The Meaning of Genesis 21:2 Explained

Genesis 21:2

KJV: For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

YLT: and Sarah conceiveth, and beareth a son to Abraham, to his old age, at the appointed time that God hath spoken of with him;

Darby: And Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the appointed time of which God had spoken to him.

ASV: And Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

What is the context of Genesis 21:2?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

For Sarah  conceived,  and bare  Abraham  a son  in his old age,  at the set time  of which God  had spoken  to him. 

What does Genesis 21:2 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 21:2 mean?

For conceived and bore Sarah to Abraham a son in his old age at the set time of which had spoken to him God
וַתַּהַר֩ וַתֵּ֨לֶד שָׂרָ֧ה לְאַבְרָהָ֛ם בֵּ֖ן לִזְקֻנָ֑יו לַמּוֹעֵ֕ד אֲשֶׁר־ דִּבֶּ֥ר אֹת֖וֹ אֱלֹהִֽים

וַתַּהַר֩  For  conceived 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: הֹור 
Sense: to conceive, become pregnant, bear, be with child, be conceived, progenitor.
וַתֵּ֨לֶד  and  bore 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
שָׂרָ֧ה  Sarah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׂרָה  
Sense: wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac.
לְאַבְרָהָ֛ם  to  Abraham 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָהָם  
Sense: friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God’s elective covenant.
בֵּ֖ן  a  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
לִזְקֻנָ֑יו  in  his  old  age 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: זְקֻנִים  
Sense: old age, extreme old age.
לַמּוֹעֵ֕ד  at  the  set  time 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹועֵד  
Sense: appointed place, appointed time, meeting.
אֲשֶׁר־  of  which 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
דִּבֶּ֥ר  had  spoken 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אֹת֖וֹ  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
אֱלֹהִֽים  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).