Genesis 21:18
in Genesis 21Get up, lift up the boy, and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thy hand; for I will make him a great nation.
KJV
Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
⋯
This verse in Genesis 21
Commentary
5 notes on this verseNote, God's readiness to help us when we are in trouble must not slacken, but quicken, our endeavours to help ourselves. (2.) He repeats the promise concerning her son, that he should be a great nation, as a reason why she should bestir herself to help him.
This site's exposition
God heard the voice of the boy
on Genesis 21:17-19
God heard the boy, though it was the mother who wept. Ishmael's name means God hears, and the angel gave it to her at 16:11. This is the second time Hagar meets God in a wilderness, and the second time a well is attached to it. God opened her eyes and she saw the well that was already there.
This site's exposition
take him by the hand
Adam Clarke gives the Hebrew literally as make your hand strong on his behalf, so that the boy could reach the water. Matthew Henry notes that the help promised sets Hagar to work. The great nation promised to Abraham at 17:20 and in verse 13 is now spoken to Hagar herself.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
What loving kindness on the Lord's part! Far from ignoring [Hagar] as a menial servant, he deigned to show her such wonderful concern for the reason that he had made the promise to the patriarch and the child was his. Hence the words "What is it, Hagar? Don't worry: God heard the cry of the child. Get up, pick him up, and take him by the hand; after all, I am to make him grow into a mighty nation." Don't lose heart, he is saying, at being driven from home. He will enjoy such providence at my hands as to become a mighty nation, even he.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Arise, lift up the lad,....
The words behind it
12 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ק֚וּמִי | kumi | arise | H6965 → | 628 times |
| שְׂאִ֣י | sei | lift up | H5375 → | 656 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַנַּ֔עַר | hanaar | the lad | H5288 → | 239 times |
| וְהַחֲזִ֥יקִי | vehachaziki | and take hold | H2388 → | 291 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| יָדֵ֖ךְ | yadekh | hand your | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| בּ֑וֹ | bo | on <the> him | ||
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לְג֥וֹי | legoy | into a nation | H1471 → | 561 times |
| גָּד֖וֹל | gadol | great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| אֲשִׂימֶֽנּוּ׃ | ʾasimenu | I will make him | H7760 → | 584 times |
ק֚וּמִיarise
kumiH6965 →628 times
שְׂאִ֣יlift up
seiH5375 →656 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַנַּ֔עַרthe lad
hanaarH5288 →239 times
וְהַחֲזִ֥יקִיand take hold
vehachazikiH2388 →291 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
יָדֵ֖ךְhand your
yadekhH3027 →1618 times
בּ֑וֹon <the> him
bo
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
לְג֥וֹיinto a nation
legoyH1471 →561 times
גָּד֖וֹלgreat
gadolH1419 →526 times
אֲשִׂימֶֽנּוּ׃I will make him
ʾasimenuH7760 →584 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
7 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Genesis 16:10Then the angel added, “I will greatly multiply your offspring so that they will be too numerous to count.”
it leads to
- Genesis 17:20
As for Ishmael, I have heard you, and I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He will become the father of twelve rulers, and I will make…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 83:6–7
the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, of Moab and the Hagrites,
- Genesis 22:15–18
And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time,
- Genesis 17:20
Through
Genesis 21:13But I will also make a nation of the slave woman’s son, because he is your offspring.”
it leads to
- Genesis 25:12–18
This is the account of Abraham’s son Ishmael, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham.
Reached by 3 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 16:10
Then the angel added, “I will greatly multiply your offspring so that they will be too numerous to count.”
- Genesis 25:12–18
Through
Genesis 17:20As for Ishmael, I have heard you, and I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He will become the father of twelve rulers, and I will make…
it leads to
- Genesis 21:13
But I will also make a nation of the slave woman’s son, because he is your offspring.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Genesis 16:10–12
Then the angel added, “I will greatly multiply your offspring so that they will be too numerous to count.”
- Genesis 21:13
Where this verse is studied
About Genesis
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 46.7; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.