Genesis 21:2

_FOR SARAH CONCEIVED, AND BARE ABRAHAM A SON IN HIS OLD AGE, AT THE SET TIME OF WHICH GOD HAD SPOKEN TO HIM._ No JFB commentary on this verse....

2._She bare Abraham a son_. This is said according to the accustomed manner of speaking; because the woman is neither the head of a family, nor brings forth properly for herself, but for her husband. What follows, however, is more worthy of notice, In his old age, at the set time, which God had predicted: for the old age of Abraham does, not a little, illustrate the glory of the miracle. And now Moses, for the third time, recalls us to the word of God, that the constancy of his truth may always be present to our minds. And though the time had been predicted, alike to Abraham and to his wife, yet this honor is expressly attributed to the holy man; because the promise had been especially given on his account. Both, however, are distinctly mentioned in the context....

1-8 Few under the Old Testament were brought into the world with such expectations as Isaac. He was in this a type of Christ, that Seed which the holy God so long promised, and holy men so long expected. He was born according to the promise, at the set time of which God had spoken. God's promised mercies will certainly come at the time which He sets, and that is the best time. Isaac means "laughter," and there was good reason for the name, ch. Genesis 17:17; Genesis 18:13. When the Sun of comfort is risen upon the soul, it is good to remember how welcome the dawning of the day was. When Sarah received the promise, she laughed with distrust and doubt. When God gives us the mercies we began to despair of, we ought to remember with sorrow and shame our sinful distrust of his power and promise, when we were in purs...

- The Birth of Isaac 7. מלל _mı̂lēl_ “speak,” an ancient and therefore solemn and poetical word. 14. חמת _chêmet_ “bottle,” akin to חמה _chāmâh_, “surround, enclose,” and הוּם _chûm_ “black. באר שׁבע _b__e__êr_-_sheba‛_, Beer-sheba‘, “well of seven.” 22. פיכל _pı̂ykol_, Pikhol, “mouth or spokesman of all.” 23. נין _nı̂yn_ “offspring, kin;” related: “sprout, flourish.”...

EXPOSITION GENESIS 21:1 AND THE LORD_—Jehovah_;_ _not because the verse is Jehovistic (Knobel, Bleek, _et alii_)_, _but because the promise naturally falls to be implemented by him who gave it (_vide_ Genesis 18:10)—VISITED—remembered with love (Onkelos), ἐπισκέψατο (LXX.; cf. Genesis 1:24; Exo 4:31; 1 Samuel 2:21; Isaiah 23:17); though it sometimes means to approach in judgment (_vide _

FOR SARAH CONCEIVED,.... This explains what is meant by the Lord's visiting her, and doing to her according to his word, see Hebrews 11:11; AND BARE ABRAHAM A SON IN HIS OLD AGE; which circumstance is remarked, that the favour might appear the greater, and the more wonderful; or, "unto", or "for his old age" n, for the comfort of him in his old age, who having lived so many years under the promise of a son, and in the expectation of one, even of the promised seed, from whom the Messiah should spring, now has one, than which nothing could yield him greater consolation: AT THE SET TIME OF WHICH GOD HAD SPOKEN TO HIM, Genesis 17:21; God was not only faithful in fulfilling his promise, but in keeping the exact time of it. n לזקניו "pro senectu

CHAPTER 21 ISAAC AND ISHMAEL AND THE COVENANT WITH ABIMELECH _ 1. Isaac's birth (Genesis 22:1) 2. His circumcision (Genesis 22:4)_ 3. Ishmael mocking (Genesis 22:9) 4. Sarah's demand (Genesis 22:10) 5. God speaks to Abraham (Genesis 22:12) 6. Hagar and Ishmael cast out (Genesis 22:14) 7. The intervention of God (Genesis 22:17)

BIRTH OF ISAAC. Genesis 21:1_ b_ and Genesis 21:2 _b_ - Genesis 21:5 belong to P, the editor having changed Elohim into Yahweh in Genesis 21:1_ b_. To J Genesis 21:1_ a_, Genesis 21:2_ a_, Genesis 21:7 may be assigned, and Genesis 21:6 a to E....

SET TIME. exact time. GOD. Hebrew. _Elohim._ Note change of title here, till Genesis 21:32, because it is Creator and creature. In Genesis 21:33, _Jehovah,_ where it is Covenant relation. In Mary's song both titles united (Luke 1:46; Luke 1:47 and compare verses: Gen 21:37, Gen 21:38)....

_in his old age_ Cf. Genesis 21:7; Genesis 18:11; Genesis 24:36; Genesis 37:3; Genesis 44:20 (al+l from J); meaning literally "to his old age." _at the set time_ Cf. Genesis 17:21 (P). It is to this verse that allusion is made in Hebrews 11:11, "by faith even Sarah herself received power to conceive seed, when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had p