Genesis 21:10
in Genesis 21and she said to Abraham, “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac!”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this handmaid and her son: for the son of this handmaid shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
KJV
Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
⋯
This verse in Genesis 21
Commentary
9 notes on this verseThen Sarah, who showed no envy in any matter that concerned herself, became envious in this matter concerning her son. She was not envious of Hagar whom she had given to her husband.
This site's exposition
Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham
on Genesis 21:9-10
Genesis gives what Ishmael did in one word, mocking. Paul calls it persecution at Galatians 4:29, and Clarke reads it as ridicule and warns against guessing past that. Sarah's demand is about the inheritance, that the slave woman's son will never share it with Isaac.
This site's exposition
Expel the slave woman and her son
Clarke notes that the verb for expel is used for divorce, and reads Sarah as asking for Hagar to be put away as a wife. Ephrem the Syrian says Sarah showed no envy in anything that touched herself and grew envious here for her son.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
For the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with my son Isaac. Which the Apostle states as with the son of the freewoman, because in no way should false teachers, who affirm that this grace benefits us only if we are also consecrated …
And when Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian playing, she said to Abraham: "Expel this slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac."
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
30 ) as if it had been spoken by a spirit of prophecy; and it is the sentence passed on all hypocrites and carnal people, though they have a place and a name in the visible church. All that are born after the flesh and not born again, that rest in the law and reject the gospel promise, shall certainly be cast out.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-citation-number+unbalanced-parens
Wherefore she said unto Abraham, cast out this bondwoman and her son,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Cast out this bondwoman and her son - Both Sarah and Abraham have been accused of cruelty in this transaction, because every word reads harsh to us. Cast out; גרש garash signifies not only to thrust out, drive away, and expel, but also to divorce; (see Lev 21:7); and it is in this latter sense the word should be understood here.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman--Nothing but the expulsion of both could now preserve harmony in the household. Abraham's perplexity was relieved by an announcement of the divine will, which in everything, however painful to flesh and blood, all who fear God and are walking in His ways will, like him, promptly obey.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
She said to Avraham, Drive out this slave-woman and her son, for the son of this slave-woman will not inherit with my son, with Yitzchok.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
AND THE THING WAS VERY GRIEVOUS IN ABRAHAM’s SIGHT ON ACCOUNT OF HIS SON. That is, for he had taken to degenerate ways. The plain meaning, however, is that he was grieved because she had told him to send him away. Thus the language of Rashi.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ | vatomer | and she said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לְאַבְרָהָ֔ם | leavraham | to Abraham | H85 → | 175 times |
| גָּרֵ֛שׁ | garesh | drive out | H1644 → | 46 times |
| הָאָמָ֥ה | haamah | the slave woman | H519 → | 56 times |
| הַזֹּ֖את | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בְּנָ֑הּ | benah | son her | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| כִּ֣י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לֹ֤א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יִירַשׁ֙ | yirash | he will inherit | H3423 → | 231 times |
| בֶּן־ | ben- | [the] son of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| הָאָמָ֣ה | haamah | the slave woman | H519 → | 56 times |
| הַזֹּ֔את | hazot | <the> this | H2063 → | 603 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| בְּנִ֖י | beni | son my | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| יִצְחָֽק׃ | yitzchak | Isaac | H3327 → | 108 times |
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙and she said
vatomerH559 →5305 times
לְאַבְרָהָ֔םto Abraham
leavrahamH85 →175 times
גָּרֵ֛שׁdrive out
gareshH1644 →46 times
הָאָמָ֥הthe slave woman
haamahH519 →56 times
הַזֹּ֖את<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
בְּנָ֑הּson her
benahH1121 →4930 times
כִּ֣יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
לֹ֤אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יִירַשׁ֙he will inherit
yirashH3423 →231 times
בֶּן־[the] son of
ben-H1121 →4930 times
הָאָמָ֣הthe slave woman
haamahH519 →56 times
הַזֹּ֔את<the> this
hazotH2063 →603 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
בְּנִ֖יson my
beniH1121 →4930 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
יִצְחָֽק׃Isaac
yitzchakH3327 →108 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 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
1 John 2:19They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of…
it leads to
- Acts 20:30
Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.
- 1 Corinthians 11:19
And indeed, there must be differences among you to show which of you are approved.
- Jude 1:19
These are the ones who cause divisions, who are worldly and devoid of the Spirit.
- Luke 8:13
The seeds on rocky ground are those who hear the word and receive it with joy, but they have no root. They believe for a season, but in the time of testing, they fall…
- Acts 20:30
Through
1 Peter 1:4and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you,
it leads to
- Revelation 21:27
But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who practices an abomination or a lie, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
- Hebrews 9:15
Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under…
- 1 Peter 5:4
And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
- 2 Timothy 4:8
From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but to all who…
- Revelation 21:27
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies15
On this verse
On this chapter
About Genesis
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bede, Commentary on Genesis (Hexaemeron); Ephrem the Syrian, COMMENTARY ON GENESIS 18:2; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.