Isaac is born, 4. circumcised, 8. and weaned. 9. Agar and Ismael are put forth of Abraham's house, 15. but after desolation are nourished, and prosper in the desert. 22. King Abimelech and Abraham make a league confirming it with oath.Isaac is borne, 4. circumcised, 8. and weaned. 9. Agar and Ismael are put forth of Abrahams house, 15. but after desolation are nourished, and prosper in the desert. 22. King Abimelech and Abraham make a league confirming it with oath.
And our Lord visited Sara, as he had promised: and fulfilled the things which he spake.AND our Lord visited Sara, as he had promised: and fulfilled the things which he spake.Visitavit autem Dominus Saram, sicut promiserat : et implevit quæ locutus est.
2And she conceived and bare a son in her old age, at the time that God had foretold her.And she conceived & bare a sonne in her old age, at the time that God had foretold her.Concepitque et peperit filium in senectute sua, tempore quo prædixerat ei Deus.
3And Abraham called the name of his son, which Sara bare him, Isaac:And Abraham called the name of his sonne, which Sara bare him, Isaac:Vocavitque Abraham nomen filii sui, quem genuit ei Sara, Isaac :
4and he circumcised him the eight day, as God had commanded him,and he circumcised him the eight day, as God had commanded him,et circumcidit eum octavo die, sicut præceperat ei Deus,
5when he was an hundred years old: for at this age of his father, was Isaac born.when he was an hundred yeares old: for at this age of his father, was Isaac borne.cum centum esset annorum : hac quippe ætate patris, natus est Isaac.
6And Sara said: Laughter God hath made to me: whosoever shall hear of it, will laugh with me.And Sara said: Laughter God hath made to me: whosoeuer shal heare of it, wil laugh with me.Dixitque Sara : Risum fecit mihi Deus : quicumque audierit, corridebit mihi.
7And again she said: Who that shall hear of it would believe Abraham, that Sara gave nursed, suckled · Vulgate: lactaret to a son, which she bare him now being an old man?And again she said: Who that shal heare of it would beleeue Abraham, that Sara gaue sucke to a sonne, which she bare him now being an old man?Rursumque ait : Quis auditurus crederet Abraham quod Sara lactaret filium, quem peperit ei jam seni ?
8The child therefore grew and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast in the day of his weaning.The child therfore grewe and was weined: and Abraham made a great feast in the day of his weining.Crevit igitur puer, et ablactatus est : fecitque Abraham grande convivium in die ablactationis ejus.
9And when Sara had seen the son of Agar the Egyptian playing with Isaac her son, she said to Abraham:And when Sara had sene the sonne of Agar the Ægyptian playing with Isaac her sonne, she said to Abraham:Cumque vidisset Sara filium Agar Ægyptiæ ludentem cum Isaac filio suo, dixit ad Abraham :
10Cast out this handmaid, and her son: for the son of the handmaid shall not be heir with my son Isaac.Cast out this handmaid, & her sonne: for the sonne of the handmaid shal not be heire with my sonne Isaac.Ejice ancillam hanc, et filium ejus : non enim erit hæres filius ancillæ cum filio meo Isaac.
11Abraham took this grievously for his son.Abraham tooke this grieuously for his sonne.Dure accepit hoc Abraham pro filio suo.
12To whom God said: Let it not seem grievous to thee for the boy, and for thy handmaid: all things that Sara shall say to thee, hear her voice: because in Isaac shall seed be called to thee.To whom God said: Let it not seeme greuous to thee for the boy, and for thy handmaid: al things that Sara shal say to thee, heare her voice: because in Isaac shal seed be called to thee.Cui dixit Deus : Non tibi videatur asperum super puero, et super ancilla tua : omnia quæ dixerit tibi Sara, audi vocem ejus : quia in Isaac vocabitur tibi semen.
13But the son also of the handmaid I will make into a great nation, because he is thy seed.But the sonne also of the handmaid I wil make into a great nation, because he is thy seede.Sed et filium ancillæ faciam in gentem magnam, quia semen tuum est.
