†. Gen 21:13 . . As for the son of the slave-woman, I will make a
nation of him, too, for he is your seed.
Abraham certainly must have been worried what would become of Ishmael;
so God reassured him his boy would be just fine.
I think it's significant that God didn't refer to either Hagar or to Ishmael by
name, probably because the emphasis here is upon Divine purpose instead
of upon people.
†. Gen 21:14a . . Early next morning Abraham took some bread and a
skin of water, and gave them to Hagar.
The Hebrew word for "bread" is lechem (lekh'-em) which just simply means
food (for man or beast), which therefore includes grain. So Abraham didn't
necessarily send the poor woman out on her own with a ration of bread and
water like some sort of hardened criminal, but very likely provisioned Hagar
and his son Ishmael with enough camper-grade food stuffs to keep them
going for a while.
But it's puzzling why Abraham didn't provide them with an escort; at least
until they reached the safety of a village or a town. That suggests to me that
Abraham fully believed God's promise to "make a nation of him" which
implies that God Himself would look out for them from here on in.
†. Gen 21:14b . . He placed them over her shoulder, together with
the child,
I would have hated to observe that scene. Abraham didn't dispatch a servant
or a butler to equip Hagar. He did it himself. And he didn't just bring the
provisions out to her and set it down at her feet. No. He put them up on her
shoulder himself. You have to stand close to someone to do that; close
enough to look them right in the eyes.
There's no record of ever any ill will between Hagar and Abraham, nor any
between him and his boy Ishmael either. Those three were truly family in
every sense of the word-- mom, dad, and child. There couldn't have been a
dry eye nor a cheerful face at any time during this excruciating farewell. If
you've ever experienced something so upsetting as to make you nauseous,
lead-bellied, and lose your appetite; then you know what I'm talking about.
Anybody who can read this story without feeling the slightest twinge of
compassion for any one of those three; has got to be the most insensitive
clod on earth.
†. Gen 21:14c . . and sent her away.
The phrase "sent her away" is from the Hebrew word shalach (shaw-lakh')
which is a versatile word that can be used of divorce as well as for the
emancipation of slaves. In other words: Hagar wasn't banished as is
commonly assumed; no, she was set free; and it's very important to nail
that down in our thinking because if Abraham had merely banished Hagar,
then her son Ishmael would have retained his legal status as Abraham's
eldest biological son.
Technically, Ishmael retained his status as one of Abraham's biological sons
(Gen 25:9) but not legally; no, his legal association with Abraham was
dissolved when he emancipated Ishmael's mother.
I believe it's important to emphasize that Hagar and Ishmael weren't cut
loose because they were no longer worthy to live in Abraham's camp any
more. No. It was only as a measure to expedite God's future plans for Isaac.
Even if Sarah hadn't proposed the idea of emancipating Hagar, I suspect
that God would have eventually required it so anyway.
†. Gen 21:14d . . And she wandered about in the wilderness of Beer
-sheba.
The wilderness of Beer-sheba is about 50 miles south of Hebron.
The Hebrew word for "wandered about" is from ta'ah (taw-aw') which means
to vacillate. Webster's defines "vacillate" as: to waver in mind, will, or
feeling; viz: to hesitate in choice of opinions or courses. (cf. Jas 1:8)
As often as Hagar traveled up and down the land of Palestine with Abraham
over the years, she no doubt knew her way around; so she's not blundering
through the woods like a lost hiker. At this point, Hagar is thoroughly rattled
and doesn't really know what to do next or even how she and Ishmael are
going to survive in a land where no State programs for unemployed single
mothers existed. And to top it off; she's a freed slave who now has to make
all her own decisions and fend for her child and for herself on her own rather
than simply comply with the demands of a master who provided for all her
daily necessities.
Slavery has its pluses and minuses; its upsides and its downsides; and it's
not always to a slave's benefit to give them their walking papers. There's a
provision in the old covenant that allows for a slave to remain a slave for life
of their own free will. The law would apply to anyone living as a citizen in the
land of Israel, whether Jew or Gentile. (Ex 21:2-6, Lev 24:22)
Many of the slaves that were liberated after the American Civil War found
themselves in the throes of instant poverty: unable to either read or to
write, with no place to live, and zero prospects for gainful employment. I'm
not saying slavery is a good thing. I'm only saying that, all things
considered, it might be the better option for some people.
