Genesis 21:1

The Lord visited ¹  Sarah just as he had said he would and did ²  for Sarah what he had promised. ³ 

Ge 17:19; Ge 18:10,14; Ge 50:24; Ex 3:16; Ex 4:31; Ex 20:5; Ru 1:6; 1Sa 2:21; Ps 12:6; Ps 106:4; Mt 24:35; Lu 1:68; Lu 19:44; Ro 4:17-20; Ga 4:23,28; Tit 1:2

¹ sn The Hebrew verb translated “visit” (פָּקַד, paqad ) often describes divine intervention for blessing or cursing; it indicates God’s special attention to an individual or a matter, always with respect to his people’s destiny. He may visit (that is, destroy) the Amalekites; he may visit (that is, deliver) his people in Egypt. Here he visits Sarah, to allow her to have the promised child. One’s destiny is changed when the Lord “visits.” For a more detailed study of the term, see G. André, Determining the Destiny (ConBOT).

² tn Heb “and the Lord did.” The divine name has not been repeated here in the translation for stylistic reasons.

³ tn Heb “spoken.”