14Abraham therefore rose up in the morning, and taking bread and a bottle of water, put it upon her shoulder, and delivered the boy, and sent away · Vulgate: dimisit her. Who went away, and wandered in the wilderness of Bersabee.Abraham therfore rose vp in the morning, and taking bread and a bottle of water, put it vpon her shoulder, and deliuered the boy, and dismist her. Who went away, and wandered in the wildernes of Bersabee.Surrexit itaque Abraham mane, et tollens panem et utrem aquæ, imposuit scapulæ ejus, tradiditque puerum, et dimisit eam. Quæ cum abiisset, errabat in solitudine Bersabee.
15And when the water in the bottle was spent, she cast the boy under one of the trees that were there.And when the water in the bottle was spent, she cast the boy vnder one of the trees that were there.Cumque consumpta esset aqua in utre, abjecit puerum subter unam arborum, quæ ibi erant.
16And she went her way, and sat over opposite, at a distance facing · Vulgate: e regione a great way off as far as a bow can cast. for she said: I will not see the boy die: and sitting over against, she lifted up her voice and wept.And she went her way, and sate ouer against a great way of as farre as a bowe can cast. for she said: I wil not see the boy die: and sitting ouer against, she lifted vp her voice and wept.Et abiit, seditque e regione procul quantum potest arcus jacere : dixit enim : Non videbo morientem puerum : et sedens contra, levavit vocem suam et flevit.
17And God heard the voice of the boy: and an Angel of God called Agar from heaven, saying: What doest thou Agar? fear not: for God hath heard the voice of the boy, from the place wherein he is.And God heard the voice of the boy: and an Angel of God called Agar from heauen, saying: What doest thou Agar? feare not: for God hath heard the voice of the boy, from the place wherin he is.Exaudivit autem Deus vocem pueri : vocavitque angelus Dei Agar de cælo, dicens : Quid agis Agar ? noli timere : exaudivit enim Deus vocem pueri de loco in quo est.
18Arise, take up the boy, and hold his hand: for into a great nation will I make him.Arise, take vp the boy, and hold his hand: for into a great nation wil I make him.Surge, tolle puerum, et tene manum illius : quia in gentem magnam faciam eum.
19And God opened her eyes: who seeing a well of water, went, and filled the bottle, and gave the boy to drink.And God opened her eyes: who seeing a wel of water, went, and filled the bottle, and gaue the boy to drinke.Aperuitque oculos ejus Deus : quæ videns puteum aquæ, abiit, et implevit utrem, deditque puero bibere.
20And God was with him: who grew, and abode in the wilderness, and became a young man archer.And God was with him: who grew, and abode in the wildernes, and became a young man archer.Et fuit cum eo : qui crevit, et moratus est in solitudine, factusque est juvenis sagittarius.
21And he dwelt in the wilderness of Pharan, and his mother took a wife for him out of the land of Egypt.And he dwelt in the wildernes of Pharan, and his mother tooke a wife for him out of the land of Ægypt.Habitavitque in deserto Pharan, et accepit illi mater sua uxorem de terra Ægypti.
22The same time said Abimelech, and Phicol the General of his army, to Abraham: God is with thee in all things which thou doest.The same time said Abimelech, and Phicol the General of his armie, to Abraham: God is with thee in al things which thou doest.Eodem tempore dixit Abimelech, et Phicol princeps exercitus ejus, ad Abraham : Deus tecum est in universis quæ agis.
23Swear therefore by God, not to hurt me, and my posterity, and my stock: but according to the mercy, that I have done thee, thou shalt do to me, and to the land wherein thou hast lived a stranger.Swear therfore by God, not to hurt me, and my posteritie, and my stocke: but according to the mercie, that I haue done thee, thou shalt do to me, and to the land wherin thou hast liued a stranger.Jura ergo per Deum, ne noceas mihi, et posteris meis, stirpique meæ : sed juxta misericordiam, quam feci tibi, facies mihi, et terræ in qua versatus es advena.
24And Abraham said: I will swear.And Abraham said: I wil sweare.Dixitque Abraham : Ego jurabo.
25And he rebuked Abimelech for the well of water, which his servants had taken away by force.And he rebuked Abimelech for the wel of water, which his seruants had taken away by force.Et increpavit Abimelech propter puteum aquæ quem vi abstulerunt servi ejus.
