Galatians 4 · Verse 22

Galatians 4:22

For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.
Galatians 4:22, King James Version

Galatians 4:22 in other translations

BSBFor it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman.
WEBFor it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant, and one by the free woman.
ASVFor it is written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the handmaid, and one by the freewoman.
YLTfor it hath been written, that Abraham had two sons, one by the maid-servant, and one by the free-woman,
DARBYFor it is written that Abraham had two sons; one of the maid servant, and one of the free woman.
BBEBecause it is in the Writings, that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant-woman, and one by the free woman.
WebsterFor it is written, that Abraham had two sons; the one by a bond-maid, the other by a free-woman.

What does Galatians 4:22 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
22. (Ge 16:3-16; 21:2). Abraham--whose sons ye wish to be (compare Ro 9:7-9). a bond maid ... a free woman--rather, as Greek, "the bond maid ... the free woman."

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 22. For it is written. Gen 16, Gen 21.

Abraham had two sons. Ishmael and Isaac. Abraham subsequently had several sons by Keturah, after the death of Sarah, Gen 25:1-6. But the two sons by Hagar and Sarah were the most prominent, and the events of their lives furnished the particular illustration which Paul desired.

The one by a bond-maid. Ishmael, the son of Hagar. Hagar was an Egyptian slave, whom Sarah gave to Abraham in order that he might not be wholly without posterity, Gen 16:3.

The other by a free-woman. Isaac, the son of Sarah, Gen 21:1,2.

(c) "one by a bond-maid" Gen 16:15 (d) "the other" Gen 21:1,2

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 22 For it is written - Viz. in Gen 16:15; Gen 22:1, etc., that Abraham had two sons, Ishmael and Isaac; the one; Ishmael, by a bond maid, Hagar; the other, Isaac, by a free woman, Sarah.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Galatians 4:21-27

The difference between believers who rested in Christ only, and those who trusted in the law, is explained by the histories of Isaac and Ishmael. These things are an allegory, wherein, beside the literal and historical sense of the words, the Spirit of God points out something further. Hagar and Sarah were apt emblems of the two different dispensations of the covenant. The heavenly Jerusalem, the true church from…

Read the full comment on Galatians 4:21-27 →

Galatians 4:22 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

γέγραπταιgegraptaiIt has been writtenG1125
γὰρgarforG1063
ὅτιhotithatG3754
ἈβραὰμAbraamAbrahamG11
δύοduotwoG1417
υἱοὺςhuioussonsG5207
ἔσχεν,eschenhad,G2192
ἕναhenaoneG1520
ἐκekofG1537
τῆςtēstheG3588
παιδίσκηςpaidiskēsslave womanG3814
καὶkaiandG2532
ἕναhenaoneG1520
ἐκekofG1537
τῆςtēstheG3588
ἐλευθέρας.eleutherasfree.G1658

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Galatians 4:22

  • Genesis 16:15

    And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.

  • Genesis 21:10

    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, even with Isaac.

  • Genesis 21:1-2

    And the Lord visited Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.

  • Genesis 16:2-4

    And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
that.
Ge 16:2-4,15; 21:1,2,10

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Galatians 4:21

    Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?

  • Galatians 4:22

    For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.

  • Galatians 4:23

    But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.

Read all of Galatians 4

Galatians 4:22 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Porque escrito está que Abraham tuvo dos hijos; uno de la sierva, el otro de la libre.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Car il est écrit qu’Abraham a eu deux fils, l’un de la servante, et l’autre de la femme libre.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Denn es steht geschrieben, daß Abraham zwei Söhne hatte, einen von der Magd und einen von der Freien;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Scriptum est enim: Quoniam Abraham duos filios habuit: unum de ancilla, et unum de libera.