Genesis 21:3 kjv
And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.
Genesis 21:3 nkjv
And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him?whom Sarah bore to him? Isaac.
Genesis 21:3 niv
Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore him.
Genesis 21:3 esv
Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore him, Isaac.
Genesis 21:3 nlt
And Abraham named their son Isaac.
Genesis 21 3 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:2-3 | "I will make you a great nation... and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." | Initial promise of numerous descendants. |
| Gen 15:4 | "This one shall not be your heir; but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir." | Specific promise of a direct biological heir. |
| Gen 17:15-16 | "Sarah your wife... I will bless her and indeed give you a son by her..." | God directly promises a son through Sarah. |
| Gen 17:17 | "Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed..." | Abraham's initial reaction of doubt/amazement. |
| Gen 17:19 | "God said, 'No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac.'" | God directly commands the name "Isaac." |
| Gen 18:10 | "I will certainly return to you about this time next year, and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son." | Reiteration of the promise with a timeframe. |
| Gen 18:12 | "So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, 'After I have become old, shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?'" | Sarah's initial reaction of disbelief. |
| Gen 21:6 | "And Sarah said, 'God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.'" | Joyful "laughter" at Isaac's birth. |
| Gen 22:2 | "Take now your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac..." | Isaac's unique status as the son of promise. |
| Ex 12:26 | "When your children say to you, 'What does this service mean to you?'" | Importance of teaching lineage and divine acts. |
| Num 23:19 | "God is not a man, that He should lie... Has He said, and will He not do it?" | God's faithfulness to His promises. |
| Ps 105:9 | "The covenant which He made with Abraham, and His oath to Isaac." | God's covenant lineage established through Isaac. |
| Isa 55:11 | "So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty..." | The certain fulfillment of God's spoken word. |
| Jer 32:27 | "Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?" | God's power to accomplish the impossible. |
| Matt 1:2 | "Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob..." | Isaac's position in the lineage of Christ. |
| Luke 1:18 | "How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years." | Zechariah's doubt mirroring Abraham's/Sarah's. |
| Luke 1:37 | "For nothing will be impossible with God." | Echoes the miraculous nature of Isaac's birth. |
| Rom 4:18 | "In hope against hope he believed... so that he might become a father of many nations..." | Abraham's faith despite human impossibility. |
| Rom 9:7-9 | "Nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants... but ‘Through Isaac your descendants will be named.’" | Distinction between physical and covenant lineage. |
| Gal 3:16 | "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." | Isaac as a type of the singular "seed," Christ. |
| Gal 4:22-23 | "For it is written that Abraham had two sons... one by the slave woman and one by the free woman." | Ishmael vs. Isaac, flesh vs. promise. |
| Gal 4:28 | "And you, brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise." | Believers are "children of promise" through faith. |
| Heb 11:8-9 | "By faith Abraham, when he was called... By faith he lived as an alien..." | Abraham's life of faith leading to Isaac's birth. |
| Heb 11:11-12 | "By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive... since she considered Him faithful who had promised." | Sarah's faith and the miraculous nature of the birth. |
Genesis 21 verses
Genesis 21 3 Meaning
Genesis 21:3 states that Abraham named his son, whom Sarah had borne to him, "Isaac." This verse marks the climactic fulfillment of God's long-standing promise to Abraham and Sarah regarding an heir born through their own bodies, not just any descendant but the specific "child of promise" through whom the covenant line would continue. The naming itself is an act of obedience to God's specific instruction and a public declaration of the child's identity and divine purpose.
