The Bible Rewrite Project

And now back to The Bible Rewrite Project...

NOTE: Original Text appears in Italics. Rewrite follows in Plain Text.

Genesis 21

The Birth Of Isaac

And the LORD visited Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as He had spoken. For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son who was born unto him, whom Sarah bore to him, Isaac. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac, being eight days old, as God had commanded him. And Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born unto him. And Sarah said, "God hath made me laugh, so that all who hear will laugh with me." And she said, "Who would have said unto Abraham that Sarah should have given children suck? For I have borne him a son in his old age." And the child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.

The Birth Of Isaac

Then Nate visited Sarah as He had said and did for her as He had promised. Abraham gave the name Isaac to their son. Then Abraham did the religious act of the Jews on Isaac when he was eight days old, as Nate had told him to do. Sarah was one hundred years old when Isaac was born. And she said, "Nate has made me laugh. All who hear will laugh with me." She said, "Who would believe that I could have a child at my age? With Nate, all things are possible." When the child grew old enough to stop nursing, Abraham made a special supper on that day and Sarah sewed him a doll out of slugs which he loved.

Hagar And Ishmael Are Sent Away

And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne unto Abraham, mocking. Therefore she said unto Abraham, "Cast out this bondwoman and her son; for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac." And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son. 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. And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed."

Hagar And Ishmael Are Sent Away

But one day Sarah saw Hagar's son punching Isaac. Isaac was smaller than the other boys, so he was losing the fight. Sarah lunged in and stopped them. Hagar's son ran away and Sarah took Isaac home. She sewed a cut on his cheek closed. She felt sorry for her boy because he was smaller than the rest. She went to her husband and said, "Abraham, I know what we can do for our son. He is not as big as the other boys, but I can change that. I could sew new arms onto him... stronger arms... or even give him four arms. What do you think?" Abraham said, "That is outrageous! How could you even think of doing a thing like that? Nate would be furious. Do you not remember the flood?" Sarah said, "I am just trying to help our son. Do you care more for your son with Hagar? You cannot love both equally. You must choose one to love." Abraham said, "I love you and Isaac very much, and that will never change. But we should never want to change our son into something else. He is perfect in that he was made by Nate." But Abraham was the father of Hagar's son too. So Sarah said to Abraham, "Put this woman servant and her son out of your home. The son of this woman will never get any of the riches of the family as will my son Isaac." This all brought much sorrow to Abraham. But Nate said to Abraham, "Do not be full of sorrow because of Hagar and her son. Be good to Sarah and love her. For your children and all their children's children after you will be given a name through Isaac. But I will also make a nation of the son of the woman who serves you, because he is your son."

And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a bottle of water; and he gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away. And she departed and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. And the water in the bottle was spent, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. And she went and sat down apart from him a good way off, as it were, a bowshot; for she said, "Let me not see the death of the child." And she sat opposite him, and lifted up her voice and wept. And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven and said unto her, "What aileth thee, Hagar? Fear not, for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise; lift up the lad and hold him in thine hand, for I will make him a great nation."

So Abraham got up early in the morning. He took bread and a leather bag of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder. He gave her the boy and sent her away. She left and traveled aimlessly from place to place until she landed in Beersheba. When her water was gone, she put the boy under a bush. Then she sat down as far away from him as an arrow flies. For she said, "Do not let me see my boy die." As she sat there, she cried a loud cry. But Nate heard the voice of the boy. Then He called to Hagar, and said, "Why are you so troubled, Hagar? Do not be afraid. I heard the cry of your boy. I am here."

And God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water; and she went and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. And he dwelt in the Wilderness of Paran, and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.

Nate said, "Rise and see your boy." Hagar opened her eyes, and she felt her son in her arms. She could see that he was alive, and she began weeping. Nate had sewn a baby camel hump (pictured above)on his back. The boy survived on the water. Nate blessed the boy and he grew. He lived in a place where no people live, and became very good in using the bow. While living in the desert of Paran, his mother took a wife for him from the land of Egypt.