The Bible

 

Genesis 21

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1 And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.

2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.

4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.

5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.

6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.

7 And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.

8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.

9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.

10 Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.

11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.

12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.

14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.

15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.

16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.

17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.

18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.

19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.

20 And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.

21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.

22 And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:

23 Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.

24 And Abraham said, I will swear.

25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.

26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.

27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.

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

29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?

30 And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.

31 Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba; because there they sware both of them.

32 Thus they made a covenant at Beer-sheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.

33 And Abraham planted a grove in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.

34 And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.

   

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Arcana Coelestia #2610

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2610. Genesis 21

1. And Jehovah visited Sarah as He had said, and Jehovah did to Sarah as He had spoken.

2. And Sarah conceived and bore to Abraham a son in his old age, at the appointed time, as God had spoken to him.

3. And Abraham called the name of his son born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.

4. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac, a son eight days old, as God had commanded him.

5. And Abraham was a son a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

6. And Sarah said, God has made laughter for me; everyone that hears will laugh for me.

7. And she said, Who would have said to Abraham, Sarah will suckle sons? For I have born [him] a son in his old age.

8. And the boy grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day when he weaned Isaac.

9. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.

10. And she said to Abraham, Cast out this servant-girl, and her son; for the son of this servant-girl shall not inherit together with my son, with Isaac.

11. And the matter was deeply distressing to Abraham 1 because of his son.

12. And God said to Abraham, Do not be distressed 2 about the lad and about your servant-girl. Everything which Sarah says to you, hearken to her voice, for in Isaac will your seed be called.

13. And also, the son of the servant-girl I will make into a nation, because he is your seed.

14. And in the morning Abraham rose up early, and took bread and a flask of water, and gave them to Hagar. He put them on her shoulder, and the boy, and sent her away; and she went and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.

15. And the water from the flask was used up, and she put the boy under one of the shrubs.

16. And she went and sat by herself some distance away, withdrawing herself about a bowshot, for she said, Let me not see the death of the boy. And she sat some distance away and lifted up her voice and wept.

17. And God heard the boy's voice, and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven and said to her, What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid, for God has heard the boy's voice where he is.

18. Rise up, lift the boy up, and strengthen your hand in him, for I will make him into a great nation.

19. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the flask with water, and gave the boy a drink.

20. And God was with the boy, and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and was an archer.

21. And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother took for him a wife from the land of Egypt.

22. And so it was at that time, that Abimelech spoke, and Phicol the general of his army, to Abraham, saying, God is with you in all that you are doing.

23. And now swear to me here by God that you will not lie to me, and to my son, and to my grandson; according to the kindness which I have done to you, may you do to me and to the land in which you have sojourned.

24. And Abraham said, I will swear.

25. And Abraham reproached Abimelech on account of a well of water which Abimelech's servants had seized.

26. And Abimelech said, I do not know who has done this thing; and you also did not point it out to me, and I too have not heard about it until today.

27. And Abraham took flocks and herds and gave them to Abimelech; and the two of them made a covenant.

28. And Abraham set seven ewe-lambs of the flock by themselves.

29. And Abimelech said to Abraham, What are these seven ewe-lambs which you have set by themselves?

30. And he said, Because you will take the seven ewe-lambs from my hand, that they may be a witness for me that I dug this well.

31. Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because there the two of them swore an oath.

32. And they made a covenant in Beersheba; and Abimelech rose up and Phicol the general of his army, and they returned to the land of the Philistines.

33. And he planted a grove in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of [Jehovah,] the God of Eternity.

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

CONTENTS

In the internal sense of this chapter the subject dealt with first is the Lord's Divine Rational, which is represented by Isaac, verses 1-8.

Footnotes:

1. literally, exceedingly evil in Abraham's eyes

2. literally, Let it not be evil in your eyes

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.