Genesis 21:18 meaning summary explained with word-by-word analysis enriched with context, commentary and Cross References from KJV, NIV, ESV and NLT.
Genesis 21:18 kjv
Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.
Genesis 21:18 nkjv
Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation."
Genesis 21:18 niv
Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation."
Genesis 21:18 esv
Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation."
Genesis 21:18 nlt
Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants."
Genesis 21 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:2 | "I will make you a great nation..." | God's promise to Abraham of a great nation. |
| Gen 16:10 | "I will greatly multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude." | Angel's promise to Hagar of Ishmael's numerous descendants. |
| Gen 16:12 | "He shall be a wild donkey of a man; his hand against everyone, and everyone's hand against him..." | Prophecy concerning Ishmael's character and lineage. |
| Gen 17:20 | "As for Ishmael, I have heard you... I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers... I will make him into a great nation." | God's earlier promise to Abraham concerning Ishmael. |
| Gen 21:13 | "And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring." | God's previous reassurance to Abraham about Ishmael. |
| Exo 2:24 | "So God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant..." | God hears and remembers His promises. |
| Exo 3:7 | "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry..." | God hearing the cries of the afflicted. |
| Deut 32:39 | "See now that I, even I, am he; there is no god besides me..." | God's unique power to bring forth and fulfill. |
| Psa 10:17 | "O Lord, you hear the desire of the afflicted; you will strengthen their heart; you will incline your ear." | God hearing the cries of the afflicted. |
| Psa 34:17 | "When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles." | God's responsiveness to cries for help. |
| Isa 41:10 | "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God..." | God's comforting presence and command not to fear. |
| Jer 30:11 | "For I am with you to save you, declares the Lord..." | God's promise of deliverance and presence. |
| Jer 31:16 | "Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for there is a reward for your work..." | Encouragement to cease mourning due to a future promise. |
| Matt 19:26 | "With God all things are possible." | God's omnipotence to fulfill His word. |
| Rom 9:7-8 | "Not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel... it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring." | Distinction between physical descent and children of promise, yet God's care for physical lineage as well. |
| Rom 9:15 | "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." | God's sovereign right to show mercy. |
| Heb 6:18 | "it is impossible for God to lie, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement..." | God's unchanging character ensures His promises. |
| Heb 11:11 | "By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised." | Believing God's faithfulness to His promises. |
| Jas 5:16 | "...The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." | The power of prayer, especially God hearing cries. |
| 1 John 5:14 | "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." | God hearing and responding to aligned prayer. |
| Rev 7:9 | "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages..." | The ultimate global extent of God's purpose, including "great nations." |
Genesis 21 verses
Genesis 21 18 meaning
Genesis 21:18 is a direct command from God to Hagar, urging her to rise and take hold of her son, Ishmael, reassuring her with a divine promise that He Himself will make Ishmael into a great nation. This verse highlights God's sovereign care and His commitment to His promises, even to those not directly in the Abrahamic covenant line through Isaac, demonstrating His compassion and provident hand over all humanity.
Genesis 21 18 Context
Genesis chapter 21 opens with the miraculous birth of Isaac, the son of promise to Abraham and Sarah. However, a conflict soon arises between Sarah and Hagar, Ishmael's mother. Sarah observes Ishmael mocking Isaac during his weaning feast and demands Abraham expel Hagar and Ishmael. Though Abraham is distressed, God intervenes, confirming Sarah's request and reassuring Abraham that Ishmael too would become a nation because he was Abraham's offspring (Gen 21:12-13). Following their expulsion, Hagar and Ishmael wander in the wilderness of Beersheba. When their water supply runs out, Hagar places Ishmael under a bush, moving away because she cannot bear to watch him die. Both she and the boy cry out in distress, and God hears their voices. It is in this moment of dire desperation and perceived abandonment that God directly speaks to Hagar in Genesis 21:18, offering renewed hope and affirming His purpose for Ishmael.
