulfillment of the promise.

3 tn Heb “Isaac his son, the son of eight days.” The name “Isaac” is repeated in the translation for clarity.

4 sn Just as God had commanded him to do. With the birth of the promised child, Abraham obeyed the Lord by both naming (Gen 17:19) and circumcising Isaac (17:12).

5 tn The parenthetical disjunctive clause underscores how miraculous this birth was. Abraham was 100 years old. The fact that the genealogies give the ages of the fathers when their first son is born shows that this was considered a major milestone in one’s life (G. J. Wenham, Genesis [WBC], 2:80).

6 tn Heb “Let it not be evil in your eyes.”

7 tn Heb “listen to her voice.” The idiomatic expression means “obey; comply.” Here her advice, though harsh, is necessary and conforms to the will of God. Later (see Gen 25), when Abraham has other sons, he sends them all away as well.

8 tn The imperfect verbal form here draws attention to an action that is underway.

9 tn Or perhaps “will be named”; Heb “for in Isaac offspring will be called to you.” The exact meaning of the statement is not clear, but it does indicate that God’s covenantal promises to Abraham will be realized through Isaac, not Ishmael.