Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she said, "I cannot bear to watch the boy die!" And as she sat nearby, she lifted up her voice and wept. And she wentThe Hebrew verb used here, "וַתֵּלֶךְ" (vatelekh), signifies a deliberate action. Hagar's movement is not just physical but also symbolic of her emotional and spiritual journey. In the wilderness, her steps reflect a mother's desperation and a search for hope amidst despair. This act of going away is a poignant reminder of the human tendency to retreat in times of overwhelming sorrow. sat down
The Hebrew word "וַתֵּשֶׁב" (vateshev) implies a temporary pause, a moment of rest or resignation. Hagar's sitting is an act of surrender, acknowledging her helplessness in the situation. It is a moment of stillness in the narrative, inviting reflection on the human condition when faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges. across from him
This phrase indicates a physical distance, yet it also suggests an emotional separation. Hagar's choice to sit at a distance from Ishmael underscores her anguish and inability to witness his suffering. It highlights the profound love and pain of a mother who cannot bear to see her child in distress. about a bowshot away
The term "bowshot" provides a measure of distance, rooted in the practical realities of ancient life. It evokes the image of a hunter or warrior, suggesting a space that is both protective and isolating. This distance is significant, as it reflects Hagar's internal conflict—her desire to protect Ishmael while also feeling powerless to do so. for she said
The Hebrew "כִּי אָמְרָה" (ki amrah) introduces Hagar's internal dialogue, offering insight into her thoughts and emotions. This phrase marks a transition from action to introspection, revealing the depth of her despair and the raw honesty of her plea. Do not let me see the boy die
Hagar's plea is a heart-wrenching expression of maternal love and fear. The Hebrew construction here emphasizes her desperation and the immediacy of her request. It is a cry for mercy, not just for Ishmael, but for herself, as she cannot bear the sight of his suffering. And as she sat there
This repetition of her sitting underscores the weight of her situation. It is a moment of profound stillness, where time seems to pause, allowing the gravity of her circumstances to fully settle in. It invites the reader to sit with Hagar in her sorrow, to feel the depth of her isolation and grief. she lifted up her voice
The act of lifting one's voice, "וַתִּשָּׂא אֶת־קוֹלָהּ" (vattisa et-qolah), is a powerful expression of lament in Hebrew culture. It signifies a public declaration of pain, a cry that transcends words. Hagar's voice becomes a vehicle for her anguish, reaching out to the divine in a plea for intervention. and wept
The Hebrew "וַתֵּבְךְּ" (vatevk) conveys a deep, uncontrollable weeping. It is an expression of raw, unfiltered emotion, capturing the essence of human vulnerability. Hagar's tears are a testament to her humanity, a reminder that in our moments of greatest despair, we are never truly alone, for God hears the cries of the brokenhearted. Persons / Places / Events 1. HagarAn Egyptian maidservant of Sarah, who became the mother of Abraham's first son, Ishmael. In Genesis 21:16, she finds herself in a desperate situation in the wilderness. 2. IshmaelThe son of Abraham and Hagar. At this point in the account, he is a young boy facing the threat of death due to lack of water. 3. BeershebaThe location where Hagar and Ishmael are wandering. It is a desert area, emphasizing the dire circumstances they face. 4. The WildernessRepresents a place of testing and trial, where Hagar and Ishmael are left to fend for themselves after being sent away by Abraham. 5. God's ProvisionAlthough not a person or place, the event of God's intervention is crucial. It highlights God's faithfulness and care for Hagar and Ishmael even in their distress. Teaching Points God Hears Our CriesJust as God heard Hagar's cries, He hears us in our moments of desperation. We can trust that He is attentive to our needs. Faith in God's ProvisionHagar's account encourages us to have faith that God will provide for us, even when circumstances seem dire. The Importance of Trusting God's PromisesGod's promise to Hagar about Ishmael's future was fulfilled, reminding us to trust in His promises for our lives. God's Care for the MarginalizedHagar, a servant and foreigner, was not forgotten by God. This teaches us about God's heart for the marginalized and encourages us to reflect His compassion. Hope in the WildernessThe wilderness is often a place of testing, but also of divine encounter and provision. We can find hope knowing that God meets us in our wilderness experiences. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Hagar's experience in Genesis 21:16 reflect God's character and His response to human suffering? 2. In what ways can we see God's provision in our own "wilderness" experiences, and how does this passage encourage us to trust Him more? 3. How does the account of Hagar and Ishmael challenge us to care for those who are marginalized or in distress in our communities? 4. What are some promises of God that you are holding onto, and how does Hagar's account encourage you to trust in their fulfillment? 5. How can we apply the lessons from Hagar's account to our prayer life, especially when we feel unheard or abandoned? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 16Provides background on Hagar and Ishmael's account, including God's promise to Hagar about Ishmael's future. Psalm 34:18Relates to God's closeness to the brokenhearted, similar to how He responds to Hagar's distress. Matthew 6:25-34Jesus' teaching on God's provision, which parallels God's care for Hagar and Ishmael in the wilderness. Exodus 2:23-25God's response to the cries of the Israelites in Egypt, showing His consistent nature in hearing and responding to the oppressed. People Abimelech, Abraham, Hagar, Isaac, Phichol, SarahPlaces Beersheba, Egypt, Gerar, ParanTopics Afar, Arrow, Behold, Bitter, Bow, Bowshot, Bow-shot, Boy, Child, Death, Die, Distance, Flight, Herself, Lad, Lift, Lifted, Lifteth, Nearby, Opposite, Over-against, Raised, Sat, Saying, Seating, Shot, Sitteth, Sob, Voice, Watch, Weepeth, Weeping, WeptDictionary of Bible Themes Genesis 21:16 8300 love, and the world Genesis 21:14-19 4293 water Genesis 21:15-16 5619 measures, distance and area Library Compassion for Souls
Behold the compassion of a mother for her child expiring with thirst, and remember that such a compassion ought all Christians to feel towards souls that are perishing for lack of Christ, perishing eternally, perishing without hope of salvation. If the mother lifted up her voice arid wept, so also should we; and if the contemplation of her dying, child was all too painful for her, so may the contemplation of the wrath to come, which is to pass upon every soul that dies impenitent, become too painful …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871Therefore, if we Compare the Things Themselves, we May no Way Doubt that The...