I met guys in the Army who re-enlisted for the security of a steady
paycheck, free meals, free health care, paid vacations, and rent
free/mortgage-free accommodations. They had to relinquish a degree of
their freedom for those benefits, but in their minds, it was not a bad trade
off.
†. Gen 21:15-16 . .When the water was gone from the skin, she left
the child under one of the bushes, and went and sat down at a
distance, a bowshot away; for she thought: Let me not look on as
the child dies. And sitting thus afar, she burst into tears.
The word "child" is misleading. The Hebrew is yeled (yeh'-led) which can
also mean: a lad. Webster's defines a lad as: a male person; of any age
between early boyhood and maturity; viz: boys and/or youths. Ishmael was
hardly what modern Americans might call a child. He was near to eighteen
years old at this time; if he was circumcised at fourteen and Isaac was
weaned at three. (cf. Gen 16:16, Gen 21:5, Gen 21:8)
One can only guess at the grief in Hagar's heart. Her life had come down to
this: a lonely, impoverished, homeless death out in the middle of nowhere.
In her distress Hagar had forgotten about 'Ataah 'Eel R'iy the god who sees
people and knows their troubles. And she had forgotten all the predictions
He made back in Gen 16:10-12 concerning Ishmael's future. There is just no
way her yoot can be allowed to die at this time.
When God's people lose confidence in His statements, they usually always
get themselves into trouble. If only Hagar had trusted God, she wouldn't
have despaired regarding Ishmael's life. He was perfectly safe. Don't you
see? He had to live so God could keep His promise to multiply him; and so
he could become a wild-burro of a man, and so he could live near the people
of Israel like God predicted. So even if Hagar had perished all alone in the
wilderness, Ishmael would have gone on to survive without his mother.
Cont.
/
nation of him, too, for he is your seed.
Abraham certainly must have been worried what would become of Ishmael;
so God reassured him his boy would be just fine.
I think it's significant that God didn't refer to either Hagar or to Ishmael by
name, probably because the emphasis here is upon Divine purpose instead
of upon people.
†. Gen 21:14a . . Early next morning Abraham took some bread and a
skin of water, and gave them to Hagar.
The Hebrew word for "bread" is lechem (lekh'-em) which just simply means
food (for man or beast), which therefore includes grain. So Abraham didn't
necessarily send the poor woman out on her own with a ration of bread and
water like some sort of hardened criminal, but very likely provisioned Hagar
and his son Ishmael with enough camper-grade food stuffs to keep them
going for a while.
But it's puzzling why Abraham didn't provide them with an escort; at least
until they reached the safety of a village or a town. That suggests to me that
Abraham fully believed God's promise to "make a nation of him" which
implies that God Himself would look out for them from here on in.
†. Gen 21:14b . . He placed them over her shoulder, together with
the child,
I would have hated to observe that scene. Abraham didn't dispatch a servant
or a butler to equip Hagar. He did it himself. And he didn't just bring the
provisions out to her and set it down at her feet. No. He put them up on her
shoulder himself. You have to stand close to someone to do that; close
enough to look them right in the eyes.
There's no record of ever any ill will between Hagar and Abraham, nor any
between him and his boy Ishmael either. Those three were truly family in
every sense of the word-- mom, dad, and child. There couldn't have been a
dry eye nor a cheerful face at any time during this excruciating farewell. If
you've ever experienced something so upsetting as to make you nauseous,
lead-bellied, and lose your appetite; then you know what I'm talking about.
Anybody who can read this story without feeling the slightest twinge of
compassion for any one of those three; has got to be the most insensitive
clod on earth.
†. Gen 21:14c . . and sent her away.
