And the thing was very displeasing in Abraham's sight because of his son.
Read Chapter 21
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
For his son. He does not express any concern for Agar. But we cannot doubt but he would feel to part with her also. It was prudent to let both go together: and the mother had perhaps encouraged Ismael, at least by neglecting to punish or to watch over him, and so deserved to share in his affliction.
For her part, however, Sarah was not guilty of acting unreasonably; she acted even quite logically, so logically that even God agreed with the words she spoke. The patriarch, being affectionate and well disposed toward Ishmael, did not take kindly to her remarks. “This remark about his son … struck Abraham as severe.” It was not, you see, that he took much interest in Hagar; rather, he was well disposed toward his son for the reason that he was then still in his youth. Consider in this case, however … the extraordinary considerateness of the loving God: when he saw Sarah apparently having a human problem in being distressed by the parity of esteem of the children and Abraham not taking kindly to the expulsion of Ishmael and the maidservant. (After all, even if in his great restraint he did not take issue with Sarah, it still struck him as severe, that is, harsh, repugnant, and oppressive.) At that point, in fidelity to his characteristic loving kindness and wishing to strengthen the bo...
