Genesis 21:18
New International Version
Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”

New Living Translation
Go to him and comfort him, for I will make a great nation from his descendants.”

English Standard Version
Up! Lift up the boy, and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”

Berean Standard Bible
Get up, lift up the boy, and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”

King James Bible
Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.

New King James Version
Arise, lift up the lad and hold him with your hand, for I will make him a great nation.”

New American Standard Bible
Get up, lift up the boy, and hold him by the hand, for I will make a great nation of him.”

NASB 1995
“Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him by the hand, for I will make a great nation of him.”

NASB 1977
“Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him by the hand; for I will make a great nation of him.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Arise, lift up the boy, and hold him by the hand, for I will make a great nation of him.”

Amplified Bible
Get up, help the boy up, and hold him by the hand, for I will make him a great nation.”

Christian Standard Bible
Get up, help the boy up, and grasp his hand, for I will make him a great nation.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Get up, help the boy up, and support him, for I will make him a great nation.”

American Standard Version
Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thy hand; for I will make him a great nation.

Contemporary English Version
Help him up and hold his hand, because I will make him the father of a great nation."

English Revised Version
Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Come on, help the boy up! Take him by the hand, because I'm going to make him into a great nation."

Good News Translation
Get up, go and pick him up, and comfort him. I will make a great nation out of his descendants."

International Standard Version
Get up! Pick up the youth and grab his hand, because I will make a great nation of his descendants."

Majority Standard Bible
Get up, lift up the boy, and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.?

NET Bible
Get up! Help the boy up and hold him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation."

New Heart English Bible
Get up, lift up the boy, and hold him by your hand. For I will make him a great nation."

Webster's Bible Translation
Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thy hand: for I will make him a great nation.

World English Bible
Get up, lift up the boy, and hold him with your hand. For I will make him a great nation.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
rise, lift up the youth, and lay hold on him with your hand, for I set him for a great nation.”

Young's Literal Translation
rise, lift up the youth, and lay hold on him with thy hand, for for a great nation I set him.'

Smith's Literal Translation
Arise, lift up the child, and fasten thy hand upon him; for I will make him into a great nation.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Arise, take up the boy, and hold him by the hand: for I will make him a great nation.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Rise up. Take the boy and hold him by the hand. For I will make of him a great nation.”

New American Bible
Get up, lift up the boy and hold him by the hand; for I will make of him a great nation.”

New Revised Standard Version
Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
Arise, take up the boy, and hold him fast in your arms; for I will make him a great nation.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Arise, pick up the boy and hold your hands firmly on him, because I shall make him a great nation.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him fast by thy hand; for I will make him a great nation.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
Rise up, and take the child, and hold him in thine hand, for I will make him a great nation.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Sarah Turns Against Hagar
17Then God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, “What is wrong, Hagar? Do not be afraid, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he lies. 18Get up, lift up the boy, and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 19Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.…

Cross References
Genesis 16:10
Then the angel added, “I will greatly multiply your offspring so that they will be too numerous to count.”

Genesis 17:20
As for Ishmael, I have heard you, and I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He will become the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.

Genesis 25:12-18
This is the account of Abraham’s son Ishmael, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham. / These are the names of the sons of Ishmael in the order of their birth: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, then Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, / Mishma, Dumah, Massa, ...

Exodus 3:7-8
The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings. / I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites.

Deuteronomy 1:31
and in the wilderness, where the LORD your God carried you, as a man carries his son, all the way by which you traveled until you reached this place.”

Deuteronomy 32:10-12
He found him in a desert land, in a barren, howling wilderness; He surrounded him, He instructed him, He guarded him as the apple of His eye. / As an eagle stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, He spread His wings to catch them and carried them on His pinions. / The LORD alone led him, and no foreign god was with him.

2 Kings 13:23
But the LORD was gracious to Israel and had compassion on them, and He turned toward them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And to this day, the LORD has been unwilling to destroy them or cast them from His presence.

Psalm 34:17-19
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears; He delivers them from all their troubles. / The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit. / Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him from them all.

Psalm 37:23-24
The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD who takes delight in his journey. / Though he falls, he will not be overwhelmed, for the LORD is holding his hand.

Psalm 91:11-12
For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. / They will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

Isaiah 41:10
Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will surely help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Isaiah 49:15-16
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the son of her womb? Even if she could forget, I will not forget you! / Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are ever before Me.

Jeremiah 31:9
They will come with weeping, and by their supplication I will lead them; I will make them walk beside streams of waters, on a level path where they will not stumble. For I am Israel’s Father, and Ephraim is My firstborn.”

Matthew 10:29-31
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. / And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. / So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Matthew 18:12-14
What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? / And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. / In the same way, your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.


Treasury of Scripture

Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in your hand; for I will make him a great nation.

I will.

Genesis 21:13
And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed.

Genesis 16:10
And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.

Genesis 17:20
And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.

