The Meaning of Genesis 21:9 Explained

Genesis 21:9

KJV: And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.

YLT: and Sarah seeth the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she hath borne to Abraham, mocking,

Darby: And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.

ASV: And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne unto Abraham, mocking.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Sarah  saw  the son  of Hagar  the Egyptian,  which she had born  unto Abraham,  mocking. 

What does Genesis 21:9 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 21:9 mean?

And saw Sarah - the son of Hagar the Egyptian whom she had borne to Abraham scoffing
וַתֵּ֨רֶא שָׂרָ֜ה אֶֽת־ בֶּן־ הָגָ֧ר הַמִּצְרִ֛ית אֲשֶׁר־ יָלְדָ֥ה לְאַבְרָהָ֖ם מְצַחֵֽק

וַתֵּ֨רֶא  And  saw 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
שָׂרָ֜ה  Sarah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׂרָה  
Sense: wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac.
אֶֽת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בֶּן־  the  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
הָגָ֧ר  of  Hagar 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: הָגָר  
Sense: Sarah’s Egyptian slave girl, Abraham’s concubine, Ishmael’s mother.
הַמִּצְרִ֛ית  the  Egyptian 
Parse: Article, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרִי  
Sense: Egyptian—an inhabitant or citizen of Egypt.
אֲשֶׁר־  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יָלְדָ֥ה  she  had  borne 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
לְאַבְרָהָ֖ם  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.
מְצַחֵֽק  scoffing 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Participle, masculine singular
Root: צָחַק  
Sense: to laugh, mock, play.