Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away

During a feast celebrating the weaning of Isaac, Sarah observed the son of Hagar the Egyptian mocking. Sarah requested that Abraham cast out the bondwoman and her son, asserting that the son of the bondwoman would not be an heir with Isaac (Genesis 21:8-10). This demand was very grievous to Abraham because of his son. However, God instructed Abraham to heed Sarah's voice, stating that Abraham's offspring would be named through Isaac. God also promised to make a nation of the bondwoman's son because he was Abraham's offspring (Genesis 21:11-13).

Abraham rose early in the morning, took bread and a skin of water, and gave them to Hagar, placing them on her shoulder. He sent her and the child away. Hagar departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. When the water in the skin was exhausted, she placed the child under one of the shrubs. She then sat down a distance away, about a bowshot off, for she said, "Let me not look on the death of the child." As she sat there, she lifted up her voice and wept (Genesis 21:14-16).

God heard the voice of the lad, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven. The angel told her not to fear and instructed her to lift up the lad and hold him in her hand, repeating the promise that God would make him a great nation. God then opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She filled the skin and gave the lad a drink. God was with the lad as he grew up; he lived in the wilderness and became an archer. He resided in the wilderness of Paran, and his mother obtained a wife for him from the land of Egypt (Genesis 21:17-21).