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Genesis 21
1. Isaac is born, and circumcised.
6. Sarah's joy.
8. Isaac is weaned.
9. Hagar and Ishmael sent away.
15. Hagar in distress.
17. The angel relieves and comforts her.
23. Abimelech's covenant with Abraham at Beersheba.














Get up
This phrase is a call to action and urgency. In the biblical context, it signifies a divine intervention where God is instructing Hagar to rise from her despair. This mirrors other instances in Scripture where God commands individuals to rise, such as when He tells Joshua to "get up" after Israel's defeat at Ai (Joshua 7:10). It emphasizes God's active role in human affairs and His ability to change circumstances.

Lift up the boy
The boy referred to here is Ishmael, the son of Abraham and Hagar. This phrase indicates a physical and emotional act of support and care. In the cultural context of the time, a mother lifting up her child symbolizes protection and nurturing. It also foreshadows God's promise to sustain and bless Ishmael, despite his and Hagar's current predicament in the wilderness.

And take him by the hand
Taking someone by the hand is a gesture of guidance and reassurance. In biblical symbolism, it represents God's guidance and presence. This act signifies Hagar's role in leading Ishmael towards his future, under God's promise. It parallels other biblical narratives where God leads His people by the hand, such as in Isaiah 41:13, where God promises to hold the right hand of His people.

For I will make him into a great nation
This promise is a reiteration of God's earlier covenant with Abraham regarding Ishmael (Genesis 17:20). It highlights God's faithfulness to His promises and His sovereign plan for all nations. Historically, Ishmael is considered the ancestor of many Arab peoples, fulfilling this prophecy. This phrase also connects to the broader biblical theme of God's blessing extending beyond Israel, as seen in the inclusion of Gentiles in the New Testament (Galatians 3:8).

Persons / Places / Events
1. Hagar
An Egyptian servant of Sarah, Abraham's wife, and the mother of Ishmael. She finds herself in the wilderness with her son, Ishmael, after being sent away by Abraham.

2. Ishmael
The son of Abraham and Hagar. He is a key figure in this passage as God promises to make him into a great nation.

3. The Wilderness of Beersheba
The location where Hagar and Ishmael find themselves after being sent away. It is a place of desolation and despair, yet also a place where God’s provision is revealed.

4. God's Promise
The event of God reaffirming His promise to Hagar regarding Ishmael, ensuring her of His plans for Ishmael's future.

5. Divine Intervention
The moment when God hears the boy's cries and provides guidance and reassurance to Hagar, demonstrating His faithfulness and care.
Teaching Points
God's Faithfulness to His Promises
Despite the circumstances, God remains faithful to His promises. He reassures Hagar of His plans for Ishmael, reminding us that God’s promises are steadfast.

Divine Provision in Desperation
In moments of despair, like Hagar's in the wilderness, God provides. This encourages believers to trust in God's provision even when situations seem hopeless.

The Importance of Obedience
Hagar is instructed to "get up" and take action. This highlights the importance of obedience and taking steps of faith in response to God’s guidance.

God's Care for All People
God’s promise to make Ishmael a great nation shows His care extends beyond the chosen line of Isaac, emphasizing His love and plans for all people.(18) Hold him in thine hand.--Literally, strengthen thine hand in him, hold him firmly. As Jerome remarks, the boy thus going hand in hand with his mother must have been her companion in her journey, and not a burden upon her shoulder. We must add that the words do not refer to what she was to do immediately, but to the future. She was not simply to lead him to the water, but to be his brave and faithful protector, such as we learn that she really became.

Verse 18. - Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand. Literally, bind fast ray hand to him, i.e. give him thy support now, and take cars of him till he reaches manhood. Cf. God's promise to Israel (Isaiah 42:6). For I will make him (literally, to) a great nation (vide Ver. 13; and cf. Genesis 16:10; Genesis 17:20).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Arise,
ק֚וּמִי (qū·mî)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

lift up
שְׂאִ֣י (śə·’î)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 5375: To lift, carry, take

the boy
הַנַּ֔עַר (han·na·‘ar)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5288: A boy, lad, youth, retainer

and take him
וְהַחֲזִ֥יקִי (wə·ha·ḥă·zî·qî)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 2388: To fasten upon, to seize, be strong, obstinate, to bind, restrain, conquer

by the hand,
יָדֵ֖ךְ (yā·ḏêḵ)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

for
כִּֽי־ (kî-)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

I will make him
אֲשִׂימֶֽנּוּ׃ (’ă·śî·men·nū)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7760: Put -- to put, place, set

into a great
גָּד֖וֹל (gā·ḏō·wl)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 1419: Great, older, insolent

nation.”
לְג֥וֹי (lə·ḡō·w)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1471: A foreign nation, a Gentile, a troop of animals, a flight of locusts


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OT Law: Genesis 21:18 Get up lift up the boy (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 21:17
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