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Genesis 21:15

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Genesis 21:15 in Multiple Translations

Berean Standard Bible BSB

When the water in the skin was gone, she left the boy under one of the bushes.

King James Version KJV

And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.

American Standard Version ASV

And the water in the bottle was spent, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.

Bible in Basic English BBE

And when all the water in the skin was used up, she put the child down under a tree.

Free Bible Version FBV

When the water ran out, she left the boy under one of the bushes.

Geneva Bible 1599 GNV

And when the water of the bottell was spent, she cast the childe vnder a certaine tree.

Young's Literal Translation YLT

and the water is consumed from the bottle, and she placeth the lad under one of the shrubs.

World English Bible WEB

The water in the container was spent, and she put the child under one of the shrubs.

Noah Webster Bible WBS

And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.

Douay-Rheims 1899 DRV

And when the water in the bottle was spent, she cast the boy under one of the trees that were there.

Translation for Translators T4T

After they had drunk all the water in the container, she put her son under one of the bushes there.

Plain English Version PEV

They kept going until there was no water left in the water bag. Then they stopped, and Hagar left Ishmael in the shade of a little tree.

Study Highlights

Key words in the translations above are automatically highlighted. Names of God and Jesus are marked in purple, the Holy Spirit in orange, divine action verbs are underlined, and repeated key words are highlighted in yellow.

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Berean Amplified Bible — Genesis 21:15

BAB
Word Study

Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.

Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.

Genesis 21:15 Interlinear (Deep Study)

BIB
HEB וַ/יִּכְל֥וּ הַ/מַּ֖יִם מִן הַ/חֵ֑מֶת וַ/תַּשְׁלֵ֣ךְ אֶת הַ/יֶּ֔לֶד תַּ֖חַת אַחַ֥ד הַ/שִּׂיחִֽם
וַ/יִּכְל֥וּ kâlâh H3615 to end Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp
הַ/מַּ֖יִם mayim H4325 Water (Gate) Art | N-mp
מִן min H4480 from Prep
הַ/חֵ֑מֶת chêmeth H2573 bottle Art | N-fs
וַ/תַּשְׁלֵ֣ךְ shâlak H7993 to throw Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3fs
אֶת ʼêth H853 Obj. DirObjM
הַ/יֶּ֔לֶד yeled H3206 youth Art | N-ms
תַּ֖חַת tachath H8478 underneath Prep
אַחַ֥ד ʼechâd H259 one Adj
הַ/שִּׂיחִֽם sîyach H7880 bush Art | N-mp
Hebrew Word Study

Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.

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Hebrew Word Reference — Genesis 21:15

