Genesis

The first book of Moses, called Genesis, chapter 21, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 21 New English Translation

The Birth of Isaac

   1 The LORD visited Sarah just as he had said he would and did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 So Sarah became pregnant and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the appointed time that God had told him. 3 Abraham named his son - whom Sarah bore to him - Isaac. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him just as God had commanded him to do. 5 (Now Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.)
   6 Sarah said, "God has made me laugh. Everyone who hears about this will laugh with me." 7 She went on to say, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have given birth to a son for him in his old age!"
   8 The child grew and was weaned. Abraham prepared a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. 9 But Sarah noticed the son of Hagar the Egyptian - the son whom Hagar had borne to Abraham - mocking. 10 So she said to Abraham, "Banish that slave woman and her son, for the son of that slave woman will not be an heir along with my son Isaac!"
   11 Sarah's demand displeased Abraham greatly because Ishmael was his son. 12 But God said to Abraham, "Do not be upset about the boy or your slave wife. Do all that Sarah is telling you because through Isaac your descendants will be counted. 13 But I will also make the son of the slave wife into a great nation, for he is your descendant too."
   14 Early in the morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He put them on her shoulders, gave her the child, and sent her away. So she went wandering aimlessly through the wilderness of Beer Sheba. 15 When the water in the skin was gone, she shoved the child under one of the shrubs. 16 Then she went and sat down by herself across from him at quite a distance, about a bowshot away; for she thought, "I refuse to watch the child die." So she sat across from him and wept uncontrollably.
   17 But God heard the boy's voice. The angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and asked her, "What is the matter, Hagar? Don't be afraid, for God has heard the boy's voice right where he is crying. 18 Get up! Help the boy up and hold him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation." 19 Then God enabled Hagar to see a well of water. She went over and filled the skin with water, and then gave the boy a drink.
   20 God was with the boy as he grew. He lived in the wilderness and became an archer. 21 He lived in the wilderness of Paran. His mother found a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
   22 At that time Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, said to Abraham, "God is with you in all that you do. 23 Now swear to me right here in God's name that you will not deceive me, my children, or my descendants. Show me, and the land where you are staying, the same loyalty that I have shown you."
   24 Abraham said, "I swear to do this." 25 But Abraham lodged a complaint against Abimelech concerning a well that Abimelech's servants had seized. 26 "I do not know who has done this thing," Abimelech replied. "Moreover, you did not tell me. I did not hear about it until today."
   27 Abraham took some sheep and cattle and gave them to Abimelech. The two of them made a treaty. 28 Then Abraham set seven ewe lambs apart from the flock by themselves. 29 Abimelech asked Abraham, "What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?" 30 He replied, "You must take these seven ewe lambs from my hand as legal proof that I dug this well." 31 That is why he named that place Beer Sheba, because the two of them swore an oath there.
   32 So they made a treaty at Beer Sheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol, the commander of his army, returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beer Sheba. There he worshiped the LORD, the eternal God. 34 So Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for quite some time.

King James Version

   1 And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.
   2 For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.
   3 And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
   4 And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.
   5 And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.
   6 ¶ And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.
   7 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.
   8 And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
   9 ¶ And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
   10 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.
   11 And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.
   12 ¶ And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
   13 And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.
   14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.
   15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.
   16 And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
   17 And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
   18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
   19 And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
   20 And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
   21 And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
   22 ¶ And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:
   23 Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.
   24 And Abraham said, I will swear.
   25 And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.
   26 And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.
   27 And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.
   28 And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.
   29 And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
   30 And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.
   31 Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba; because there they sware both of them.
   32 Thus they made a covenant at Beer-sheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.
   33 ¶ And Abraham planted a grove in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.
   34 And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.