Genesis 21 16

Genesis 21:16 kjv

And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bow shot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.

Genesis 21:16 nkjv

Then she went and sat down across from him at a distance of about a bowshot; for she said to herself, "Let me not see the death of the boy." So she sat opposite him, and lifted her voice and wept.

Genesis 21:16 niv

Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, "I cannot watch the boy die." And as she sat there, she began to sob.

Genesis 21:16 esv

Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot, for she said, "Let me not look on the death of the child." And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept.

Genesis 21:16 nlt

Then she went and sat down by herself about a hundred yards away. "I don't want to watch the boy die," she said, as she burst into tears.

Genesis 21 verses

Genesis 21 16 meaning

This verse portrays Hagar's profound anguish and desperation in the wilderness. Having exhausted all her provisions and with her son Ishmael dying of thirst, she makes the heart-wrenching decision to move away from him. This self-imposed separation is not out of abandonment, but from an unbearable maternal instinct that cannot witness her child's final moments. The specified distance, a "bowshot," highlights her attempt to spare herself the visual horror while still remaining within sight or sound, emphasizing her acute torment. Her subsequent actions—sitting opposite him, lifting her voice, and weeping—culminate in a desperate cry of lament to God.

Genesis 21 16 Context

Genesis chapter 21 chronicles pivotal events in Abraham's household. The chapter begins with the miraculous birth of Isaac, the son of promise, leading to Sarah's joy but also immediate contention with Hagar and Ishmael. At Sarah's insistence, and with God's confirmation that He would also make a nation of Ishmael because he was Abraham’s offspring (Gen 21:13), Abraham sends Hagar and Ishmael away. They wander aimlessly in the wilderness of Beersheba, an arid region where water is scarce. Verse 16 immediately follows the exhaustion of their water supply, placing Hagar and Ishmael in a dire, life-threatening situation, setting the stage for their imminent death and God's intervention.

Genesis 21 16 Word analysis

• Then she went and sat down opposite him: `Va-telekh va-teshev lah mi-neged` (וַתֵּלֶךְ וַתֵּשֶׁב־לָהּ מִנֶּגֶד). Hagar's action is deliberate, an active decision to move, not simply collapse. `Mi-neged` (מִנֶּגֶד) signifies "from a distance" or "opposite," indicating a position where she can still be aware of his state but without immediate proximity. It conveys the paradoxical anguish of needing to see her son one last time, while unable to endure the full horror of watching him die up close.
• a good way off, about a bowshot away: `Harḥeq, ki-mitḥeqaw Qeshet` (הַרְחֵק, כְּמִטְחֲוֵי קֶשֶׁת). `Harḥeq` (הַרְחֵק) emphasizes "far off," a significant distance. `Ki-mitḥeqaw Qeshet` (כְּמִטְחֲוֵי קֶשֶׁת) specifies this distance as that of a bowshot, approximately 100-200 meters. This measurement brings a vivid, relatable detail to the text, highlighting her calculation to separate herself sufficiently. It signifies an intentional measure to escape an unbearable sight.
• for she said, "Let me not see the death of the boy.": `Ki amerah lo era bəmot hayeled` (כִּי אָמְרָה לֹא־אֶרְאֶה בְּמוֹת הַיֶּלֶד). The conjunction `ki` (כִּי), "for," clearly states her internal reasoning, emphasizing her motivation. "Let me not see" is a cry of dread, expressing the ultimate maternal agony – to witness her child perish. `Hayyeled` (הַיֶּלֶד), "the boy," maintains a tenderness for Ishmael, even as his life ebbs away.
• And she sat opposite him: `Va-teshev mi-neged` (וַתֵּשֶׁב מִנֶּגֶד). This phrase is repeated from the beginning of the verse, underscoring her fixed position in grief and the deliberateness of her painful vigil. The repetition amplifies the sense of helpless despair as she remains, poised in agony.
• and lifted up her voice and wept: `Va-tissa kolah va-tevkeh` (וַתִּשָּׂא קֹלָהּ וַתֵּבְּךְּ). This is a strong, recurring biblical idiom for intense crying and lamentation. `Va-tissa kolah` (וַתִּשָּׂא קֹלָהּ), literally "and she lifted her voice," indicates crying out aloud, not a quiet sorrow. `Va-tevkeh` (וַתֵּבְּךְּ) simply means "and she wept," but in combination with "lifted her voice," it denotes a bitter, uncontrolled outpouring of grief and distress, signifying her absolute desolation and the limits of her endurance. This cry is both an expression of grief and an unconscious, desperate plea directed to the unseen God.

• She went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about a bowshot away: This entire phrase conveys Hagar's calculated and heart-wrenching action driven by a protective mother's instinct, unable to bear the immediate proximity of her dying child. It signifies the immense personal cost of being exiled into the wilderness.
• For she said, "Let me not see the death of the boy.": This clause explicitly provides Hagar's internal motive for separating herself. It encapsulates the peak of her despair, highlighting her deep love for Ishmael and her inability to endure the trauma of watching him die. It is a primal expression of a parent's ultimate fear and anguish.
• And she sat opposite him and lifted up her voice and wept: The repetition of "she sat opposite him" emphasizes her continued vigil and distress. The "lifting up her voice and wept" denotes the overwhelming intensity of her grief, an agonizing outpouring that is so profound it is heard by God. This loud lamentation often served as a cry for divine intervention in ancient contexts.

Genesis 21 16 Bonus section

The narrative carefully positions Hagar’s human cry (va-tissa kolah va-tevkeh) as a precursor to God’s direct response in the next verse (Gen 21:17), where it states, "God heard the voice of the boy." This seemingly immediate divine response to the boy's "voice" (though Ishmael is too weak to cry out in 21:16) implies God heard Hagar's intense, intercessory lament on behalf of her child. Her tears and anguish serve as the boy's unspoken prayer. This theological point underscores God's compassion extending beyond the covenant lineage of Abraham and Sarah; He responds to the genuine, heartfelt cries of any individual in dire need, illustrating His role as the sovereign Giver of life who provides even in the most desolate circumstances. The "bowshot" detail further highlights the tragic irony: Hagar pulls back to not see death, yet God sees their plight and hears their cry from His heavenly abode.

Genesis 21 16 Commentary

Genesis 21:16 captures the nadir of Hagar's despair, illustrating the raw human emotion of a mother witnessing her child’s slow death from thirst. Her act of withdrawing "a bowshot away" is not one of abandonment but of extreme maternal compassion, a desperate attempt to shield herself from the unbearable sight of her son's final struggle. This choice reveals the depth of her agony, as her heart longs to be with him, but her spirit cannot bear to witness his death. Her ultimate response—loudly lifting her voice and weeping—transcends mere sorrow. It is a primal, wordless lament, an anguish so profound that it reaches the heavens, even before explicit verbal prayer. This profound cry of human helplessness in the face of inevitable tragedy serves as a poignant setup for God's merciful intervention, demonstrating His attentiveness to the cries of the afflicted, even those outside the immediate covenant family, highlighting His universal compassion and faithfulness to His promises.
Example: Imagine a parent during a severe drought having to leave their sick child under a tree just a little distance away, covering their ears from the sound of their child's fading breaths, simply because they cannot bear the visual of their child dying right next to them. This vivid image reflects Hagar's desperate act.