The Meaning of Genesis 21:18 Explained

Genesis 21:18

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

YLT: rise, lift up the youth, and lay hold on him with thy hand, for for a great nation I set him.'

Darby: Arise, take the lad, and hold him in thy hand; for I will make of him a great nation.

ASV: Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thy hand. For I will make him a great nation.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Genesis 21:18 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 21:8-21 - Hagar And Ishmael Cast Out
Poor Hagar! She thought that she had given Abraham his heir, but now she found herself and her boy outcasts on the desert waste. The water was soon spent, she little dreamed that a fountain was so near. Cry to God, He will open fountains in the middle of your deserts. Beneath their sad lot a divine purpose was running. God said, "Let it not be grievous in thy sight." This is the teaching of Scripture: that our lives are being ordered and our steps prepared. All we need to be anxious about is the finding of the path. Let us ask God to open our eyes to see the fountains beside us, and the way before us. And after all, was not the wilderness a better training-ground for the lad than the comparative luxury of Abraham's tent? "He became an archer." Isaac would have been the better for a touch of the desert-life. The Holy Spirit, through Paul, gives the inner significance of this incident in Galatians 5:1. See also John 8:36. [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 21:18 mean?

Arise lift up - the boy and hold with your hand him for a nation great I will make him
ק֚וּמִי שְׂאִ֣י אֶת־ הַנַּ֔עַר וְהַחֲזִ֥יקִי יָדֵ֖ךְ בּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־ לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל אֲשִׂימֶֽנּוּ

ק֚וּמִי  Arise 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
שְׂאִ֣י  lift  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
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.
הַנַּ֔עַר  the  boy 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נַעַר  
Sense: a boy, lad, servant, youth, retainer.
וְהַחֲזִ֥יקִי  and  hold  with 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Imperative, feminine singular
Root: חָזַק  
Sense: to strengthen, prevail, harden, be strong, become strong, be courageous, be firm, grow firm, be resolute, be sore.
יָדֵ֖ךְ  your  hand 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
לְג֥וֹי  a  nation 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular
Root: גֹּוי 
Sense: nation, people.
גָּד֖וֹל  great 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
אֲשִׂימֶֽנּוּ  I  will  make  him 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, first person common singular, third person masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.