And the water was spent in (literally, from) the bottle,—so that the wanderers became exhausted, and were in danger of fainting through thirst—and she cast the child—a translation which certainly conveys an erroneous impression, first of Ishmael, who was not an infant, but a grown lad (vide supra, Genesis 21:14), and secondly of Ishmael's mother, whom it represents as acting with violence, if not with inhumanity; whereas the sense probably is that, having, as long as her rapidly diminishing strength permitted, supported her fainting son, she at length suddenly, through feebleness, released his nerveless hand as he fell, and in despair, finding herself unable to give him further assistance, left him, as she believed, to die where he had flung himself in his intolerable anguish—under one of the shrubs.
Bible Commentary
Genesis 21:15
Genesis 21:15
The Pulpit Commentary · Joseph S. Exell and contributors · Public Domain
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Genesis 21 — OverviewGenesis 21 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleIn this chapter we have, I. Isaac, the child of promise born into
Abraham's family, ver. 1-8. II. Ishmael, the son of the bondwoman, cast
out of it, ver. 9-21. III. Abraham's league with his neighbour…Genesis 21 — OverviewGenesis 21 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeGenesis 21:1, Isaac is born, and circumcised; Genesis 21:6, Sarah’s joy; Genesis 21:8, Isaac is weaned; Genesis 21:9, Hagar and Ishmael are cast forth; Genesis 21:15, Hagar in distress; Genesis 21:17, The angel relieves…Genesis 21 — OverviewGenesis 21 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThis chapter gives an account of the conception, birth, circumcision, and weaning of Isaac, Ge 21:1; of the mocking of Ishmael, and of the casting out of him and his mother from Abraham's house, at the request of Sarah,…Genesis 21:8-21Genesis 21:8-21 · The Pulpit CommentaryThe separation of the bondwoman's so, from the promised seed.
It was necessary that this should take place for the accomplishment of the Divine plan. Human conduct is employed, as in so many other cases, as the…Genesis 21:14-21Genesis 21:14-21 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleHere is, I. The casting out of the bond-woman, and her son from the
family of Abraham, v. 14. Abraham's obedience to the divine command in
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