Genesis

Genesis 21:9–15

⁹But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking her son,^b ¹⁰and she said to Abraham, “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac!”^c

¹¹Now this matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son Ishmael. ¹²But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to everything that Sarah tells you, for through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.^d ¹³But I will also make a nation of the slave woman’s son, because he is your offspring.”

¹⁴Early in the morning, Abraham got up, took bread and a skin of water, put them on Hagar’s shoulders, and sent her away with the boy. She left and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba. ¹⁵When the water in the skin was gone, she left the boy under one of the bushes.

Footnotes

b 21:9 LXX and Vulgate; Hebrew lacks her son
c 21:10 Cited in Galatians 4:30|GAL 4:30
d 21:12 Cited in Romans 9:7|ROM 9:7and Hebrews 11:18

Read all of Genesis 21

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 21:9

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But Sarah	שָׂרָ֜ה	śā·rāh	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H8283 Sarah
saw that	וַתֵּ֨רֶא	wat·tê·re	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H7200 see
the son	בֶּן־	ben-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1121 son
whom	אֲשֶׁר־	’ă·šer-	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
Hagar	הָגָ֧ר	hā·ḡār	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1904 Hagar
the Egyptian	הַמִּצְרִ֛ית	ham·miṣ·rîṯ	Article; Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4713 Mitsrite
had borne	יָלְדָ֥ה	yā·lə·ḏāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
to Abraham	לְאַבְרָהָ֖ם	lə·’aḇ·rā·hām	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H85 Abraham
was mocking	מְצַחֵֽק׃	mə·ṣa·ḥêq	Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular	H6711 laugh

Genesis 21:10

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
and she said	וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙	wat·tō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H559 utter, say
to Abraham	לְאַבְרָהָ֔ם	lə·’aḇ·rā·hām	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H85 Abraham
Expel	גָּרֵ֛שׁ	gā·rêš	Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular	H1644 drive out, cast out
the	הַזֹּ֖את	haz·zōṯ	Article; Pronoun - feminine singular	H2063 this
slave woman	הָאָמָ֥ה	hā·’ā·māh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H519 maid, handmaid
and her son	בְּנָ֑הּ	bə·nāh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H1121 son
for	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the slave woman’s	הָאָמָ֣ה	hā·’ā·māh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H519 maid, handmaid
son	בֶּן־	ben-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1121 son
will never	לֹ֤א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
share in the inheritance	יִירַשׁ֙	yî·raš	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3423 take possession of, inherit, dispossess
with	עִם־	‘im-	Preposition	H5973 with
my son	בְּנִ֖י	bə·nî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H1121 son
Isaac	יִצְחָֽק׃	yiṣ·ḥāq	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3327 Isaac

Genesis 21:11

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Now this matter	הַדָּבָ֛ר	had·dā·ḇār	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1697 speech, word
distressed	וַיֵּ֧רַע	way·yê·ra‘	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7489 be evil, bad
Abraham	אַבְרָהָ֑ם	’aḇ·rā·hām	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H85 Abraham
greatly	מְאֹ֖ד	mə·’ōḏ	Adverb	H3966 muchness, force, abundance, exceedingly
because it concerned	אוֹדֹ֥ת	’ō·w·ḏōṯ	Noun - feminine plural construct	H182 turnings, occasions, account
his son	בְּנֽוֹ׃	bə·nōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H1121 son

