Ishmael's Mocking of Isaac in Genesis 21
Genesis 21:9 states, "Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking" [1]. This verse describes a pivotal moment in the narrative of Abraham's family, leading to the expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael.
The event occurs during a feast celebrating the weaning of Isaac [5, 11]. While the exact age of Isaac at this time is debated, some Jewish traditions suggest it was when he was three years old, while others propose five [6]. Ishmael, Abraham's elder son by Hagar, was considerably older, likely around seventeen years old [5]. The name Isaac itself means "laughter" [2, 4], a theme that takes on a "sour twist" with Ishmael's actions [5].
The Hebrew word metsakheq is used to describe Ishmael's "mocking" [5]. This same word is related to Isaac's name (yitskhaq) and appears elsewhere in Genesis, such as when Abimelech sees Isaac "caressing" Rebekah [7]. This linguistic connection highlights the irony of Ishmael's actions, turning the theme of laughter associated with Isaac's miraculous birth into an act of derision [5].
The precise nature of Ishmael's mocking is not explicitly detailed in Genesis 21:9, leading to various interpretations. Some commentators suggest it was a form of ridicule, possibly directed at Sarah's advanced age when Isaac was born or her previous barrenness [10]. Others propose that Ishmael was "making fun of" Isaac [5], or that his actions were driven by "irritated or resentful feelings" due to the change in his prospects as Abraham's heir [9]. The apostle Paul, in Galatians 4:29, refers to Ishmael's actions as "persecuting" Isaac, suggesting a more aggressive or harmful intent [6, 10]. Some Jewish traditions, such as those from Jonathan ben Uzziel and the Jerusalem Targum, even suggest Ishmael was performing an idolatrous rite, which offended Sarah [10]. However, Abraham Ibn Ezra suggests Ishmael was simply "acting as a boy is wont to act," and Sarah's reaction stemmed from jealousy because Ishmael was older than her son [8].
Regardless of the exact nature of the mocking, Sarah perceived it as a serious affront. She saw Ishmael's behavior as a threat to Isaac, the child of promise [5]. This incident prompted Sarah to demand that Abraham "expel this slave and her son" [3]. Abraham was distressed by this demand, but God intervened, instructing him to comply with Sarah's request, assuring him that Isaac would be the heir through whom his descendants would be named, and that Ishmael would also become a great nation [3, 11].
This event is crucial for understanding the separation of the two lines of Abraham's descendants: the line of promise through Isaac and the line through Ishmael [5]. The narrative emphasizes God's sovereign plan for the covenant to be established through Isaac, despite the challenges and familial strife [5]. The casting out of Ishmael, though painful for Abraham, was seen as necessary to protect the promised lineage [6].
Sources
- Genesis “Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking. -- Genesis 21:9”
- Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Isaac — laughter”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Ishmael — God hears. (1.) Abraham's eldest son, by Hagar the concubine (Gen. 16:15; 17:23). He was born at Mamre, when Abraham was eighty-six years of age, eleven years after his arrival in Canaan (16:3; 21:5). At the age of thirteen he was circumcised (17:25). He grew up a true child of the desert, wild and wayward. On the occasion of the weaning of Isaac his rude and wayward spirit broke out in expressions of insult and mockery (21:9, 10); and Sarah, discovering this, said to Abraham, "Expel this slave and her son." Influenced by a divine admonition, Abraham dismis”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Isaac — (laughter), the son whom Sara bore to Abraham, in the hundredth year of his age, at Gerar. (B.C. 1897.) In his infancy he became the object of Ishmael's jealousy; and in his youth the victim, in intention, of Abraham's great sacrificial act of faith. When forty years old he married Rebekah his cousin, by whom, when he was sixty, he had two sons, Esau and Jacob. Driven by famine to Gerar, he acquired great wealth by his flocks but was repeatedly dispossessed by the Philistines of the wells which he sunk at convenient stations. After the deceit by which Jacob ac”
- Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 21:8: 21:8-21 God used the incident of Ishmael’s mocking Isaac to separate Ishmael and Hagar from the family and the child of promise. They would constantly threaten the promised descendant if they remained with the family. 21:8-9 The feast for Isaac’s weaning probably occurred when he was three and Ishmael was about seventeen years old (16:16). Sarah saw Ishmael making fun of her son, Isaac: The verb metsakheq (“making fun of”) is related to the word for “laughter”; this theme (21:6) is given a sour twist by Ishmael’s mockery.”
- Genesis (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Genesis 21:9: The casting out of Ishmael is here considered of, and resolved on. I. Ishmael himself gave the occasion by some affronts he gave to Isaac his little brother, some think on the day that Abraham made the feast for joy that Isaac was safely weaned, which the Jews say was not till he was three years old, others say five. Sarah herself was an eye-witness of the abuse: she saw the son of the Egyptian mocking (Gen 21:9), mocking Isaac, no doubt, for it is said, with reference to this (Gal 4:29), that he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after th”
- Genesis (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Genesis 26:8: 26:8 Abimelech . . . saw Isaac caressing Rebekah: The word for “caressing” (Hebrew metsakheq) is the same as the word used for Ishmael’s “making fun of” Isaac (21:9); the word is related to the name “Isaac” (Hebrew yitskhaq). It is as though Isaac’s lapse of faith made fun of Abimelech and made a mockery of Rebekah and the great promise embodied in Isaac’s name.”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Rationalist)) “Abraham Ibn Ezra on Genesis 21:9: MAKING SPORT. Ishmael was acting as a boy is wont to act. Sarah was jealous because he was older than her son.”
- Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 21:9: Sarah saw the son of Hagar . . . mocking--Ishmael was aware of the great change in his prospects, and under the impulse of irritated or resentful feelings, in which he was probably joined by his mother, treated the young heir with derision and probably some violence (Gal 4:29).”
- Genesis (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Genesis 21:9: Mocking - What was implied in this mocking is not known. St. Paul, Gal 4:29, calls it persecuting; but it is likely he meant no more than some species of ridicule used by Ishmael on the occasion, and probably with respect to the age of Sarah at Isaac's birth, and her previous barrenness. Jonathan ben Uzziel and the Jerusalem Targum represent Ishmael as performing some idolatrous rite on the occasion, and that this had given the offense to Sarah. Conjectures are as useless as they are endless. Whatever it was, it became the occasion of the expulsion of himself and m”
- Genesis (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Genesis 21 (introduction): Isaac is born according to the promise, Gen 21:1-3; and is circumcised when eight days old, Gen 21:4. Abraham's age, and Sarah's exultation at the birth of their son, Gen 21:5-7. Isaac is weaned, Gen 21:8. Ishmael mocking on the occasion, Sarah requires that both he and his mother Hagar shall be dismissed, Gen 21:9, Gen 21:10. Abraham, distressed on the account, is ordered by the Lord to comply, Gen 21:11, Gen 21:12. The promise renewed to Ishmael, Gen 21:13. Abraham dismisses Hagar and her son, who go to the wilderness of Beer-sheba, Gen 21:14. They a”