Gen. 21 God visits Sarah; she conceives and bears a son, Gen. 21:1–2. He is named Isaac, Gen. 21:3; circumcised the eighth day, Gen. 21:4. Sarah’s joy and thanks, Gen. 21:6–7. Abraham makes a feast at the weaning of Isaac, Gen. 21:8. Ishmael mocks; Sarah sees it, Gen. 21:9.

The Lord visited Sarah, i.e. performed his gracious promise of giving her strength to conceive and bear a child. God’s visitation of a person in Scripture use, is the manifestation and execution of his purpose or word towards that person, and that either for evil, and so it is an inflicting of…

In his old age, or, for his old age, i.e. for the comfort of his old age.

Before, my own distrustful heart made me to laugh, now God makes me laugh, not through diffidence and irreverence, as before, Gen. 18:12, but through excess of holy joy.

What man or woman could believe so improbable a thing? Or, who but a God could have foreseen and foretold it? She saith children, though she had but one child, either by a usual enallage of the plural number for the singular, whereby the word sons or daughters is used when there was but one, as…

It doth not appear how old Isaac was, because the time for the weaning of children is very various, according to the differing tempers and necessities of children, or inclination of parents; and in those times, when men’s lives were longer than now they are, proportionably the time was longer ere…

Signifying either by words or gestures his contempt of Isaac, and his derision of all that magnificence then showed towards his younger brother. And this carriage proceeding from a most envious and malicious disposition, and being a sufficient indication of further mischief intended to him, if ever…

Because of his tender affection to him, and God’s promise concerning him. See Gen. 17:18, Gen. 17:20. He who cheerfully parted with Isaac, was hardly brought to part with Ishmael, because the former was done by God’s command, which he was obliged to obey; the latter by the passion of an enraged…

Thus Abraham had better authority for his divorce from Hagar than he had for his marriage with her, Gen. 16:2. Thy seed, to wit, the promised Seed, the heir of thy estate, covenant, and promises, the progenitor of my church and people, and particularly of the Messias. Called, i.e.

He who before doubted and lingered to do it when Sarah’s passion suggested it, when once he understands it to be God’s will, he makes haste to execute it. An excellent example of prudence and piety. Bread, by which may be here understood all necessaries, as Mal. 1:7, Mal. 1:12, Matt. 6:11, Matt.

Not as if she carried him in her arms, or upon her shoulders, for he was now about eighteen years old; but being weak and faint, and no doubt much dejected in spirit upon the prospect of his desolate and distressed condition, she was forced to support and lead him by the hand; but now, despairing…

Who wept? Either Hagar, for the verb is of the feminine gender; or the lad, as the words following seem to intimate. And for the change of the genders, that is not unfrequent in Scripture use.

God heard his cries, though not flowing from true repentance, but extorted from him by his pressing calamity. Though he be in a vast and desolate wilderness, yet my eye is upon him, and I will take care of him.

i.e. Support or sustain thy languishing child with thy hand; for I will bless him, and thy care shall not be in vain.

Not that her eyes were shut or blind before, but she saw not the well before; either because it was at some distance, or because her eyes were full of tears, and her mind distracted and heedless through excessive grief and fear; or because God withheld her eyes that she might not see it without his…

i.e. A skilful hunter of beasts, and warrior with men too, according to the prediction, Gen. 16:12. For the bow was a principal instrument in war, as well as in hunting, Gen. 48:22, Gen. 49:23–24. And these two professions oft went together. See Gen. 10:9.

In the wilderness of Paran; in the borders of that wilderness, by comparing Gen. 14:6, for the innermost parts of it were uninhabitable by men or beasts, as ancient writers note.

We plainly see that God blesseth and prospereth thee in all thy undertakings. Of Abimelech, see Gen. 20:2.

That thou wilt not deal falsely with me; that thou wilt not do me any hurt or injury; Heb. That thou wilt not lie unto me; i.e. as thou hast formerly professed kindness and friendship to me, give me thy oath to assure me that thou wilt be true and constant to thy own professions.

Quest. How could Abraham lawfully swear this, when Canaan was given by God to him and his seed for ever? Answ. Neither Abraham nor his seed had any present and actual right to the possession of the land, but only the promise of a right in it, and possession of it after some hundreds of years, and…

That the foundation of true friendship might be firmly laid, and the peace inviolably observed, he removes an impediment to it, an occasion of quarrel and just exception on Abraham’s part. A well of water in those hot and dry countries was of great esteem and necessity. Compare Gen. 26:19–21, Judg.

By which he wisely and truly suggests, that Abraham should not have smothered the grudge in his mind so long time, but should instantly have reproved him for it, and endeavoured a speedy redress, which hereby he intimates that he was ready to give.

Abraham gave them unto Abimelech; partly, as an acknowledgment to him for his former favour and friendship; partly, as an assurance of his sincere friendship, both present and for the future, of his acquiescence in his answer about the well; and partly, for sacrifice, and for the usual rite in…

That this care of Abraham’s was not superfluous may appear from Gen. 26:15.

Which name was communicated unto a city adjoining: of which see Gen. 26:23, Josh. 15:28, 2 Sam. 17:11, 2 Sam. 24:2.

Abraham planted a grove, not so much for shade, which yet was pleasant and necessary in these hot regions, as for religious use, that he might retire thither from the noise of worldly business, and freely converse with his Maker.