And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.
Parallel translations
- WEB She said, “Who would have said to Abraham, that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.”
- BSB She added, “Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
- NKJV She also said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.”
- NASB And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have given birth to a son in his old age.”
- NLT Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse a baby? Yet I have given Abraham a son in his old age!”
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 marvels that she, in old age, now nurses a son for Abraham. She wonders aloud at God's astonishing gift.
Overview
Sarah expresses amazement that what no one could have predicted has come to pass through God's power. Her rhetorical question celebrates the sheer wonder of bearing a child long past natural hope. The verse magnifies God as the giver of life who delights to fulfill His promises in ways that leave His people astonished and grateful.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Isa 66:8Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
- Gen 18:11–12Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.
- 2 Th 1:10When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
- Num 23:23Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!
- Deut 4:32–34For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it?
- Eph 3:10To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
- Ps 86:10For thou art great, and doest wondrous things: thou art God alone.
- Ps 86:8Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.
- Isa 49:21Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
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 21:7 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.