Genesis 21

Read on churchofjesuschrist.org (with footnotes)

1And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.

2For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 2

And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken by the mouth of his angels; for Sarah conceived and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which the angels of God had spoken to him.
IV v. 1 (Inspired Version, 1867)

3And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 3

And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare unto him, Isaac.
IV v. 2 (Inspired Version, 1867)

4And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 4

And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac, he being eight days old, as God had commanded him.
IV v. 3 (Inspired Version, 1867)

5And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 5

And Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born unto him.
IV v. 4 (Inspired Version, 1867)

6And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 6

And Sarah said, God has made me to rejoice; and also all that know me will rejoice with me.
IV v. 5 (Inspired Version, 1867)

7And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 7

And she said unto Abraham, Who would have said that Sarah should have given children suck? For I was barren, but the Lord promised, and I have borne unto Abraham a son in his old age.
IV v. 6 (Inspired Version, 1867)

8And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 8

And the child grew and was weaned. And the day that Isaac was weaned, Abraham made a great feast; and Sarah saw the son of Hagar, the Egyptian, which Hagar had borne unto Abraham, mocking; and she was troubled.
IV v. 7 (Inspired Version, 1867)

9And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.

10Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 10

Wherefore, she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, Isaac.
IV v. 8 (Inspired Version, 1867)

11And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 11

And this thing was very grievous unto Abraham because of his son.
IV v. 9 (Inspired Version, 1867)

12And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 12

And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah has said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
IV v. 10 (Inspired Version, 1867)

13And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.

14And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 14

And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a bottle of water, and gave unto Hagar; and she took the child, and he sent her away; and she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.
IV v. 12 (Inspired Version, 1867)

15And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 15

And it came to pass that the water was spent in the bottle; and she cast the child under one of the shrubs, and she went and sat her down over against the child, a good way off, as it were a bowshot; for she said, Let me not see the death of the child.
IV v. 13 (Inspired Version, 1867)

16And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: 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.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 16

And she sat over against the child, and lifted up her voice, and wept.
IV v. 14 (Inspired Version, 1867)

17And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 17

And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of the Lord called to Hagar out of heaven and said unto her,
IV v. 15 (Inspired Version, 1867)

18Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 18

What aileth thee, Hagar? Fear not, for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he lieth. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand, for I will make of him a great nation.
IV v. 16 (Inspired Version, 1867)

19And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.

20And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 20

And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer; and he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran, he and his mother.
IV v. 18 (Inspired Version, 1867)

21And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 21

And he took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
IV v. 19 (Inspired Version, 1867)

22And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phichol the chief captain of his host spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest:

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 22

And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol, the chief captain of his host, spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest.
IV v. 20 (Inspired Version, 1867)

23Now therefore swear unto me here by God that thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son: but according to the kindness that I have done unto thee, thou shalt do unto me, and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 23

Now, therefore, swear unto me here that, by the help of God, thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son; but that, according to the kindness that I have shown unto thee, thou shalt do unto me and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.
IV v. 21 (Inspired Version, 1867)

24And Abraham said, I will swear.

25And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech's servants had violently taken away.

26And Abimelech said, I wot not who hath done this thing: neither didst thou tell me, neither yet heard I of it, but to day.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 26

And Abimelech said, Thou didst not tell me; and I know not who hath done this thing; neither yet have I heard that it was done until this day.
IV v. 24 (Inspired Version, 1867)

27And Abraham took sheep and oxen, and gave them unto Abimelech; and both of them made a covenant.

28And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock by themselves.

29And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What mean these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 29

And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What wilt thou do with these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
IV v. 27 (Inspired Version, 1867)

30And he said, For these seven ewe lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that they may be a witness unto me, that I have digged this well.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 30

And he said, Seven ewe lambs shalt thou take at my hand, that they may be a witness unto me that I have digged this well.
IV v. 28 (Inspired Version, 1867)

31Wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba; because there they sware both of them.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 31

And because they sware, both of them, wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba;
IV v. 29 (Inspired Version, 1867)

32Thus they made a covenant at Beer-sheba: then Abimelech rose up, and Phichol the chief captain of his host, and they returned into the land of the Philistines.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 32

And thus they made a covenant at Beer-sheba.
IV v. 30 (Inspired Version, 1867)

33And Abraham planted a grove in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the everlasting God.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 33

Then Abimelech and Phicol, the chief captain of his hosts, rose up, and they planted a grove in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the Lord; and they returned unto the land of the Philistines.
IV v. 31 (Inspired Version, 1867)

34And Abraham sojourned in the Philistines' land many days.

