Genesis 21:9

Genesis 21:9

And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.

a. NLT: But Sarah saw Ishmael—the son of Abraham and her Egyptian servant Hagar—making fun of her son, Isaac.

b. NIV: But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking,

c. YLT: and Sarah seeth the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she hath borne to Abraham, mocking,

d. Amplified Bible: Now Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking [Isaac].

e. Septuagint: And Sarrha having seen the son of Agar the Egyptian who was born to Abraam, sporting with Isaac her son,

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: Sarah saw the son of Hagar, the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.

1. “And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian…”

a. And Sarah [8283 * Sarah] [Strong:  the same as 8282; Sarah, Abraham's wife:--Sarah.]

b. saw [7200 * ra’ah] [Strong: a primitive root; to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative):--advise self, appear, approve, behold, X certainly, consider, discern, (make to) enjoy, have experience, gaze, take heed, X indeed, X joyfully, lo, look (on, one another, one on another, one upon another, out, up, upon), mark, meet, X be near, perceive, present, provide, regard, (have) respect, (fore-, cause to, let) see(-r, -m, one another), shew (self), X sight of others, (e-)spy, stare, X surely, X think, view, visions.]

c. the son [Strong: from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to, (+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, + kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+) people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, + spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.]

d. Hagar [1904 * Hagar] [Strong:  of uncertain (perhaps foreign) derivation; Hagar, the mother of Ishmael:--Hagar.]

e. the Egyptian [4713 * Mitsriy] [Strong: from 4714; a Mitsrite, or inhabitant of Mitsrajim:--Egyptian, of Egypt.]

2. “…which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.”

a. which she had born [3205 * yalad] [Strong: a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage:--bear, beget, birth((-day)), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman).]

b. unto Abraham [85 * ‘Abraham] [Strong: contracted from 1 and an unused root (probably meaning to be populous); father of a multitude; Abraham, the later name of Abram:--Abraham.]

c. mocking [6711 * ysachaq] [Strong: a primitive root; to laugh outright (in merriment or scorn); by implication, to sport:--laugh, mock, play, make sport.]

1). It is unknown exactly what Sarah witnessed Ishmael do to Isaac, but it certainly aggravated her to the point she demanded Hagar and Ishmael be kicked out. Here are some of the 13 instances of its use.

a). Genesis 17:17 Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?

b). Genesis 18:12 Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

c). Genesis 18:13 And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

d). Genesis 18:15 Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.

e). Genesis 19:14  And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.

f). Genesis 21:6 And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.

g). Genesis 21:9 And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.

h). Judges 16:25 And it came to pass, when their hearts were merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set him between the pillars.

2). Based on the use of the word in Genesis 26:8 some have taught the “mocking” was of a sexual nature.

a).   Genesis 26:8 And it came to pass, when he had been there a long time, that Abimelech king of the Philistines looked out at a window, and saw, and, behold, Isaac was sporting with Rebekah his wife.

3). The incident between Isaac and Rebekah is not the only time the word is used in a probable sexual nature.

a). Genesis 39:17 And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me:

b). Genesis 39:14 That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice:

c). Exodus 32:6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

4). When Paul touched on the subject he just used the ordinary word for persecution and added no sexual nature to it.

a). Galatians 4:29, 30  But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

4:30 Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

b). persecuted [1477 * dioko] [Strong: a prolonged (and causative) form of a primary verb dio (to flee; compare the base of 1169 and 1249); to pursue (literally or figuratively); by implication, to persecute:--ensue, follow (after), given to, (suffer) persecute(-ion), press forward.]