Ishmael

1Sarai was Abram's wife. She had not given him any children. She had a servant woman from Egypt named Hagar.

Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

NoteA servant woman worked for Sarai and had to do what Sarai told her. Egypt was a country far away to the south.

2Sarai said to Abram, "Look, the LORD has kept me from having children. Please sleep with my servant Hagar. Maybe I can have a family through her." Abram did what Sarai said.

And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

NoteLong ago, a wife with no children sometimes let her servant have a baby instead. The baby would then be counted as the wife's own child. Also, when you see LORD in big letters, it is God's own special name.

3Abram had lived in the land of Canaan for ten years. Then his wife Sarai took her Egyptian servant Hagar. She gave Hagar to her husband Abram to be his wife.

And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

NoteCanaan was the land God had promised to give Abram. In those days a man could have more than one wife. Hagar became Abram's wife, but she was still Sarai's servant.

4Abram slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to look down on Sarai.

And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

5Sarai said to Abram, "The wrong done to me is your fault. I put my servant in your arms. Now she knows she is pregnant, and she looks down on me. Let the LORD decide who is right, you or me."

And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.

6Abram said to Sarai, "Look, your servant is in your hands. Do to her whatever you want." Then Sarai treated Hagar harshly, and Hagar ran away from her.

But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.

7The angel of the LORD found Hagar in the desert. She was beside a spring of water, the spring by the road that goes to Shur.

And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.

NoteAn angel is a messenger who brings God's words to people. A desert is dry, empty land with sand, rocks, and very few people. Shur was near Egypt, so Hagar was walking toward the land she came from.

8He said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where did you come from? Where are you going?" She said, "I am running away from my mistress Sarai."

And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.

NoteA mistress is the woman a servant works for and obeys.

9The angel of the LORD said to her, "Go back to your mistress. Do as she tells you."

And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.

10The angel of the LORD also said to her, "I will give you very many children and their children. There will be too many to count."

And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.

11The angel of the LORD said to her, "Look, you are going to have a baby. You will have a son. You will name him Ishmael, because the LORD has heard how you were hurt.

And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.

NoteThe name Ishmael means "God hears." His name would remind everyone that God heard Hagar crying.

12He will be a wild man. His hand will be against everyone, and everyone's hand will be against him. He will live near all his brothers."

And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.

NoteThe old words say he will be like a wild donkey, an animal that runs free in the desert. "His hand against everyone" is a way of saying he will often fight with people.

13Then Hagar gave a name to the LORD who had spoken to her. She said, "You are the God who sees me." She also said, "Have I really seen here the One who sees me?"

And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?

NoteLong ago, people gave names that said something true about a person. The name Hagar gave God meant that God had seen her when she was alone.

14That is why the well was called Beer-lahai-roi. It is between Kadesh and Bered.

Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

NoteA well is a deep hole dug down to water. The name Beer-lahai-roi means "the well of the Living One who sees me." Kadesh and Bered were places out in the dry land.

15Hagar gave birth to a son for Abram. Abram named the son Ishmael.

And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.

16Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael.

And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.

NoteThe old words say "fourscore and six." A score means twenty, so fourscore and six means eighty-six.

15God said to Abraham, "About Sarai your wife: do not call her Sarai. Her name will be Sarah."

And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be.

NoteSarai and Sarah are two forms of one name. Both names mean "princess." God gave her a new name, like he did for her husband.

16"I will bless her. I will also give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will be the mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her."

And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her.

17Then Abraham lay down with his face to the ground and laughed. He said inside himself, "Can a man who is a hundred years old have a child? Can Sarah have a baby when she is ninety?"

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?

18Abraham said to God, "Oh, let Ishmael live his life in front of you!"

And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!

NoteIshmael was Abraham's older son. His mother was Hagar, who was Sarah's servant. Abraham loved him and wanted good things for him.

19God said, "Sarah your wife will really have a son. You will name him Isaac. My promise with him will last forever. It will be for his family after him too."

And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

NoteThe name Isaac means "he laughs." Abraham had just laughed at the news. The baby's name would always remind the family of that.

20"As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Look, I have blessed him. I will give him many children. His family will grow very, very big. He will be the father of twelve princes, who are rulers of people. I will make him a great nation."

And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

NoteThe King James word "beget" means to become the father of someone. A prince here means a leader of a large family group.

21"But I will keep my promise with Isaac. Sarah will have him at this same time next year."

But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

22God finished talking with him. Then God went up away from Abraham.

And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.

NoteThe King James says "he left off talking with him." That just means God stopped talking. The visit was over.

23That very same day Abraham took Ishmael his son. He also took every male born in his house and every male bought with his money. That was every male in Abraham's house. He circumcised them all, just as God had told him.

And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him.

NoteThe King James says "the selfsame day." That means that very same day, with no waiting.

24Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised.

And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

25His son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised.

And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin.

26Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised on that very same day.

In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son.

27All the men of his house were circumcised with him. That was the men born in his house and the men bought with money from a foreigner.

And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him.

8The child grew. He stopped drinking his mother's milk. On that same day Abraham made a big feast.