וַ/יִּכְל֥וּ kâlâh H3615 "to end" Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3mp
This Hebrew word means to finish or end something, like completing a task or using up a resource, as seen in Genesis 2:2 where God finished creating the heavens and earth.
Definition: : finish 1) to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to be complete, be at an end 1a2) to be completed, be finished 1a3) to be accomplished, be fulfilled 1a4) to be determined, be plotted (bad sense) 1a5) to be spent, be used up 1a6) to waste away, be exhausted, fail 1a7) to come to an end, vanish, perish, be destroyed 1b) (Piel) 1b1) to complete, bring to an end, finish 1b2) to complete (a period of time) 1b3) to finish (doing a thing) 1b4) to make an end, end 1b5) to accomplish, fulfil, bring to pass 1b6) to accomplish, determine (in thought) 1b7) to put an end to, cause to cease 1b8) to cause to fail, exhaust, use up, spend 1b9) to destroy, exterminate 1c) (Pual) to be finished, be ended, be completed
Usage: Occurs in 199 OT verses. KJV: accomplish, cease, consume (away), determine, destroy (utterly), be (when... were) done, (be an) end (of), expire, (cause to) fail, faint, finish, fulfil, [idiom] fully, [idiom] have, leave (off), long, bring to pass, wholly reap, make clean riddance, spend, quite take away, waste. See also: Genesis 2:1; 2 Chronicles 29:17; Psalms 18:38.
הַ/מַּ֖יִם mayim H4325 "Water (Gate)" Art | N-mp
This word means water, referring to a liquid or a source of refreshment. It appears in the Bible as a literal and figurative term, including references to wasting or urine. The word is used in various contexts, such as in Genesis and Leviticus.
Definition: This name means water, refreshment
Usage: Occurs in 525 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)). See also: Genesis 1:2; Leviticus 14:9; Joshua 18:15.
מִן min H4480 "from" Prep
This Hebrew word means a portion or part of something, and is often used to show the relationship between things, like from or out of something.
Definition: prep 1) from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than 1a) from (expressing separation), off, on the side of 1b) out of 1b1) (with verbs of proceeding, removing, expelling) 1b2) (of material from which something is made) 1b3) (of source or origin) 1c) out of, some of, from (partitively) 1d) from, since, after (of time) 1e) than, more than (in comparison) 1f) from...even to, both...and, either...or 1g) than, more than, too much for (in comparisons) 1h) from, on account of, through, because (with infinitive) conj 2) that Aramaic equivalent: min (מִן־ "from" H4481)
Usage: Occurs in 1094 OT verses. KJV: above, after, among, at, because of, by (reason of), from (among), in, [idiom] neither, [idiom] nor, (out) of, over, since, [idiom] then, through, [idiom] whether, with. See also: Genesis 2:6; Exodus 16:32; Leviticus 14:26.
הַ/חֵ֑מֶת chêmeth H2573 "bottle" Art | N-fs
This word refers to a leather bottle or waterskin, used to carry liquids. It is mentioned in Psalm 119 as a symbol of spiritual nourishment.
Definition: bottle, waterskin
Usage: Occurs in 4 OT verses. KJV: bottle. See also: Genesis 21:14; Genesis 21:19; Habakkuk 2:15.
וַ/תַּשְׁלֵ֣ךְ shâlak H7993 "to throw" Conj | V-Hiphil-ConsecImperf-3fs
To throw or cast away is the meaning of this Hebrew verb. It is used in various contexts, including throwing lots or casting out something unwanted. The word appears in stories like Jonah being thrown into the sea.
Definition: 1) to throw, cast, hurl, fling 1a) (Hiphil) 1a1) to throw, cast, throw away, cast off, shed, cast down 1a2) to cast (lots) (fig) 1b) (Hophal) 1b1) to be thrown, be cast 1b2) to be cast forth or out 1b3) to be cast down 1b4) to be cast (metaph)
Usage: Occurs in 121 OT verses. KJV: adventure, cast (away, down, forth, off, out), hurl, pluck, throw. See also: Genesis 21:15; Nehemiah 9:11; Psalms 2:3.
אֶת ʼêth H853 "Obj." DirObjM
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Definition: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
Usage: Occurs in 6782 OT verses. KJV: (as such unrepresented in English). See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 10:8; Genesis 19:21.
הַ/יֶּ֔לֶד yeled H3206 "youth" Art | N-ms
This Hebrew word refers to a young person, like a child or teenager, such as the youth who helped David in 1 Samuel 20:1. It can also mean offspring or descendants, like the children of Israel in Exodus 12:37.
Definition: 1) child, son, boy, offspring, youth 1a) child, son, boy 1b) child, children 1c) descendants 1d) youth 1e) apostate Israelites (fig.)
Usage: Occurs in 76 OT verses. KJV: boy, child, fruit, son, young man (one). See also: Genesis 4:23; 1 Kings 12:10; Isaiah 2:6.
תַּ֖חַת tachath H8478 "underneath" Prep
This Hebrew word means underneath or below, often used to describe physical locations or positions. It appears in various books, including Genesis, Exodus, and Psalms, to indicate something is under or beneath something else. The word has several related meanings.
Definition: : under/below 1) the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas n m 1a) the under part adv accus 1b) beneath prep 1c) under, beneath 1c1) at the foot of (idiom) 1c2) sweetness, subjection, woman, being burdened or oppressed (fig) 1c3) of subjection or conquest 1d) what is under one, the place in which one stands 1d1) in one's place, the place in which one stands (idiom with reflexive pronoun) 1d2) in place of, instead of (in transferred sense) 1d3) in place of, in exchange or return for (of things mutually interchanged) conj 1e) instead of, instead of that 1f) in return for that, because that in compounds 1g) in, under, into the place of (after verbs of motion) 1h) from under, from beneath, from under the hand of, from his place, under, beneath
Usage: Occurs in 450 OT verses. KJV: as, beneath, [idiom] flat, in(-stead), (same) place (where...is), room, for...sake, stead of, under, [idiom] unto, [idiom] when...was mine, whereas, (where-) fore, with. See also: Genesis 1:7; Deuteronomy 7:24; 1 Kings 20:42.
אַחַ֥ד ʼechâd H259 "one" Adj
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means one or united, and is used to describe something that is single or unique. It is often translated as one, first, or alone. For example, in Genesis 1:5, God calls the light day and the darkness night, and separates them into one thing from another.
Definition: 1) one (number) 1a) one (number) 1b) each, every 1c) a certain 1d) an (indefinite article) 1e) only, once, once for all 1f) one...another, the one...the other, one after another, one by one 1g) first 1h) eleven (in combination), eleventh (ordinal)
Usage: Occurs in 739 OT verses. KJV: a, alike, alone, altogether, and, any(-thing), apiece, a certain, (dai-) ly, each (one), [phrase] eleven, every, few, first, [phrase] highway, a man, once, one, only, other, some, together, See also: Genesis 1:5; Exodus 36:26; Numbers 7:70.
הַ/שִּׂיחִֽם sîyach H7880 "bush" Art | N-mp
This word describes a small plant or bush, like the ones found in the wilderness, as mentioned in the book of Exodus.
Definition: bush, plant, shrub
Usage: Occurs in 4 OT verses. KJV: bush, plant, shrub. See also: Genesis 2:5; Job 30:4; Job 30:7.