Genesis 21 18 Word analysis
- "Arise" (קוּמִי,
qumi): A powerful imperative. It's a call to action, to leave the posture of despair (likely Hagar was sitting or kneeling in distress). In Hebrew thought,qumsignifies more than just physical movement; it implies an awakening, a reorientation, or taking a stand after being down. God commands her to rise from despondency to a position of hope and obedience. - "Lift up" (וְהָרִימִי,
v'harimi): Also an imperative, meaning to raise, take up, or elevate. This instruction is not merely physical; it signifies taking courage, renewing purpose, and symbolically elevating the boy from a state of abandonment or death. - "the boy" (אֶת־הַנַּעַר,
et-hanna'ar): Refers to Ishmael. The Hebrewna'ar(נַעַר) typically denotes a youth, implying he was still dependent despite being old enough to be "mocking" Isaac previously, highlighting his vulnerability and Hagar's parental role. - "hold him" (וְהַחֲזִיקִי,
v'hakhaziki): An imperative, meaning to seize, grasp, or hold firmly. It conveys an act of secure attachment and support, emphasizing Hagar's renewed maternal responsibility and physical care for her son, assuring his safety. - "with your hand" (בְּיָדֵךְ,
b'yadekha): Physically implies guiding or supporting him, but also denotes strength, power, and assistance. Hagar is to actively embrace her role, utilizing her available resources, even in desperation. - "For I will make him" (כִּי־לְגוֹי אָשִׂימֶנּוּ,
ki-le'goy asimennu): "For" (כִּי,ki) introduces the divine reason and foundation for the command. The pronoun "I" (understood, asasimennuis first-person singular fromasim- I will make/put) powerfully stresses God's direct, sovereign action. It’s a promise originating from God, not from human capability. - "a great nation" (גּוֹי גָּדוֹל,
goy gadol): This exact phrase was used for Abraham in Gen 12:2 and explicitly for Ishmael in Gen 17:20 and 21:13.Goyrefers to a nation or people group.Gadolmeans great or large. This repetition underscores the authenticity and certainty of the promise. It ensures Hagar that Ishmael’s future is divinely ordained and prosperous, despite his current peril. It implies numerical growth, geopolitical significance, and a distinct identity.
Genesis 21 18 Bonus section
- The use of
qum("arise") here mirrors its use in other biblical narratives where a desperate individual is called to rise from sorrow or inaction to embrace a new divine directive or reality. It often signals a turning point. - The "great nation" promise to Ishmael confirms a divine trajectory for his descendants distinct from, but running parallel to, the specific covenant nation descending from Isaac. It indicates God's care extends beyond the chosen covenant line to encompass broader humanity.
- This passage demonstrates that God responds to the genuine cries of individuals, regardless of their social standing or whether they are explicitly within the main covenant. He hears and remembers.
- The immediate action Hagar takes following this promise (God opening her eyes to a well) reinforces the principle that divine promise often precedes provision, encouraging faith-filled action.
Genesis 21 18 Commentary
Genesis 21:18 is a pivotal moment, shifting Hagar's narrative from despair to divine purpose. It showcases God's universal compassion, as He hears the cries of both Hagar and Ishmael (Gen 21:17) and acts. The command "Arise... lift up the boy" is a call to agency and faith, transforming Hagar from a passively grieving mother to an active participant in God's plan. God’s emphasis on "I will make him a great nation" underlines His sovereignty; His promises are independent of human circumstances and guaranteed by His unchanging word. This echoes and reiterates earlier promises to Abraham regarding Ishmael's lineage, proving God's faithfulness even in the seemingly adverse conditions of exile. The verse provides hope in desolation, demonstrating that God sees, hears, and provides for all His creatures according to His larger, overarching purposes. It reminds believers that divine decrees precede and supersede immediate circumstances, urging a posture of active trust even amidst hardship.