And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights that even in a moment of difficult separation, God's sovereign plan encompasses multiple lines of descent. He promises to make a nation of Ishmael, not as a rejection, but as a further unfolding of His faithfulness to Abraham, affirming that even the son of a servant is still considered Abraham's "seed."
And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
God has just affirmed to Abraham that Isaac is the child of the promise, and that Sarah's demand to cast out Hagar and Ishmael must be obeyed. Even though this grieves Abraham deeply, God reassures him that He will make a great nation from Ishmael too, precisely because he is Abraham's offspring. This divine promise offers comfort to Abraham as he prepares to send Hagar and Ishmael away.
When Abraham's world was shaken by the expulsion of Ishmael, God offered a profound reassurance. It wasn't just a consolation prize, but a powerful declaration of His sovereign plan.
God's promise to Abraham concerning Ishmael might seem surprising, especially after the painful separation.
A Father's Heart vs. God's Plan
Abraham was deeply grieved by having to send away Ishmael and Hagar. This wasn't a decision made lightly; it was a severance of paternal ties. Yet, even in this moment of human sorrow and family disruption, God steps in.
The Purpose of a Nation
God declares, "And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed." This wasn't just about Ishmael's immediate well-being. It was about God establishing a distinct people through him. This promise demonstrates that God's purposes often extend beyond human expectations and even human heartbreak. He can bring about His plans through individuals and circumstances that, from a human perspective, seem like failures or endpoints.
Why would God make such a significant promise concerning Ishmael, especially after he was sent away? The reason is deeply personal and rooted in Abraham's relationship.
The key to understanding God's promise to Ishmael lies in the simple, yet profound, reason given: "because he is thy seed."
Divine Affiliation
This phrase highlights that Ishmael's identity and future were inextricably linked to Abraham. Even though Ishmael was not the son of the promise, he was still Abraham's biological offspring.
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God's Recognition of Relationship
God doesn't discard Abraham's fatherhood, even when human choices lead to painful consequences. He acknowledges the natural bond, and because of that bond, He extends His sovereign hand. This shows God's deep care for the relationships He establishes, and how He can weave even complex family dynamics into His larger redemptive plan. It's a reminder that God's faithfulness to His covenant people extends even to those closely associated with them, though not through the primary line of promise.
Understand the original words
goy · Hebrew Noun
A large group of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language; in the Old Testament, often used to refer to a people group under God's providence.
This verse, spoken by God to Abraham, occurs during a pivotal moment of family separation. It reassures Abraham that even though Ishmael is being sent away with Hagar, God has a distinct plan for him as the progenitor of a great nation, separate from the covenant lineage through Isaac.
c. 1890 BC
Birth of Ishmael
Abraham's son Ishmael is born to Hagar, Sarah's maidservant, after Sarah is unable to conceive.
c. 1870 BC
Birth of Isaac
Abraham's promised son Isaac is born to Sarah when both she and Abraham are very old, fulfilling God's covenant promise.
c. 1870 BC— this verse
Ishmael Mocks Isaac
Sarah observes Ishmael, now a teenager, mocking or persecuting the infant Isaac, leading to Sarah's demand that Hagar and Ishmael be sent away.
c. 1870 BC
Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away
Abraham, at God's instruction, provides Hagar and Ishmael with provisions and sends them into the wilderness.
c. 1870 BC
God Sustains Hagar and Ishmael
Lost in the desert and near death, God hears Ishmael's cry and miraculously provides water for Hagar and her son, promising to make him a great nation.
c. 1870 BC
Ishmael Settles in Paran
Ishmael and Hagar settle in the wilderness of Paran, where Ishmael becomes an archer and Hagar takes him an Egyptian wife.
This verse directly echoes the promise made to Abraham earlier about Ishmael, confirming God's intention to make him a great nation.
Galatians 4:22-23The Apostle Paul uses the story of Ishmael (born of the slave woman) and Isaac (born of the free woman) as an allegory for the contrast between the old covenant (law) and the new covenant (grace).
Genesis 16:10This passage shows God's prior promise to Hagar that He would greatly multiply Ishmael's offspring, reinforcing the promise made in Genesis 21:13.
Genesis 25:1-6This passage details Abraham taking another wife, Keturah, and having more children, but explicitly states that he gave gifts to these sons and sent them away from Isaac, his heir, highlighting the distinct lineage of Isaac and the dispersal of Abraham's other descendants.
Romans 9:7-8Paul directly references this promise to Abraham, explaining that 'offspring' in God's promises is not always about biological descent but about a chosen lineage, illustrating that not all of Abraham's seed were necessarily part of the promise through Isaac.
gillGenesis 21:13: "And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed."
And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation,.... A great nation, as is promised, Genesis 17:20 ; and such the Ishmaelites and Saracens have been, and the Turks now are, the descendants of Ishmael. The Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it, a people of thieves, or a thieving people; as were the Saracens, and who are thought to have that name from the Arabic word "sarac" (y), to thieve; t…
calvinGenesis 21:1-34: "And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken."
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.
Et dixit Deus ad Abraham, Ne displiceat in oculis tuis super puero, et super ancilla tua: in omnibus quae dixerit tibi Sarah, audi vocem ejus: quia in Ishac vocabitur…
This verse highlights that even in a moment of difficult separation, God's sovereign plan encompasses multiple lines of descent. He promises to make a nation of Ishmael, not as a rejection, but as a further unfolding of His faithfulness to Abraham, affirming that even the son of a servant is still considered Abraham's "seed."
God has just affirmed to Abraham that Isaac is the child of the promise, and that Sarah's demand to cast out Hagar and Ishmael must be obeyed. Even though this grieves Abraham deeply, God reassures him that He will make a great nation from Ishmael too, precisely because he is Abraham's offspring. This divine promise offers comfort to Abraham as he prepares to send Hagar and Ishmael away.
God has just affirmed to Abraham that Isaac is the child of the promise, and that Sarah's demand to cast out Hagar and Ishmael must be obeyed. Even though this grieves Abraham deeply, God reassures him that He will make a great nation from Ishmael too, precisely because he is Abraham's offspring. This divine promise offers comfort to Abraham as he prepares to send Hagar and Ishmael away.
"And I will make a nation of the son of the slave woman also, because he is your offspring.”" — This verse highlights that even in a moment of difficult separation, God's sovereign plan encompasses multiple lines of descent. He promises to make a nation of Ishmael, not as a rejection, but as a…
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Last reviewed October 2026