Genesis 21 3 Context
Genesis chapter 21 opens with the fulfillment of God's long-awaited promise to Abraham and Sarah: the birth of their son. For decades, Abraham had waited, enduring a journey of faith that included doubt, compromise (with Hagar and Ishmael), and profound lessons in trusting God's timing and method. Sarah, long barren and past childbearing age, likewise experienced her own struggle with disbelief and ultimately faith. The historical and cultural context underscores the immense importance of an heir, especially a male one, to carry on the family name, lineage, and covenant. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, childlessness, particularly barrenness in a wife, was a source of great sorrow and even shame, and the birth of an heir ensured stability and continuation. This verse directly follows the birth described in Genesis 21:1-2 and solidifies the child's identity, separating him as the unique "child of promise" through Abraham's act of naming him as God commanded.
Genesis 21 3 Word analysis
- And Abraham: The patriarch, the covenant head, whose life and faith journey culminated in this moment. His personal involvement in the naming underscores his obedience and the reality of the promised child.
- called the name: Hebrew: Qara (קָרָא). This verb implies a formal act of naming, announcing, or proclaiming identity and purpose. In ancient culture, the name held significant meaning and often reflected circumstances, destiny, or character. Abraham's act here is one of obedience to God’s previous instruction (Gen 17:19) and acceptance of divine ownership over the child. It publicly confirms his son's identity and future role.
- of his son: Hebrew: Ben (בֵּן). This term signifies a male descendant, emphasizing the legitimacy of Isaac as Abraham’s biological and covenantal heir, distinguishing him from other possible children (like Ishmael) or adopted servants.
- who was born to him: This phrase explicitly confirms Isaac’s biological relation to Abraham, emphasizing paternity. It refutes any notion of adoption or non-familial connection, grounding the covenant through a direct, natural (albeit miraculously enabled) birth.
- whom Sarah bore to him: This is a crucial detail that doubles down on the miracle. It specifically highlights Sarah’s role in bearing the child, reinforcing that Isaac is the promised son of the covenant, born directly through the "free woman" and not Hagar (Gal 4:22-23). For Sarah, an aged and barren woman, to conceive and bear a child was a testament to God's omnipotence and faithfulness to fulfill what seemed humanly impossible. It further separates Isaac's lineage from Ishmael's.
- Isaac: Hebrew: Yitschaq (יִצְחָק). Meaning "he laughs" or "laughter." This name was pre-ordained by God (Gen 17:19). It serves as a permanent memorial to both Abraham's and Sarah's initial laughter of incredulous disbelief (Gen 17:17; 18:12), which was later transformed into joyful laughter (Gen 21:6) at the miraculous fulfillment of God's promise. The name itself is a profound symbol of God's power to turn human doubt and despair into divine joy and accomplished purpose. It speaks to God's ironic humor and the transformative nature of His intervention.
Genesis 21 3 Bonus section
The naming of Isaac highlights a significant aspect of God's character: His humor and ability to bring joy out of impossible or even laughable situations. What was initially an expression of human doubt becomes, by divine design, a celebration of the miraculous. This verse underscores the distinction between the "child of flesh" (Ishmael, born of human effort and impatience) and the "child of promise" (Isaac, born of divine power and faithfulness). The theological implications resonate throughout Scripture, as Isaac becomes a type for all believers who are born into God’s family, not by human will or flesh, but as children of promise through faith (Gal 4:28). This event set in motion the lineage of blessing that would ultimately bring redemption to the world.
Genesis 21 3 Commentary
Genesis 21:3 marks the monumental actualization of God's covenant with Abraham. After 25 years since the initial call and 10 years after God specified a son through Sarah, Isaac’s naming confirms God's unfailing faithfulness and punctuality, even in the face of human doubt and advanced age. Abraham's act of naming his son "Isaac" (meaning "he laughs") is not just a parental duty but an act of obedient faith, affirming God’s prior instruction. This name permanently embodies the transformation of Abraham's and Sarah’s laughter of disbelief into overwhelming joy and delight in the impossible becoming real. Isaac's birth stands as a pivotal event demonstrating that God's word is living and powerful, able to bring forth life where there was none, to accomplish His purposes despite all natural barriers, and to turn human skepticism into celebration. It establishes the precise line through which God's saving plan, ultimately leading to Christ, would proceed.