JSTJoseph Smith Translation of v. 34

And Abraham worshiped the everlasting God and sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days.
IV v. 32 (Inspired Version, 1867)

Also cited in commentary

1 Nephi 2 — The Wilderness Threshold, Covenant Naming, and the Younger Son
- Nephi's softened heart
- Where this lands
2 Nephi 31 — The Doctrine of Christ — Baptism, the Holy Ghost, and the Strait Way
- Christ's example of baptism
Alma 34 — The Great and Last Sacrifice — Amulek on the Infinite Atonement, the Mediator, and the Time to Prepare to Meet God
- How the chapter is built
- The infinite and eternal sacrifice
Mosiah 11 — King Noah and the First Cry of Abinadi — A King Whose Heart Is Set on Riches, a Prophet Who Comes Among the People to Say Repent or Be Brought Into Bondage
- Abinadi appears
Mosiah 26 — The Rising Generation, Alma's Intercession, and the Doctrine of 'As Often As'
- Blotted out and numbered
- Where this lands
2 Kings 6 — They That Be With Us Are More — the Axe Head That Swam, the Mountain Full of Fire at Dothan, and the Siege That Devoured Samaria
- How this chapter changes the reader
- They that be with us
Ezra 3 — The Altar Before the House — Worship Rebuilt on the Old Base, and the Shout That Could Not Be Told from Weeping
- The shout and the weeping

Cross-references are extracted from the project’s chapter essays — every link below points back into the original prose.

Public-domain text. The modern LDS edition with footnotes and chapter summaries is available on churchofjesuschrist.org ↗.

Study

Joseph Smith Translation

v. 2
And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken by the mouth of his angels; for Sarah conceived and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which the angels of God had spoken to him.
v. 3
And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare unto him, Isaac.
v. 4
And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac, he being eight days old, as God had commanded him.
v. 5
And Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born unto him.
v. 6
And Sarah said, God has made me to rejoice; and also all that know me will rejoice with me.
v. 7
And she said unto Abraham, Who would have said that Sarah should have given children suck? For I was barren, but the Lord promised, and I have borne unto Abraham a son in his old age.
v. 8
And the child grew and was weaned. And the day that Isaac was weaned, Abraham made a great feast; and Sarah saw the son of Hagar, the Egyptian, which Hagar had borne unto Abraham, mocking; and she was troubled.
v. 10
Wherefore, she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, Isaac.
v. 11
And this thing was very grievous unto Abraham because of his son.
v. 12
And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah has said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
v. 14
And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a bottle of water, and gave unto Hagar; and she took the child, and he sent her away; and she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.
v. 15
And it came to pass that the water was spent in the bottle; and she cast the child under one of the shrubs, and she went and sat her down over against the child, a good way off, as it were a bowshot; for she said, Let me not see the death of the child.
v. 16
And she sat over against the child, and lifted up her voice, and wept.
v. 17
And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of the Lord called to Hagar out of heaven and said unto her,
v. 18
What aileth thee, Hagar? Fear not, for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he lieth. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand, for I will make of him a great nation.
v. 20
And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer; and he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran, he and his mother.
v. 21
And he took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
v. 22
And it came to pass at that time, that Abimelech and Phicol, the chief captain of his host, spake unto Abraham, saying, God is with thee in all that thou doest.
v. 23
Now, therefore, swear unto me here that, by the help of God, thou wilt not deal falsely with me, nor with my son, nor with my son's son; but that, according to the kindness that I have shown unto thee, thou shalt do unto me and to the land wherein thou hast sojourned.
v. 26
And Abimelech said, Thou didst not tell me; and I know not who hath done this thing; neither yet have I heard that it was done until this day.
v. 29
And Abimelech said unto Abraham, What wilt thou do with these seven ewe lambs which thou hast set by themselves?
v. 30
And he said, Seven ewe lambs shalt thou take at my hand, that they may be a witness unto me that I have digged this well.
v. 31
And because they sware, both of them, wherefore he called that place Beer-sheba;
v. 32
And thus they made a covenant at Beer-sheba.
v. 33
Then Abimelech and Phicol, the chief captain of his hosts, rose up, and they planted a grove in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the Lord; and they returned unto the land of the Philistines.
v. 34
And Abraham worshiped the everlasting God and sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days.