Genesis 21 · Verse 12

Genesis 21:12

And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
Genesis 21:12, King James Version

Genesis 21:12 in other translations

BSBBut God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to everything that Sarah tells you, for through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.
WEBGod said to Abraham, “Don’t let it be grievous in your sight because of the boy, and because of your servant. In all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice. For your offspring will be named through Isaac.
ASVAnd God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy handmaid; in all that Sarah saith unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
YLTand God saith unto Abraham, ‘Let it not be wrong in thine eyes because of the youth, and because of thy handmaid: all that Sarah saith unto thee--hearken to her voice, for in Isaac is a seed called to thee.
DARBYAnd God said to Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad and because of thy handmaid: in all that Sarah hath said to thee hearken to her voice, for in Isaac shall a seed be called to thee.
BBEBut God said, Let it not be a grief to you because of the boy and Hagar his mother; give ear to whatever Sarah says to you, because it is from Isaac that your seed will take its name.
WebsterAnd God said to Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight, because of the lad, and because of thy bond-woman; in all that Sarah hath said to thee, hearken to her voice: for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

What does Genesis 21:12 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
12. in all that Sarah hath said--it is called the Scripture (Ga 4:30).

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 12 In Isaac shall thy seed be called - Here God shows the propriety of attending to the counsel of Sarah; and lest Abraham, in whose eyes the thing was grievous, should feel distressed on the occasion, God renews his promises to Ishmael and his posterity.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 21:9-13

Let us not overlook the manner in which this family matter instructs us not to rest in outward privileges, or in our own doings. And let us seek the blessings of the new covenant by faith in its Divine Surety. Ishmael's conduct was persecution, being done in profane contempt of the covenant and promise, and with malice against Isaac. God takes notice of what children say and do in their play; and will reckon with…

Read the full comment on Genesis 21:9-13 →

Genesis 21:12 in the original Hebrew

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.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶרvai.Yo.merand he saidH559
אֱלֹהִ֜ים'E.lo.HimGodH430
אֶל\־'el-toH413
אַבְרָהָ֗ם'av.ra.HamAbrahamH85
אַל\־'al-may notH408
יֵרַ֤עye.Ra'it be displeasingH7489
בְּעֵינֶ֙יךָ֙be.'ei.Nei.khain view yourH5869
עַל\־'al-onH5921
הַנַּ֣עַרha.Na.'arthe ladH5288
וְעַל\־ve.'al-and onH5921
אֲמָתֶ֔ךָ'a.ma.Te.khaslave woman yourH519
כֹּל֩kolallH3605
אֲשֶׁ֨ר'a.SherthatH834
תֹּאמַ֥רto.Marshe saysH559
אֵלֶ֛יךָ'e.Lei.khato youH413
שָׂרָ֖הsa.RahSarahH8283
שְׁמַ֣עshe.Ma'listenH8085
בְּקֹלָ֑הּbe.ko.Lahto voice herH6963
כִּ֣יkiforH3588
בְיִצְחָ֔קve.yitz.Chakin IsaacH3327
יִקָּרֵ֥אyi.ka.Re'it will be namedH7121
לְךָ֖le.Khaof you
זָֽרַע\׃Za.ra'offspringH2233

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

Cross references for Genesis 21:12

  • Hebrews 11:18

    Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

  • Romans 9:7-8

    Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

  • Genesis 17:19

    And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.

  • 1 Samuel 8:9

    Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them.

  • 1 Samuel 8:7

    And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.

  • Genesis 17:21

    But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year.

  • Isaiah 46:10

    Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
hearken.
1Sa 8:7,9; Isa 46:10
in Isaac.
17:19,21; Ro 9:7,8; Heb 11:18

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

Context

  • Genesis 21:11

    And the thing was very grievous in Abraham’s sight because of his son.

  • Genesis 21:12

    And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.

  • Genesis 21:13

    And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.

Read all of Genesis 21

Genesis 21:12 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces dijo Dios á Abraham: No te parezca grave á causa del muchacho y de tu sierva; en todo lo que te dijere Sara, oye su voz, porque en Isaac te será llamada descendencia.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Dieu dit à Abraham: Que cela ne soit pas mauvais à tes yeux à cause de l’enfant, et à cause de ta servante. Dans tout ce que Sara t’a dit, écoute sa voix; car en Isaac te sera appelée une semence.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Aber Gott sprach zu Abraham: Laß es nicht übel sein in deinen Augen wegen des Knaben und wegen deiner Magd; was immer Sara zu dir sagt, höre auf ihre Stimme; denn in Isaak soll dir ein Same genannt werden.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		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.