Genesis 21:12 in Hebrew and English, word by word

With the Hebrew beneath

12

But Elohimוַ אֱלֹהִיםsaidיֹּאמֶרto Abraham,אֶל אַבְרָהָם“Do not let it be displeasingאַל יֵרַעin your eyesבְּעֵינֶיךָon account ofעַלthe boyהַנַּעַרand on account ofוְעַלyour slave woman.אֲמָתֶךָAllכֹּלthatאֲשֶׁרSarahשָׂרָהsaysתֹּאמַרto you,אֵלֶיךָlistenשְׁמַעto her voice,בְּקֹלָהּforכִּיthrough Isaacבְיִצְחָקoffspringזָרַעwill be namedיִקָּרֵאfor you.לְךָ

Quotation · Romans 9:7

Go to Romans 9:7

Paul quotes without a formula God’s words to Abraham about Isaac.

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: οὐδ’ ὅτι εἰσὶν σπέρμα Ἀβραάμ πάντες τέκνα ἀλλ’ Ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα

Hebrew (Masoretic text): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל אַבְרָהָם אַל יֵרַע בְּעֵינֶיךָ עַל הַנַּעַר וְעַל אֲמָתֶךָ כֹּל אֲשֶׁר תֹּאמַר אֵלֶיךָ שָׂרָה שְׁמַע בְּקֹלָהּ כִּי בְיִצְחָק יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע

Septuagint (Genesis 21:12 in the Septuagint numbering): εἶπεν δὲ ὁ θεὸς τῷ Ἀβραάμ Μὴ σκληρὸν ἴστω τὸ ῥῆμα ἐναντίον σου περὶ τοῦ παιδίου καὶ περὶ τῆς παιδίσκης· πάντα ὅσα ἐἀν εἴπῃ σοι Σάρρα, ἄκουε τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῆς· ὅτι ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα.

The Greek of the NT matches the Septuagint word for word in 5 consecutive words: “Ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα.”

Septuagint, Swete’s text, First1KGreek transcription (with reading errors), CC BY-SA 4.0

Quotation · Hebrews 11:18

Go to Hebrews 11:18

Hebrews quotes the promise about Isaac in the account of the sacrifice in Genesis 22.

Formula: πρὸς ὃν ἐλαλήθη ὅτι “of whom it had been said” (Hebrews 11:18)

See the original texts

Greek of the New Testament: πρὸς ὃν ἐλαλήθη ὅτι Ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα

Hebrew (Masoretic text): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים אֶל אַבְרָהָם אַל יֵרַע בְּעֵינֶיךָ עַל הַנַּעַר וְעַל אֲמָתֶךָ כֹּל אֲשֶׁר תֹּאמַר אֵלֶיךָ שָׂרָה שְׁמַע בְּקֹלָהּ כִּי בְיִצְחָק יִקָּרֵא לְךָ זָרַע

Septuagint (Genesis 21:12 in the Septuagint numbering): εἶπεν δὲ ὁ θεὸς τῷ Ἀβραάμ Μὴ σκληρὸν ἴστω τὸ ῥῆμα ἐναντίον σου περὶ τοῦ παιδίου καὶ περὶ τῆς παιδίσκης· πάντα ὅσα ἐἀν εἴπῃ σοι Σάρρα, ἄκουε τῆς φωνῆς αὐτῆς· ὅτι ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα.

The Greek of the NT matches the Septuagint word for word in 6 consecutive words: “ὅτι Ἐν Ἰσαὰκ κληθήσεταί σοι σπέρμα.”

Septuagint, Swete’s text, First1KGreek transcription (with reading errors), CC BY-SA 4.0

Genesis 21:12, word by word

But Elohimאֱלֹהִיםelohim

Elohim

The one true God, the Creator; the word is plural but means one.

Where else “elohim” appears

saidיֹּאמֶרyomer

say

To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.

Where else “yomer” appears

to Abrahamאַבְרָהָםavraham

Abraham

Abraham, the name God gave to Abram; it sounds like "father of a multitude" (Genesis 17:5). The father of the people of Israel, to whom God promised the land and blessing for all the families of the earth.

Where else “avraham” appears

“Do not let it be displeasingיֵרַעyera

displease

To be unpleasant to someone.

Where else “yera” appears

in your eyesעֵינֶיene

sight

"In the eyes of" someone: in their view.

Where else “ene” appears

the boyנַּעַרnaar

boy

A child or a young man who is still growing and does not rule a household.

Where else “naar” appears

your slave womanאֲמָתֶamate

female slave, maidservant

Female slave, maidservant.

Where else “amate” appears

Sarahשָׂרָהsara

Sarah

Sarah, the name God gave to Sarai, wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. It means "princess".

Where else “sara” appears

listenשְׁמַעshema

obey

To obey: "listen to the voice" of someone.

Where else “shema” appears

to her voiceקֹלָkola

voice

What is heard when someone speaks or sings; also the voice of God.

Where else “kola” appears

through Isaacיִצְחָקyitschak

Isaac

Isaac, the son promised to Abraham and Sarah, father of Esau and Jacob. His name means "he laughs" (Genesis 17:17, 19; 21:6).

Where else “yitschak” appears

offspringזָרַעzara

offspring

The children, grandchildren and whole line that come from someone.

Where else “zara” appears

will be namedיִקָּרֵאyikare

name

To give someone a name.

Where else “yikare” appears

Parallel passages

Other books that tell the same thing or quote these words.

Quotation · Romans 9:7

Paul quotes without a formula God’s words to Abraham about Isaac.

See them side by side

Genesis 21:12

¹²But Elohim said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your eyes on account of the boy and on account of your slave woman. All that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice, for through Isaac offspring will be named for you.

Romans 9:7

⁷nor are they all children because they are Abraham’s offspring; but: Through Isaac your offspring will be called.

Quotation · Hebrews 11:18

Hebrews quotes the promise about Isaac in the account of the sacrifice in Genesis 22.

See them side by side

Genesis 21:12

¹²But Elohim said to Abraham, “Do not let it be displeasing in your eyes on account of the boy and on account of your slave woman. All that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice, for through Isaac offspring will be named for you.

Hebrews 11:18

¹⁸of whom it had been said: Through Isaac offspring will be named for you,

The context

11The matter was greatly displeasing in the eyes of Abraham on account of his son.

12 · This verse (above)

13And also the son of the slave woman I will make him a nation, for he is your offspring.”

Read all of Genesis 21

To study Genesis 21 in a group

1. What it says
What happened when Isaac was born, and what did Sarah say (vv. 1-7)?
2. What it means
What does it show about Elohim’s care that he heard the voice of the boy in the wilderness (vv. 17-19)?
3. How I live it
Whom that seems to be pushed aside can you give time and attention today?