The Meaning of Genesis 21:8 Explained

Genesis 21:8

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

YLT: And the lad groweth, and is weaned, and Abraham maketh a great banquet in the day of Isaac's being weaned;

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

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Genesis 21:8 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 21:8 mean?

So grew the child and was weaned and made Abraham a feast great on the same day that was weaned - Isaac
וַיִּגְדַּ֥ל הַיֶּ֖לֶד וַיִּגָּמַ֑ל וַיַּ֤עַשׂ אַבְרָהָם֙ מִשְׁתֶּ֣ה גָד֔וֹל בְּי֖וֹם הִגָּמֵ֥ל אֶת־ יִצְחָֽק

וַיִּגְדַּ֥ל  So  grew 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּדַל  
Sense: to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, do great things.
הַיֶּ֖לֶד  the  child 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: יֶלֶד  
Sense: child, son, boy, offspring, youth.
וַיִּגָּמַ֑ל  and  was  weaned 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: גָּמַל  
Sense: to deal fully with, recompense.
וַיַּ֤עַשׂ  and  made 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
אַבְרָהָם֙  Abraham 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָהָם  
Sense: friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God’s elective covenant.
מִשְׁתֶּ֣ה  a  feast 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִשְׁתֶּה  
Sense: feast, drink, banquet.
גָד֔וֹל  great 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
בְּי֖וֹם  on  the  same  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הִגָּמֵ֥ל  that  was  weaned 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Infinitive construct
Root: גָּמַל  
Sense: to deal fully with, recompense.
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.
יִצְחָֽק  Isaac 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִצְחָק  
Sense: son of Abraham by Sarah his wife and father of Jacob and Esau.