Genesis 21:12

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But God	אֱלֹהִ֜ים	’ĕ·lō·hîm	Noun - masculine plural	H430 God
said	וַיֹּ֨אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
Abraham	אַבְרָהָ֗ם	’aḇ·rā·hām	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H85 Abraham
Do not	אַל־	’al-	Adverb	H408 prohibition, do not . . ., let not . . .
be distressed	יֵרַ֤ע	yê·ra‘	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7489 be evil, bad
about	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
the boy	הַנַּ֣עַר	han·na·‘ar	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5288 a shaking, scattering
and your maidservant	אֲמָתֶ֔ךָ	’ă·mā·ṯe·ḵā	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H519 maid, handmaid
Listen to	שְׁמַ֣ע	šə·ma‘	Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular	H8085 hear
everything	כֹּל֩	kōl	Noun - masculine singular	H3605 the whole, all
that	אֲשֶׁ֨ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
Sarah	שָׂרָ֖ה	śā·rāh	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H8283 Sarah
tells	תֹּאמַ֥ר	tō·mar	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular	H559 utter, say
you	אֵלֶ֛יךָ	’ê·le·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H413 motion to
for	כִּ֣י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
through Isaac	בְיִצְחָ֔ק	ḇə·yiṣ·ḥāq	Preposition-b; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3327 Isaac
your	לְךָ֖	lə·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular
offspring	זָֽרַע׃	zā·ra‘	Noun - masculine singular	H2233 sowing, seed, offspring
will be reckoned	יִקָּרֵ֥א	yiq·qā·rê	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read

Genesis 21:13

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But I will also	וְגַ֥ם	wə·ḡam	Conjunction	H1571 also, moreover, yea
make	אֲשִׂימֶ֑נּוּ	’ă·śî·men·nū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular; third person masculine singular	H7760 put, place, set
a nation	לְג֣וֹי	lə·ḡō·w	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H1471 nation, people
of the slave woman’s	הָאָמָ֖ה	hā·’ā·māh	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H519 maid, handmaid
son	בֶּן־	ben-	Noun - masculine singular construct	H1121 son
because	כִּ֥י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
he	הֽוּא׃	hū	Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
is your offspring	זַרְעֲךָ֖	zar·‘ă·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H2233 sowing, seed, offspring

Genesis 21:14

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Early in the morning	בַּבֹּ֡קֶר	bab·bō·qer	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H1242 morning
Abraham	אַבְרָהָ֣ם׀	’aḇ·rā·hām	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H85 Abraham
got up	וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֣ם	way·yaš·kêm	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7925 start, rise, early
took	וַיִּֽקַּֽח־	way·yiq·qaḥ-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3947 take
bread	לֶחֶם֩	le·ḥem	Noun - masculine singular	H3899 bread, food
and a skin of water	וְחֵ֨מַת	wə·ḥê·maṯ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H2573 waterskin
put them	שָׂ֧ם	śām	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H7760 put, place, set
on	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
Hagar’s	הָ֠גָר	hā·ḡār	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1904 Hagar
shoulders	שִׁכְמָ֛הּ	šiḵ·māh	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singular	H7926 shoulder
and sent her away with the boy	הַיֶּ֖לֶד	hay·ye·leḏ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3206 child, son, boy, youth
She left	וַתֵּ֣לֶךְ	wat·tê·leḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
and wandered	וַתֵּ֔תַע	wat·tê·ṯa‘	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H8582 err
in the Wilderness	בְּמִדְבַּ֖ר	bə·miḏ·bar	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H4057 mouth
of	בְּאֵ֥ר	bə·’êr	Preposition	H884 Beersheba
Beersheba	שָֽׁבַע׃	šā·ḇa‘	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H884 Beersheba

Genesis 21:15

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
When the water	הַמַּ֖יִם	ham·ma·yim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
in	מִן־	min-	Preposition	H4480 out of, from, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not
the skin	הַחֵ֑מֶת	ha·ḥê·meṯ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H2573 waterskin
was gone	וַיִּכְל֥וּ	way·yiḵ·lū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H3615 be complete, at an end, finished, accomplished, spent
she left	וַתַּשְׁלֵ֣ךְ	wat·taš·lêḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H7993 throw, fling, cast
the boy	הַיֶּ֔לֶד	hay·ye·leḏ	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3206 child, son, boy, youth
under	תַּ֖חַת	ta·ḥaṯ	Preposition	H8478 the under part
one	אַחַ֥ד	’a·ḥaḏ	Number - masculine singular construct	H259 one
of the bushes	הַשִּׂיחִֽם׃	haś·śî·ḥim	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H7880 bush, shrub, plant