“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.”
Genesis 21:16
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Why was Abraham distressed?
Sarah demanded that Hagar and her son be sent away, and Abraham was distressed, because the boy was his son too. God told him to listen to Sarah and promised to make a nation of the slave woman's son as well (Genesis 21:13).
Read the whole studyWhy Genesis 21 never names Ishmael
This verse gives the reason for the name Ishmael: the LORD has heard. In Genesis 21 the Hebrew never says his name. In the desert only Hagar's weeping is recorded, yet "God heard the voice of the boy" (Genesis 21:17). The son said nothing on the page, and God heard him anyway.
Read the whole studyConnection with Jacob weeping at the well
In Hebrew, Jacob lifted up his voice and wept when he met Rachel (Genesis 29:11), the same phrase used here of Hagar when she thought her son would die. Esau wept the same way the day Jacob took his blessing (Genesis 27:38).
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How to Hear God’s Voice: A Practical Guide for BelieversScripture is the record of a God who speaks. This guide covers how to hear Him today and keep what He says.Engage with Genesis 21:16 in a fresh way
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