The Meaning of Genesis 21:7 Explained

Genesis 21:7

KJV: And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.

YLT: She saith also, 'Who hath said to Abraham, Sarah hath suckled sons, that I have born a son for his old age?'

Darby: And she said, Who would have said to Abraham, Sarah will suckle children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.

ASV: And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should give children suck? For I have borne him a son in his old age.

What is the context of Genesis 21:7?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And she said,  Who would have said  unto Abraham,  that Sarah  should have given children  suck?  for I have born  [him] a son  in his old age. 

What does Genesis 21:7 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 21:1-7 - Birth Of Isaac
God is faithful. Heaven and earth may pass, but His word cannot fail. We may wait until all human hopes have died, and then, at "God's set time," the child is born. Abraham laughed at the first announcement of this event, Genesis 17:17. Later, as Sarah listened to the conversation between her husband and his mysterious guests, she laughed with incredulity, Genesis 18:12-15. But now, in the joy of long-deferred motherhood, she found that "the Lord had prepared laughter for her," and so named her child Isaac. See r.v. margin. Be of good cheer. The Lord has prepared laughter for you also, some few miles ahead on life's journey. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright. O thou afflicted, He shall lay thy stones in fair colors! And when thy joy comes, rejoice in it. "Thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the Lord thy God giveth thee." But in those hours think kindly of others, and do not forget that some, like Hagar, may be disappointed by what gives thee joy! [source]

Chapter Summary: 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

What do the individual words in Genesis 21:7 mean?

And she said who would have said to Abraham that would nurse children Sarah for I have borne [him] a son in his old age
וַתֹּ֗אמֶר מִ֤י מִלֵּל֙ לְאַבְרָהָ֔ם הֵינִ֥יקָה בָנִ֖ים ؟ שָׂרָ֑ה כִּֽי־ יָלַ֥דְתִּי בֵ֖ן לִזְקֻנָֽיו

וַתֹּ֗אמֶר  And  she  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מִלֵּל֙  would  have  said 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: מָלַל 
Sense: to speak, utter, say.
לְאַבְרָהָ֔ם  to  Abraham 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָהָם  
Sense: friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God’s elective covenant.
הֵינִ֥יקָה  that  would  nurse 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָנַק 
Sense: to suckle, nurse, suck.
בָנִ֖ים  children 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
؟ שָׂרָ֑ה  Sarah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׂרָה  
Sense: wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac.
יָלַ֥דְתִּי  I  have  borne  [him] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
בֵ֖ן  a  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
לִזְקֻנָֽיו  in  his  old  age 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: זְקֻנִים  
Sense: old age, extreme old age.