וַֽיהוָ֛ה פָּקַ֥ד אֶת־שָׂרָ֖ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמָ֑ר וַיַּ֧עַשׂ יְהוָ֛ה לְשָׂרָ֖ה כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֵּֽר׃

The Lord remembered [ pakad ] Sarah. The term pakad refers to remembering to fulfill a need or a lack. The Lord blessed her with a pregnancy as He had said, and the Lord did to Sarah as He had spoken.

וַתַּהַר֩ וַתֵּ֨לֶד שָׂרָ֧ה לְאַבְרָהָ֛ם בֵּ֖ן לִזְקֻנָ֑יו לַמּוֹעֵ֕ד אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר אֹת֖וֹ אֱלֹהִֽים׃

Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the designated time that God had told him, one year after the angels had visited his tent.

וַיִּקְרָ֨א אַבְרָהָ֜ם אֶֽת־שֶׁם־בְּנ֧וֹ הַנּֽוֹלַד־ל֛וֹ אֲשֶׁר־יָלְדָה־לּ֥וֹ שָׂרָ֖ה יִצְחָֽק׃

Abraham called the name of his son that was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac, as God had commanded. Isaac, whose name means: He will laugh, was born in the wake of the laughter of both Abraham (17:17) and Sarah (18:12). Moreover, his name alludes both to his character and to later events in his life.

וַיָּ֤מָל אַבְרָהָם֙ אֶת־יִצְחָ֣ק בְּנ֔וֹ בֶּן־שְׁמֹנַ֖ת יָמִ֑ים כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה אֹת֖וֹ אֱלֹהִֽים׃

Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him above (17:12). Isaac was the first child of Abraham to be born after God’s commandment with regard to circumcision, and was therefore the first to be circumcised on the eighth day.

וְאַבְרָהָ֖ם בֶּן־מְאַ֣ת שָׁנָ֑ה בְּהִוָּ֣לֶד ל֔וֹ אֵ֖ת יִצְחָ֥ק בְּנֽוֹ׃

Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

וַתֹּ֣אמֶר שָׂרָ֔ה צְחֹ֕ק עָ֥שָׂה לִ֖י אֱלֹהִ֑ים כָּל־הַשֹּׁמֵ֖עַ יִֽצְחַק־לִֽי׃

Sarah said: God has made laughter for me. This is a strange and happy occurrence, prompting laughter. Everyone who hears will laugh for me. The unlikely event of this birth and the gladness it brings me will cause everyone who hears of it to share in my joy.

וַתֹּ֗אמֶר מִ֤י מִלֵּל֙ לְאַבְרָהָ֔ם הֵינִ֥יקָה בָנִ֖ים שָׂרָ֑ה כִּֽי־יָלַ֥דְתִּי בֵ֖ן לִזְקֻנָֽיו׃

She said: Who would have said of Abraham that Sarah would nurse children, as has happened? I have been married to Abraham for many years without children, and now the impossible has occurred, as I bore him a son for his old age.

וַיִּגְדַּ֥ל הַיֶּ֖לֶד וַיִּגָּמַ֑ל וַיַּ֤עַשׂ אַבְרָהָם֙ מִשְׁתֶּ֣ה גָד֔וֹל בְּי֖וֹם הִגָּמֵ֥ל אֶת־יִצְחָֽק׃

The child grew and was weaned. It is unclear when this occurred, as nursing sometimes continued until age three. Abraham made a great feast on the day Isaac was weaned, in accordance with the prevalent custom to celebrate a child’s weaning.

וַתֵּ֨רֶא שָׂרָ֜ה אֶֽת־בֶּן־הָגָ֧ר הַמִּצְרִ֛ית אֲשֶׁר־יָלְדָ֥ה לְאַבְרָהָ֖ם מְצַחֵֽק׃

Sarah saw Ishmael, the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she, Hagar, bore to Abraham, playing.

וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לְאַבְרָהָ֔ם גָּרֵ֛שׁ הָאָמָ֥ה הַזֹּ֖את וְאֶת־בְּנָ֑הּ כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יִירַשׁ֙ בֶּן־הָאָמָ֣ה הַזֹּ֔את עִם־בְּנִ֖י עִם־יִצְחָֽק׃

She said to Abraham: Banish this maidservant and her son. By rights you should banish only the son, but as he is young and needs his mother, you must send her away as well. For the son of this maidservant shall not inherit with my son, with Isaac.