The phrase "sent her away" is from the Hebrew word shalach (shaw-lakh')
which is a versatile word that can be used of divorce as well as for the
emancipation of slaves. In other words: Hagar wasn't banished as is
commonly assumed; no, she was set free; and it's very important to nail
that down in our thinking because if Abraham had merely banished Hagar,
then her son Ishmael would have retained his legal status as Abraham's
eldest biological son.
Technically, Ishmael retained his status as one of Abraham's biological sons
(Gen 25:9) but not legally; no, his legal association with Abraham was
dissolved when he emancipated Ishmael's mother.
I believe it's important to emphasize that Hagar and Ishmael weren't cut
loose because they were no longer worthy to live in Abraham's camp any
more. No. It was only as a measure to expedite God's future plans for Isaac.
Even if Sarah hadn't proposed the idea of emancipating Hagar, I suspect
that God would have eventually required it so anyway.
†. Gen 21:14d . . And she wandered about in the wilderness of Beer
-sheba.
The wilderness of Beer-sheba is about 50 miles south of Hebron.
The Hebrew word for "wandered about" is from ta'ah (taw-aw') which means
to vacillate. Webster's defines "vacillate" as: to waver in mind, will, or
feeling; viz: to hesitate in choice of opinions or courses. (cf. Jas 1:8)
As often as Hagar traveled up and down the land of Palestine with Abraham
over the years, she no doubt knew her way around; so she's not blundering
through the woods like a lost hiker. At this point, Hagar is thoroughly rattled
and doesn't really know what to do next or even how she and Ishmael are
going to survive in a land where no State programs for unemployed single
mothers existed. And to top it off; she's a freed slave who now has to make
all her own decisions and fend for her child and for herself on her own rather
than simply comply with the demands of a master who provided for all her
daily necessities.
Slavery has its pluses and minuses; its upsides and its downsides; and it's
not always to a slave's benefit to give them their walking papers. There's a
provision in the old covenant that allows for a slave to remain a slave for life
of their own free will. The law would apply to anyone living as a citizen in the
land of Israel, whether Jew or Gentile. (Ex 21:2-6, Lev 24:22)
Many of the slaves that were liberated after the American Civil War found
themselves in the throes of instant poverty: unable to either read or to
write, with no place to live, and zero prospects for gainful employment. I'm
not saying slavery is a good thing. I'm only saying that, all things
considered, it might be the better option for some people.
I met guys in the Army who re-enlisted for the security of a steady
paycheck, free meals, free health care, paid vacations, and rent
free/mortgage-free accommodations. They had to relinquish a degree of
their freedom for those benefits, but in their minds, it was not a bad trade
off.
†. Gen 21:15-16 . .When the water was gone from the skin, she left
the child under one of the bushes, and went and sat down at a
distance, a bowshot away; for she thought: Let me not look on as
the child dies. And sitting thus afar, she burst into tears.
The word "child" is misleading. The Hebrew is yeled (yeh'-led) which can
also mean: a lad. Webster's defines a lad as: a male person; of any age
between early boyhood and maturity; viz: boys and/or youths. Ishmael was
hardly what modern Americans might call a child. He was near to eighteen
years old at this time; if he was circumcised at fourteen and Isaac was
weaned at three. (cf. Gen 16:16, Gen 21:5, Gen 21:8)
One can only guess at the grief in Hagar's heart. Her life had come down to
this: a lonely, impoverished, homeless death out in the middle of nowhere.
In her distress Hagar had forgotten about 'Ataah 'Eel R'iy the god who sees
people and knows their troubles. And she had forgotten all the predictions
He made back in Gen 16:10-12 concerning Ishmael's future. There is just no
way her yoot can be allowed to die at this time.
When God's people lose confidence in His statements, they usually always
get themselves into trouble. If only Hagar had trusted God, she wouldn't
have despaired regarding Ishmael's life. He was perfectly safe. Don't you
see? He had to live so God could keep His promise to multiply him; and so
he could become a wild-burro of a man, and so he could live near the people
of Israel like God predicted. So even if Hagar had perished all alone in the
wilderness, Ishmael would have gone on to survive without his mother.
Cont.
/
