What is the meaning of Genesis 21:20? God was with the boy “And God was with the boy” (Genesis 21:20). • Divine presence is personal and protective. The Lord’s promise to Hagar—“I will make him a great nation” (Genesis 21:18)—is actively unfolding. • Similar wording appears with Isaac (Genesis 26:24), Jacob (Genesis 28:15), Joseph (Genesis 39:2), and Israel as a nation (Deuteronomy 31:6). Each case shows that when God is “with” someone, His guidance and favor accompany them through every circumstance. • God’s faithfulness here confirms His earlier word in Genesis 17:20: “As for Ishmael, I have heard you… I will surely bless him.” The scene underscores that every divine promise is literally carried out. He grew up “and he grew up” (Genesis 21:20). • Growth means more than aging; it is evidence that God’s sustenance continued in the harsh desert environment. • Scripture often notes a child’s maturation to mark God’s ongoing work—Samuel “continued to grow in stature and in favor with the LORD” (1 Samuel 2:26), and Jesus “grew and became strong, filled with wisdom” (Luke 2:40). • The verse compresses years into a phrase, reminding us that what seems slow to us is sure and steady in God’s timetable. He settled in the wilderness “and settled in the wilderness” (Genesis 21:20). • Verse 21 identifies the location as the Wilderness of Paran, south of Canaan. Life there required resilience and dependence on God’s provision—paralleling Israel’s later desert wanderings (Deuteronomy 8:15–16). • Wilderness settings in Scripture often serve as training grounds: Moses in Midian (Exodus 2:15), David in Judah (1 Samuel 23:14), Elijah by the brook (1 Kings 17:3–4). God forms character away from the comforts of settled life. • Ishmael’s residence outside Canaan also foreshadows his descendants dwelling “from Havilah to Shur” (Genesis 25:18), fulfilling the prophecy of Genesis 16:12 that he would live “to the east of all his brothers.” He became a great archer “and became a great archer” (Genesis 21:20). • Mastery of the bow signifies survival skills, self-reliance, and readiness for leadership in a desert culture. • Archery imagery later describes Ishmael’s offspring: Kedar’s bowmen (Isaiah 21:17) and the sons of Benjamin noted for “mighty men of valor… who could shoot arrows” (1 Chronicles 8:40). • This ability also aligns with the earlier word, “He will be a wild donkey of a man” (Genesis 16:12), depicting independence and strength. God’s blessing endowed Ishmael with the competencies necessary to thrive and to found a populous lineage. summary Genesis 21:20 shows God’s faithful presence shaping Ishmael’s life: the Lord stays with him, sustains his growth, plants him in a demanding wilderness, and equips him with notable skill. Each phrase testifies that God’s promises to Hagar and Abraham are literally fulfilled, demonstrating His unwavering care even outside the covenant line of Isaac. |
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