וַיֵּ֧רַע הַדָּבָ֛ר מְאֹ֖ד בְּעֵינֵ֣י אַבְרָהָ֑ם עַ֖ל אוֹדֹ֥ת בְּנֽוֹ׃

The matter was very grave in the eyes of Abraham, on account of his son. Abraham was more pained about banishing Ishmael than about banishing Hagar. He may also have better understood Sarah’s discomfort with Hagar’s presence than he did her objection to Ishmael.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֜ים אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֗ם אַל־יֵרַ֤ע בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙ עַל־הַנַּ֣עַר וְעַל־אֲמָתֶ֔ךָ כֹּל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר תֹּאמַ֥ר אֵלֶ֛יךָ שָׂרָ֖ה שְׁמַ֣ע בְּקֹלָ֑הּ כִּ֣י בְיִצְחָ֔ק יִקָּרֵ֥א לְךָ֖ זָֽרַע׃

But God said to Abraham: Let it not be grave in your eyes about the lad and about your maidservant. Significantly, God included Hagar in this statement. Everything that Sarah says to you, heed her voice. Whether or not you understand and identify with Sarah’s demand, it is My will that you should listen to her, for it is through Isaac that descendants will be accounted to you. You have a son from Sarah, and even if you have other biological children, only Isaac will be your heir and successor, and only his descendants will be attributed to you.

וְגַ֥ם אֶת־בֶּן־הָאָמָ֖ה לְג֣וֹי אֲשִׂימֶ֑נּוּ כִּ֥י זַרְעֲךָ֖ הֽוּא׃

Also the son of the maidservant I will make a nation. He is not simply being discarded, because he is your descendant, and your merit stands in his favor. He too will be the father of a great people, although they will not be known as Abraham’s unique descendants.

וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֣ם אַבְרָהָ֣ם ׀ בַּבֹּ֡קֶר וַיִּֽקַּֽח־לֶחֶם֩ וְחֵ֨מַת מַ֜יִם וַיִּתֵּ֣ן אֶל־הָ֠גָר שָׂ֧ם עַל־שִׁכְמָ֛הּ וְאֶת־הַיֶּ֖לֶד וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֶ֑הָ וַתֵּ֣לֶךְ וַתֵּ֔תַע בְּמִדְבַּ֖ר בְּאֵ֥ר שָֽׁבַע׃

Abraham rose early in the morning; he took bread and a skin of water and gave it to Hagar, placed it on her shoulder, and gave her the child , and sent her away. She went and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. Although she may have planned on traveling to her native Egypt, in any event, she wandered in the wilderness instead of reaching any place of human habitation.

וַיִּכְל֥וּ הַמַּ֖יִם מִן־הַחֵ֑מֶת וַתַּשְׁלֵ֣ךְ אֶת־הַיֶּ֔לֶד תַּ֖חַת אַחַ֥ד הַשִּׂיחִֽם׃

Eventually, the water in the skin Abraham had given her was finished, and she cast the child into the shade beneath one of the bushes in the desert. This description supports the opinion that Ishmael was sick, as perhaps he had fainted and was unable to walk.

וַתֵּלֶךְ֩ וַתֵּ֨שֶׁב לָ֜הּ מִנֶּ֗גֶד הַרְחֵק֙ כִּמְטַחֲוֵ֣י קֶ֔שֶׁת כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֔ה אַל־אֶרְאֶ֖ה בְּמ֣וֹת הַיָּ֑לֶד וַתֵּ֣שֶׁב מִנֶּ֔גֶד וַתִּשָּׂ֥א אֶת־קֹלָ֖הּ וַתֵּֽבְךְּ׃

She went and sat herself down at a far distance, approximately a bowshot removed. In biblical times, an arrow could be shot approximately 170 m. She was at a distance from her son but presumably could still see him and hear his cries. For she said: I do not want to sit close to him, so that I will not see the death of the child. She sat at a distance, raised her voice, and wept.

וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אֱלֹהִים֮ אֶת־ק֣וֹל הַנַּעַר֒ וַיִּקְרָא֩ מַלְאַ֨ךְ אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ אֶל־הָגָר֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לָ֖הּ מַה־לָּ֣ךְ הָגָ֑ר אַל־תִּ֣ירְאִ֔י כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֧ע אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶל־ק֥וֹל הַנַּ֖עַר בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הוּא־שָֽׁם׃

God heard the voice of the lad; the angel of God called to Hagar from the heavens and said to her: What is it with you, Hagar? Fear not, as God has heard the voice of the lad as he is there. His cries and needs are heard above. In all places and whatever the circumstances, God protects Ishmael.

ק֚וּמִי שְׂאִ֣י אֶת־הַנַּ֔עַר וְהַחֲזִ֥יקִי אֶת־יָדֵ֖ךְ בּ֑וֹ כִּֽי־לְג֥וֹי גָּד֖וֹל אֲשִׂימֶֽנּוּ׃

Rise, lift up the lad, since he is too weak to walk on his own, and hold him with your hand to support him, for I will make of him a great nation. He will not die yet, as a mighty nation will descend from him.

וַיִּפְקַ֤ח אֱלֹהִים֙ אֶת־עֵינֶ֔יהָ וַתֵּ֖רֶא בְּאֵ֣ר מָ֑יִם וַתֵּ֜לֶךְ וַתְּמַלֵּ֤א אֶת־הַחֵ֙מֶת֙ מַ֔יִם וַתַּ֖שְׁקְ אֶת־הַנָּֽעַר׃

God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; she went and filled the skin with water, and gave the lad to drink. This drink revived the dehydrated Ishmael.

וַיְהִ֧י אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶת־הַנַּ֖עַר וַיִּגְדָּ֑ל וַיֵּ֙שֶׁב֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר וַיְהִ֖י רֹבֶ֥ה קַשָּֽׁת׃

God was with the lad, and he grew; he lived in the wilderness and became an archer, skilled at hunting with bow and arrows.

וַיֵּ֖שֶׁב בְּמִדְבַּ֣ר פָּארָ֑ן וַתִּֽקַּֽח־ל֥וֹ אִמּ֛וֹ אִשָּׁ֖ה מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (פ)

He lived in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother took him a wife from the land of Egypt, her native land. Here, in the wilderness of Paran, the career of Ishmael began, and he ultimately became the patriarch of a great nation.

וַֽיְהִי֙ בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֔וא וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֗לֶךְ וּפִיכֹל֙ שַׂר־צְבָא֔וֹ אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֖ם לֵאמֹ֑ר אֱלֹהִ֣ים עִמְּךָ֔ בְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֖ה עֹשֶֽׂה׃

It was at that time, after Abraham had fathered a son, that Avimelekh and Pikhol, the captain of his guard, said to Abraham, saying: Although you are not the ruler of a great kingdom, we see that God is with you in all that you do. They began this political discussion by invoking God.

וְעַתָּ֗ה הִשָּׁ֨בְעָה לִּ֤י בֵֽאלֹהִים֙ הֵ֔נָּה אִם־תִּשְׁקֹ֣ר לִ֔י וּלְנִינִ֖י וּלְנֶכְדִּ֑י כַּחֶ֜סֶד אֲשֶׁר־עָשִׂ֤יתִי עִמְּךָ֙ תַּעֲשֶׂ֣ה עִמָּדִ֔י וְעִם־הָאָ֖רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־גַּ֥רְתָּה בָּֽהּ׃

Now take an oath to me here by God that you shall not deceive or betray me, or my son, or my son’s son; like the kindness that I have done with you in allowing you to live within my territory and in taking a certain responsibility for your welfare, do with me personally, and also with the land in which you resided.

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַבְרָהָ֔ם אָנֹכִ֖י אִשָּׁבֵֽעַ׃

Abraham said: I will agree to take an oath and pledge to be trustworthy in my relations with your people and country.

