Chapter 21

Chapter 21

1 Then The Self-Existent visited Sarah exactly as He had declared, and The Self-Existent fulfilled for Sarah precisely what He had promised.

2 So Sarah conceived and physically bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the exact appointed time that The All-Powerful One had spoken to him.

3 Abraham named his newborn son, whom Sarah had physically borne to him, Isaac (Laughter).

4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, exactly as The All-Powerful One had commanded him.

5 Now Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

6 Then Sarah said, “The All-Powerful One has made laughter for me; everyone who hears about it will laugh with me.”

7 She added, “Who would have proclaimed to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have physically borne a son in his old age.”

8 The child grew and was weaned; and Abraham held a massive feast on the day Isaac was weaned.

9 But Sarah observed the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had physically borne to Abraham, mocking.

10 Therefore she demanded of Abraham, “Drive out this servant-woman and her son, for the son of this servant-woman shall not inherit along with my son, with Isaac!”

11 Now the matter brought extreme painful strain to Abraham’s heart because of his son.

12 But The All-Powerful One said to Abraham, “Do not let it bring painful strain to your heart because of the youth and because of your servant-woman. Listen to her voice in everything Sarah tells you, for through Isaac your offspring shall be named.

13 And I will also turn the son of the servant-woman into a nation, because he is your offspring.”

14 So Abraham rose early in the morning, took bread and a skin of water, and gave them directly to Hagar, placing them upon her shoulder, along with the youth; then he sent her away. And she departed and wandered aimlessly in the wilderness of Beersheba.

15 When the water in the skin was completely gone, she abandoned the youth under one of the desert bushes.

16 Then she went and sat down opposite him, about a bowshot away, for she said, “Let me not witness the death of the youth.” So she sat opposite him, lifted up her voice, and wept.

17 And The All-Powerful One heard the voice of the youth; and the Messenger of The All-Powerful One called out to Hagar from the sky and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid, for The All-Powerful One has paid attention to the voice of the youth where he is.

18 Arise, lift up the youth and hold him securely by your hand, for I will turn him into a massive nation.”

19 Then The All-Powerful One opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; so she went, filled the skin with water, and gave the youth a drink.

20 And The All-Powerful One remained with the youth as he grew; he lived in the wilderness and became an expert archer.

21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took a woman for him from the land of Egypt.

22 Now it came to pass at that exact time that Abimelech, along with Phicol the commander of his army, spoke directly to Abraham, saying, “The All-Powerful One is with you in everything you do.

23 So now, swear an oath to me here by The All-Powerful One that you will not deal falsely with me, nor with my offspring, nor with my descendants; according to the kindness that I have done for you, you shall do for me and for the land in which you have resided.”

24 And Abraham replied, “I swear my oath.”

25 Then Abraham confronted Abimelech regarding a well of water that Abimelech’s servants had violently seized.

26 But Abimelech said, “I do not know who did this thing; you did not report it to me, nor did I hear of it until today.”

27 So Abraham took flocks and herds and gave them directly to Abimelech, and the two of them established a binding agreement.

28 Abraham then set apart seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.

29 Abimelech asked Abraham, “What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart by themselves?”

30 He replied, “Because you must accept these seven ewe lambs from my hand, so that it may serve as a physical witness for me that I dug this well.”

31 Therefore he named that place Beersheba (Well of the Seven / Well of the Oath), because there the two of them swore an oath.

32 Thus they concluded a binding agreement at Beersheba; then Abimelech, along with Phicol the commander of his army, arose and returned to the land of the Philistines.

33 And Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called upon the name of The Self-Existent, the Everlasting Mighty One.

34 And Abraham resided in the land of the Philistines for many days.