The Meaning of Genesis 21:1 Explained

Genesis 21:1

KJV: And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.

YLT: And Jehovah hath looked after Sarah as He hath said, and Jehovah doth to Sarah as He hath spoken;

Darby: And Jehovah visited Sarah as he had said, and Jehovah did to Sarah as he had spoken.

ASV: And Jehovah visited Sarah as he had said, and Jehovah did unto Sarah as he had spoken.

What is the context of Genesis 21:1?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the LORD  visited  Sarah  as he had said,  and the LORD  did  unto Sarah  as he had spoken. 

What does Genesis 21:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 21:1-7 - Birth Of Isaac
God is faithful. Heaven and earth may pass, but His word cannot fail. We may wait until all human hopes have died, and then, at "God's set time," the child is born. Abraham laughed at the first announcement of this event, Genesis 17:17. Later, as Sarah listened to the conversation between her husband and his mysterious guests, she laughed with incredulity, Genesis 18:12-15. But now, in the joy of long-deferred motherhood, she found that "the Lord had prepared laughter for her," and so named her child Isaac. See r.v. margin. Be of good cheer. The Lord has prepared laughter for you also, some few miles ahead on life's journey. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright. O thou afflicted, He shall lay thy stones in fair colors! And when thy joy comes, rejoice in it. "Thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the Lord thy God giveth thee." But in those hours think kindly of others, and do not forget that some, like Hagar, may be disappointed by what gives thee joy! [source]

Chapter Summary: Genesis 21

1  Isaac is born, and circumcised
6  Sarah's joy
8  Isaac is weaned
9  Hagar and Ishmael sent away
15  Hagar in distress
17  The angel relieves and comforts her
23  Abimelech's covenant with Abraham at Beersheba

What do the individual words in Genesis 21:1 mean?

And Yahweh visited - Sarah as He had said and did Yahweh for Sarah He had spoken
וַֽיהוָ֛ה פָּקַ֥ד אֶת־ שָׂרָ֖ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמָ֑ר וַיַּ֧עַשׂ יְהוָ֛ה לְשָׂרָ֖ה דִּבֵּֽר

וַֽיהוָ֛ה  And  Yahweh 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
פָּקַ֥ד  visited 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּקַד 
Sense: to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שָׂרָ֖ה  Sarah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׂרָה  
Sense: wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac.
אָמָ֑ר  He  had  said 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
וַיַּ֧עַשׂ  and  did 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
יְהוָ֛ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לְשָׂרָ֖ה  for  Sarah 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׂרָה  
Sense: wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac.
דִּבֵּֽר  He  had  spoken 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.