For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
Parallel translations
- WEB Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
- BSB So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised.
- NKJV For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
- NASB So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him.
- NLT She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would.
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 conceives and bears Abraham a son in his old age at the appointed time. The long-promised heir is finally born.
Overview
The birth occurs at the exact time God foretold, against all natural possibility given the couple's age. This miraculous child of promise demonstrates that God's redemptive line advances by grace and divine power, not human ability. Isaac, born by promise, becomes a pattern in Scripture for all who are children of God through faith rather than the flesh.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Heb 11:11Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
- Gal 4:22For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
- 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 18:10And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
- 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.
- Acts 7:8And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.
- Gen 18:14Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
- Luke 1:24–25And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
- Luke 1:36And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
- 2 Kgs 4:16–17And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.
- Rom 9:9For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 21:2 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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