26And Abimelech answered: I knew not who did this thing: yea and thyself didst not tell me, and I heard not of it but today.And Abimelech answered: I knew not who did this thing: yea and thy selfe didest not tel me, and I heard not of it but to day.Responditque Abimelech : Nescivi quis fecerit hanc rem : sed et tu non indicasti mihi, et ego non audivi præter hodie.
27Abraham therefore took sheep and oxen, and gave to Abimelech: and both of them made a alliance, covenant · Vulgate: fœdus.Abraham therfore tooke shepe and oxen, and gaue to Abimelech: and both of them made a league.Tulit itaque Abraham oves et boves, et dedit Abimelech : percusseruntque ambo fœdus.
28And Abraham set seven ewe lambs of the flock apart.And Abraham set seuen ewe lambes of the flocke apart.Et statuit Abraham septem agnas gregis seorsum.
29To whom Abimelech said: What mean these seven ewe lambs, which thou hast made to stand apart?To whom Abimelech said: What meane these seuen ewe lambes, which thou hast made to stand apart?Cui dixit Abimelech : Quid sibi volunt septem agnæ istæ, quas stare fecisti seorsum ?
30But he said: Seven ewe lambs shalt thou take at my hand: that they may be a testimony for me, that I digged this well.But he said: Seuen ewe lambes shalt thou take at my hand: that they may be a testimonie for me, that I digged this wel.At ille : Septem, inquit, agnas accipies de manu mea : ut sint mihi in testimonium, quoniam ego fodi puteum istum.
31Therefore was that place called Bersabee: because there both did swear.Therfor was that place called *Bersabee: because there both did sweare.Idcirco vocatus est locus ille Bersabee : quia ibi uterque juravit.
32And they made a league for the well of oath.And they made a league for the wel of oath.Et inierunt fœdus pro puteo juramenti.
33And Abimelech arose, and Phicol the General of his army, and they returned to the land of the Vulgate: Palæstinorum: the Philistines. But Abraham planted a a planting of trees (a tamarisk) · Vulgate: nemus in Bersabee, and called there upon the name of our Lord God eternal.And Abimelech arose, and Phicol the General of his armie, and they returned to the land of the Palestines. But Abraham planted a groue in Bersabee, and called there vpon the name of our Lord God eternal.Surrexit autem Abimelech, et Phicol princeps exercitus ejus, reversique sunt in terram Palæstinorum. Abraham vero plantavit nemus in Bersabee, et invocavit ibi nomen Domini Dei æterni.
34And he was a one dwelling as a stranger · Vulgate: colonus in the land of the Palestines many days.And he was a seiorner in the land of the Palestines manie dayes.Et fuit colonus terræ Palæstinorum diebus multis.
Annotations
21:12Let it not. It seemed so hard, inhuman, and unjust to cast Agar and Ismael out of the house, that Abraham would not have done it, unless God had commanded him in this to hear the voice of Sara. But when he knew God's will therein, not respecting flesh and blood, nor disputing further of the lawfulness of the fact, sent them both away, commending them to God's protection: and so by this separation the family was made quiet. It represented also a notable Mystery of the Synagogue of the Jews and Church of Christ. As St. Augustine doth excellently expound the same, according to St. Paul (Gal. 4.) That Ismael's playing with Isaac was persecution, because it tended to pervert him, showing it to be a greater injury, to delude and deceive any, in drawing them to new and particular companies, than corporally to persecute them: and that the Church, and Catholic Princes punish heretics for their good, to make them return to the truth, or finally to cease from seducing others. Ecce libera afflixit ancillam, & non illam vocat persecutionem Apostolus, ludit servus cum domino, & persecutionem vocat. Afflictio ista non vocatur persecutio, & lusio illa vocatur persecutio. Behold the freewoman afflicted the handmaid, and the Apostle calleth it not persecution, the servant playeth with the master, and he calleth it persecution. This affliction is not called persecution, and that play is called persecution. Again, he saith of Sara, Illusionem vidit in illo lusu, animadvertit servi superbiam, displicuit illi, eiecit foras. She saw foul play in that play, she noted the servant's pride, it displeased her, she cast him forth of the doors. St. Jerome also teacheth that the spiritual never persecuteth the carnal: but spareth him as his rustical brother, knowing that he may in time be profitable.