וְהוֹכִ֥חַ אַבְרָהָ֖ם אֶת־אֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ עַל־אֹדוֹת֙ בְּאֵ֣ר הַמַּ֔יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר גָּזְל֖וּ עַבְדֵ֥י אֲבִימֶֽלֶךְ׃

On this same occasion, Abraham reprimanded Avimelekh with regard to the well of water that Avimelekh’s servants had stolen. Abraham had previously dug a well, which Avimelekh’s servants then took by force. Abraham had not complained at that point, but once he was negotiating a covenant with Avimelekh, he decided to raise the matter. Since Avimelekh had publicly declared that he had a positive relationship with Abraham and had treated him with kindness, Abraham found it appropriate to note the unresolved issues in their relationship and try to reconcile them.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֔לֶךְ לֹ֣א יָדַ֔עְתִּי מִ֥י עָשָׂ֖ה אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֑ה וְגַם־אַתָּ֞ה לֹא־הִגַּ֣דְתָּ לִּ֗י וְגַ֧ם אָנֹכִ֛י לֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖עְתִּי בִּלְתִּ֥י הַיּֽוֹם׃

Avimelekh said: I do not know who did this thing; and you also did not tell me it had happened, nor did I hear of it, other than today. I can take no responsibility for the incident. I did not send those people, and I never heard anything about this incident until now. By this statement, Avimelekh conceded that the well belonged to Abraham.

וַיִּקַּ֤ח אַבְרָהָם֙ צֹ֣אן וּבָקָ֔ר וַיִּתֵּ֖ן לַאֲבִימֶ֑לֶךְ וַיִּכְרְת֥וּ שְׁנֵיהֶ֖ם בְּרִֽית׃

Abraham took flocks and cattle and gave them to Avimelekh as a gift and as his contribution to the feast prepared there. And the two of them established a covenant. The covenant may have been formalized by a ceremony in which the animals were cut in half.

וַיַּצֵּ֣ב אַבְרָהָ֗ם אֶת־שֶׁ֛בַע כִּבְשֹׂ֥ת הַצֹּ֖אן לְבַדְּהֶֽן׃

Abraham placed, set aside, seven ewes of the flock he had given as a gift by themselves.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲבִימֶ֖לֶךְ אֶל־אַבְרָהָ֑ם מָ֣ה הֵ֗נָּה שֶׁ֤בַע כְּבָשֹׂת֙ הָאֵ֔לֶּה אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִצַּ֖בְתָּ לְבַדָּֽנָה׃

Avimelekh said to Abraham: What are these seven ewes that you have placed by themselves? If you intend to give them to me or to contribute them to the feast, why did you separate them from the rest of the flock?

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר כִּ֚י אֶת־שֶׁ֣בַע כְּבָשֹׂ֔ת תִּקַּ֖ח מִיָּדִ֑י בַּעֲבוּר֙ תִּֽהְיֶה־לִּ֣י לְעֵדָ֔ה כִּ֥י חָפַ֖רְתִּי אֶת־הַבְּאֵ֥ר הַזֹּֽאת׃

He, Abraham, said: Because you shall take seven ewes from me, so that it will be for me as a testament, that I dug this well. These seven sheep will symbolize your consent that the well belongs to me, like an addendum to our covenant. By accepting them you give your assurance that your servants will not steal the well from me again.

עַל־כֵּ֗ן קָרָ֛א לַמָּק֥וֹם הַה֖וּא בְּאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע כִּ֛י שָׁ֥ם נִשְׁבְּע֖וּ שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃

Therefore he called that place Beersheba, because both of them took an oath there. The name evokes both the oath [ shevua ] about the well [ be’er ] and the number seven [ sheva ].

וַיִּכְרְת֥וּ בְרִ֖ית בִּבְאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיָּ֣קָם אֲבִימֶ֗לֶךְ וּפִיכֹל֙ שַׂר־צְבָא֔וֹ וַיָּשֻׁ֖בוּ אֶל־אֶ֥רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּֽים׃

They established a covenant in Beersheba. Then Avimelekh and Pikhol, the captain of his guard, arose, and they returned to the land of the Philistines, from where they had traveled to the place of Abraham’s encampment.

וַיִּטַּ֥ע אֶ֖שֶׁל בִּבְאֵ֣ר שָׁ֑בַע וַיִּ֨קְרָא־שָׁ֔ם בְּשֵׁ֥ם יְהוָ֖ה אֵ֥ל עוֹלָֽם׃

He, Abraham, planted a tamarisk in Beersheba, and he proclaimed there the name of the Lord, God of the Universe. This was Abraham’s practice throughout his travels. Wherever he encamped, he would build an altar, teach the residents of that place about God, and make His name known to them.

וַיָּ֧גָר אַבְרָהָ֛ם בְּאֶ֥רֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים יָמִ֥ים רַבִּֽים׃ (פ)

Abraham did not return immediately to Hebron, but resided in the land of the Philistines for many days.