28. Therefore, if we compare the things themselves, we may no way doubt that the chastity of continence is better than marriage chastity, whilst yet both are good: but when we compare the persons, he is better, who hath a greater good than another. Further, he who hath a greater of the same kind, hath also that which is less; but he, who only hath what is less, assuredly hath not that which is greater. For in sixty, thirty also are contained, not sixty also in thirty. But not to work from out that …
St. Augustine—On the Good of Marriage The Gospel Feast
"When Jesus then lifted up His eyes, and saw a great company come unto Him, He saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat?"--John vi. 5. After these words the Evangelist adds, "And this He said to prove him, for He Himself knew what He would do." Thus, you see, our Lord had secret meanings when He spoke, and did not bring forth openly all His divine sense at once. He knew what He was about to do from the first, but He wished to lead forward His disciples, and to arrest and …
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VII Of Bearing the Cross --One Branch of Self-Denial.
The four divisions of this chapter are,--I. The nature of the cross, its necessity and dignity, sec. 1, 2. II. The manifold advantages of the cross described, sec. 3-6. III. The form of the cross the most excellent of all, and yet it by no means removes all sense of pain, sec. 7, 8. IV. A description of warfare under the cross, and of true patience, (not that of philosophers,) after the example of Christ, sec. 9-11. 1. THE pious mind must ascend still higher, namely, whither Christ calls his disciples …
Archpriest John Iliytch Sergieff—On the Christian Life But if Moreover any not Having Charity, which Pertaineth to the Unity of Spirit...
23. But if moreover any not having charity, which pertaineth to the unity of spirit and the bond of peace whereby the Catholic Church is gathered and knit together, being involved in any schism, doth, that he may not deny Christ, suffer tribulations, straits, hunger, nakedness, persecution, perils, prisons, bonds, torments, swords, or flames, or wild beasts, or the very cross, through fear of hell and everlasting fire; in nowise is all this to be blamed, nay rather this also is a patience meet to …
St. Augustine—On Patience The Annunciation of Jesus the Messiah, and the Birth of his Forerunner.
FROM the Temple to Nazareth! It seems indeed most fitting that the Evangelic story should have taken its beginning within the Sanctuary, and at the time of sacrifice. Despite its outward veneration for them, the Temple, its services, and specially its sacrifices, were, by an inward logical necessity, fast becoming a superfluity for Rabbinism. But the new development, passing over the intruded elements, which were, after all, of rationalistic origin, connected its beginning directly with the Old Testament …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah The First Chaldaean Empire and the Hyksos in Egypt
Syria: the part played by it in the ancient world--Babylon and the first Chaldaean empire--The dominion of the Hyksos: Ahmosis. Some countries seem destined from their origin to become the battle-fields of the contending nations which environ them. Into such regions, and to their cost, neighbouring peoples come from century to century to settle their quarrels and bring to an issue the questions of supremacy which disturb their little corner of the world. The nations around are eager for the possession …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 4 The Holiness of God
The next attribute is God's holiness. Exod 15:51. Glorious in holiness.' Holiness is the most sparkling jewel of his crown; it is the name by which God is known. Psa 111:1. Holy and reverend is his name.' He is the holy One.' Job 6:60. Seraphims cry, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory.' Isa 6:6. His power makes him mighty, his holiness makes him glorious. God's holiness consists in his perfect love of righteousness, and abhorrence of evil. Of purer eyes than …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity Genesis
The Old Testament opens very impressively. In measured and dignified language it introduces the story of Israel's origin and settlement upon the land of Canaan (Gen.--Josh.) by the story of creation, i.-ii. 4a, and thus suggests, at the very beginning, the far-reaching purpose and the world-wide significance of the people and religion of Israel. The narrative has not travelled far till it becomes apparent that its dominant interests are to be religious and moral; for, after a pictorial sketch of …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Genesis 21:16 NIVGenesis 21:16 NLTGenesis 21:16 ESVGenesis 21:16 NASBGenesis 21:16 KJV
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