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.
Parallel translations
- WEB Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this servant and her son! For the son of this servant will not be heir with my son, Isaac.”
- BSB and 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!”
- NKJV Therefore she said to Abraham, “Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, namely with Isaac.”
- NASB Therefore she said to Abraham, “Drive out this slave woman and her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be an heir with my son Isaac!”
- NLT So she turned to Abraham and demanded, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son. He is not going to share the inheritance with my son, Isaac. I won’t have it!”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Sarah demands that Hagar and Ishmael be cast out so Ishmael will not share Isaac's inheritance. She insists the son of the slave woman not be co-heir.
Overview
Sarah's demand, though harsh, aligns with God's purpose to establish the covenant line through Isaac alone. Paul cites these very words to illustrate that the inheritance of grace cannot be mingled with the bondage of the flesh and the law. The expulsion, painful as it is, safeguards the distinct line of promise leading to Christ and the freedom of the gospel.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 15
- John 8:35And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
- Gal 4:22–31For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
- 1 Jn 2:19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
- Gen 36:6–7And Esau took his wives, and his sons, and his daughters, and all the persons of his house, and his cattle, and all his beasts, and all his substance, which he had got in the land of Canaan; and went into the country from the face of his brother Jacob.
- 1 Pet 1:4To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
- Matt 8:11–12And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.
- Gal 4:7Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
- Matt 22:13Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
- Gen 25:19And these are the generations of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham begat Isaac:
- Gal 3:18For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
- Gen 25:6But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.
- Gen 22:10And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
- Gen 20:11And Abraham said, Because I thought, Surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will slay me for my wife’s sake.
- Gen 17:21But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.
- Gen 17:19And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.
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Christ at the center
From the first promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent (3:15), through Abraham's blessing to all nations and Judah's coming ruler, Genesis sows every seed that flowers in Christ — the true offspring, the better Adam, the ram caught for Isaac.
How Genesis 21:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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