Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Abraham Casts Out Hagar and Ishmael

For your reference, turn to Genesis 21. Other references are Genesis 17 and 20.

As God had said to Abraham in Genesis 17:19, Sarah had a son and named him Isaac. Isaac was circumcised by Abraham when he was eight days old as God had commanded (Genesis 21:4).

Sarah denied Ishmael, Abraham's son by Hagar, to be an heir along with Isaac and had Abraham to cast out Hagar and Ismael (Genesis 21:10). This grieved Abraham because of Ishmael (Genesis 21:11).

"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" (Genesis 21:12). God said to Abraham that He would make a nation of Ishmael because he is Abraham's seed too (Genesis 21:13).

Abraham sent Hagar and the child, Ishmael, away with bread and water. They "...wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba" (Genesis 21:14). Having drunk all of the water, Hagar cast Ishmael under a shrub and feared that the child would die (Genesis 21:15,16). She "...[lifted] up her voice, and wept" (Genesis 21:16).

The angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said for her not to fear "...for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is" (Genesis 21:17).

"Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation" (Genesis 21:18).

"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 a drink" (Genesis 21:19).

God was with Ishmael as he lived and grew in the wilderness and became an archer (Genesis 21:20). Ishmael dwelled in the wilderness of Paran and Hagar "...took him a wife out of the land of Egypt" (Genesis 21:21).

The time came when Abimelech, the king of Gerar, "and Phicol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:
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. And Abraham said, I will swear" (Genesis 20:2;Genesis 21:22,23,24).

Abraham expressed disapproval to Abimelech over a well of water that was violently removed by Abimelech's servants. Abimelech knew nothing about it until Abraham brought it to his attention (Genesis 21:25,26).

Abraham gave sheep and oxen to Abimelech and the two made a covenant (Genesis 21:27).

"And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves" (Genesis 21:28).

"And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves" (Genesis 21:29)?

"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" (Genesis 21:30).

"Wherefore he called that place Beersheba; because there they sware both of them" (Genesis 21:31).

"Thus they made a covenant at Beersheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines" (Genesis 21:32).

"And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba, and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting God" (Genesis 21:33).

"And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days" (Genesis 21:34).

1 comment:

  1. Many Christians and Jews alike educate that Hagar was NOT Abraham’s ‘wife’ but a concubine. However, their scripture teaches otherwise. In the book of Genesis it is clearly mentioned that Sarah gave Hagar as WIFE to Abraham

    http://www.islamicera.com/ishmaelorisaac.htm

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