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.
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.
- KJV For Sarah conceived, and bare 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.
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 11:11By faith, even Sarah herself received power to conceive, and she bore a child when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised.
- Gal 4:22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant, and one by the free woman.
- Gen 17:21But my covenant I establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you at this set time next year.”
- Gen 18:10He said, “I will certainly return to you at about this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.
- Gen 17:19God said, “No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him.
- Acts 7:8He gave him the covenant of circumcision. So Abraham became the father of Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day. Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob became the father of the twelve patriarchs.
- Gen 18:14Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes round, and Sarah will have a son.”
- Luke 1:24–25After these days Elizabeth, his wife, conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying,
- Luke 1:36Behold, Elizabeth, your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
- 2 Kgs 4:16–17He said, “At this season, when the time comes around, you will embrace a son.” She said, “No, my lord, you man of God, do not lie to your servant.”
- Rom 9:9For this is a word of promise, “At the appointed time I will come, and Sarah will have a son.”
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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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