Genesis 21:1–3
Sarah bears Isaac at the time God had said
Study it word by word1YHWH attended to Sarah as he had said, and YHWH did for Sarah as he had spoken.
2Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time of which Elohim had spoken to him.
3Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac.
In its context
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4Abraham circumcised Isaac his son when he was eight days old, as Elohim had commanded him.
5Abraham was a hundred years old when Isaac his son was born to him.
Its words in the original
- יהוָהyhva· YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
- פָּקַדpakad· attend to, count
Attend to someone, take note of him. When God does it, he intervenes: for good (to fulfill a promise) or to call to account and punish. Also count, muster, appoint over, put in charge.
- שָׂרָהsara· Sarah
Sarah, the name God gave to Sarai, wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac. It means "princess".
- אָמָרamar· say
Say, speak. The most common verb for bringing in what someone says; sometimes "think" (say to oneself) or "command".
- יַּעַשׂyaas· do, make
Do, make, in the widest sense: build, produce, carry out, keep (a command), prepare.
- דִּבֵּרdiber· speak
Speak, talk, say; also promise or command.
- תַּהַרtahar· conceive
Become pregnant, conceive; figuratively, conceive a plan.
- תֵּלֶדteled· bear, father
Give birth, bear children; said of the father, "father" or "beget". In some forms, help at a birth (midwife) or be born.
- אַבְרָהָםavraham· 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.
- בֵּןben· son
Son. In the plural it can include sons and daughters, and also grandsons and descendants. "Son of..." also says what group someone belongs to ("sons of Israel" = Israelites).
- זְקֻנָיzekunay· old age
Old age.
- מּוֹעֵדmoed· appointed time, meeting
Time fixed in advance: an appointed date, a season of the year, a feast. Also the meeting held at that time and the place for it; hence "tent of meeting".
- אֱלֹהִיםelohim· Elohim, God, gods
The Hebrew word usually translated "God". This translation keeps "Elohim" when it speaks of the one true God, the Creator, the God of Israel. The word ends like a plural, but it does not mean several: for him the verb is singular ("Elohim created"); the plural form expresses greatness. The same word as a common noun names the "gods" of other peoples, and there it is a true plural, translated "gods". It is also used of mighty ones or judges.
- יִּקְרָאyikra· call, proclaim
Call: speak out to someone, summon, invite, give a name, proclaim; also read aloud. "Call on the name of YHWH" is to pray to him and worship him.
- שֶׁםshem· name
Name. In the Bible a name says who someone is; so it also means fame, renown or reputation.
- יִצְחָקyitschak· 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).