And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.

NoteLong ago babies drank their mother's milk for two or three years. When a child stopped, the family had a party. It meant the child was growing strong.

9Sarah saw the son that Hagar the Egyptian had given Abraham. He was making fun.

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

NoteHagar was Sarah's servant from Egypt. Years before this, Sarah told Abraham to have a baby with Hagar. That baby was a boy named Ishmael. He is the boy in this story.

10So Sarah said to Abraham, "Send this slave woman and her son away. The son of this slave woman will not share what is yours with my son Isaac."

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.

NoteBack then a father's animals and land went to his sons when he died. Sarah did not want Ishmael to get any of it.

11This made Abraham very sad, because of his son.

And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son.

12But God said to Abraham, "Do not be sad about the boy and about your slave woman. Listen to everything Sarah says to you. Your family line will be counted through Isaac.

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.

NoteThe King James says "thy seed." Seed here means children, grandchildren, and all the family after them.

13I will also make the slave woman's son into a whole nation. I will do this because he is your son too."

And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.

NoteA nation is a very big group of people living together. God says Ishmael's family will grow that big.

14Early in the morning Abraham got up. He took bread and a bag of water. He put them on Hagar's shoulder. He gave her the child and sent her away. She left and wandered in the wild, empty land near Beersheba.

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 Beersheba.

NoteThis bottle was a bag sewn from animal skin. People carried water in it. There was no glass or plastic then. The wild, empty land was dry, with few plants and almost no water.

15The water in the bag was all gone. She laid the child under one of the bushes.

And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.

16Then she went and sat down across from him, far away. It was about as far as an arrow flies. She said, "Let me not watch the child die." She sat there across from him and cried out loud.

And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bow shot: 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.

17God heard the boy's voice. The angel of God called to Hagar from heaven. He said, "What is wrong, Hagar? Do not be afraid. God has heard the boy's voice right where he is.

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.

NoteAn angel is a messenger. God sends angels to bring people his words.

18Get up. Lift the boy up and hold him by the hand. I will make him into a great nation."

Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.

19Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went and filled the bag with water. She gave the boy a drink.

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.

20God was with the boy. He grew up and lived in the wild, empty land. He became an archer, someone who shoots with a bow and arrows.

And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.

21He lived in the wild, empty land of Paran. His mother got him a wife from the land of Egypt.

And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.

NoteParan was a dry, sandy land far to the south.

7Abraham lived for 175 years.

And these are the days of the years of Abraham’s life which he lived, an hundred threescore and fifteen years.

NoteThe people in these very old family stories are said to live much longer than people live now.

8Then Abraham took his last breath and died. He was very old, and he had lived a full life. He was gathered to his people.

Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.

Note"Gathered to his people" is a gentle way of saying he died. It also means his body was laid where his family was buried.

9His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him. They laid him in the cave of Machpelah, near Mamre. The cave was in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar the Hittite.

And his sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite, which is before Mamre;

NoteA cave could be used like a grave. A whole family was often buried together in one cave. The Hittites were a group of people who lived in that land.

10Abraham had bought that field from the Hittites. Abraham was buried there, and so was his wife Sarah.

The field which Abraham purchased of the sons of Heth: there was Abraham buried, and Sarah his wife.

NoteAbraham had bought this field long before, when Sarah died. It was the only piece of land he ever owned.

11After Abraham died, God blessed his son Isaac. Isaac lived near the well called Lahairoi.

And it came to pass after the death of Abraham, that God blessed his son Isaac; and Isaac dwelt by the well Lahairoi.

NoteA well is a deep hole dug down to water. The name of this well means "the Living One sees me."

12This is the family story of Ishmael, Abraham's son. His mother was Hagar, the servant from Egypt who worked for Sarah.

Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s handmaid, bare unto Abraham:

NoteHagar was a servant who worked for Sarah. Her son Ishmael was born before Isaac, so he was Abraham's older son.

13These are the names of Ishmael's sons, in the order they were born. Nebajoth was the oldest. Then came Kedar, Adbeel, and Mibsam,

And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebajoth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam,

14then Mishma, Dumah, and Massa,

And Mishma, and Dumah, and Massa,

15then Hadar, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah.

Hadar, and Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah:

16These were Ishmael's sons. Their towns and camps carried their names. They were twelve princes, which means leaders, one for each of their peoples.

These are the sons of Ishmael, and these are their names, by their towns, and by their castles; twelve princes according to their nations.

NoteThese families lived in tents and camps, not in big cities. They moved from place to place to find grass and water for their animals.

17Ishmael lived for 137 years. Then he took his last breath and died. He was gathered to his people.

And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his people.

18They lived from Havilah to Shur, which is near Egypt, on the way toward Assyria. And he settled in front of all his brothers.

And they dwelt from Havilah unto Shur, that is before Egypt, as thou goest toward Assyria: and he died in the presence of all his brethren.

NoteThese places are very far apart. It means Ishmael's family spread out over a wide land. The last old words are hard to be sure about. They may mean he lived close beside his relatives.