Study Notes — Genesis 21:15

Show Verse Quote Highlights

Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1 2 Kings 3:9 So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out, and after they had traveled a roundabout route for seven days, they had no water for their army or for their animals.
2 Psalms 63:1 O God, You are my God. Earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You. My body yearns for You in a dry and weary land without water.
3 Jeremiah 14:3 The nobles send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns, but find no water; their jars return empty. They are ashamed and humiliated; they cover their heads.
4 Exodus 15:22–25 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the Desert of Shur. For three days they walked in the desert without finding water. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink the water there because it was bitter. (That is why it was named Marah.) So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?” And Moses cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a log. And when he cast it into the waters, they were sweetened. There the LORD made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there He tested them,
5 Exodus 17:1–3 Then the whole congregation of Israel left the Desert of Sin, moving from place to place as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So the people contended with Moses, “Give us water to drink.” “Why do you contend with me?” Moses replied. “Why do you test the LORD?” But the people thirsted for water there, and they grumbled against Moses: “Why have you brought us out of Egypt—to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”
6 Genesis 21:14 Early in the morning, Abraham got up, took bread and a skin of water, put them on Hagar’s shoulders, and sent her away with the boy. She left and wandered in the Wilderness of Beersheba.
7 Isaiah 44:12 The blacksmith takes a tool and labors over the coals; he fashions an idol with hammers and forges it with his strong arms. Yet he grows hungry and loses his strength; he fails to drink water and grows faint.

Genesis 21:15 Summary

[Genesis 21:15 shows us a moment when Hagar, the mother of Ishmael, felt like all hope was lost because they had run out of water in the desert. This situation teaches us about the importance of trusting in God even when we feel like we have nothing left, as Hagar later experienced God's intervention and promise in Genesis 21:17-18. Just like Hagar, we can learn to trust in God's care and provision, even in the toughest times, remembering that He is our Shepherd who guides and protects us, as Psalm 23 reminds us. By looking at Hagar's story, we're encouraged to have faith that God will provide for us, just as He did for her and Ishmael.]

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Hagar leave the boy under one of the bushes?

Hagar left the boy under one of the bushes because she had run out of water and was desperate, feeling like she had no other option, as seen in Genesis 21:15. This act shows her hopelessness and fear for the boy's survival.

What can we learn from Hagar's situation in Genesis 21:15?

We can learn that even in the most desperate situations, God is still with us and cares for us, as promised in Genesis 21:17 and seen in other scriptures like Psalm 23:4. Hagar's story teaches us to trust in God's providence and care.

How does Hagar's actions in Genesis 21:15 relate to her faith?

Hagar's actions in Genesis 21:15 show a mix of faith and fear; while she had been instructed by God and had experienced His provision before, her current desperation led her to act out of fear, as seen in Genesis 21:16. This reminds us that faith is not the absence of fear but the trust in God despite our fears, as encouraged in Isaiah 41:10.

What does Genesis 21:15 tell us about God's character?

Genesis 21:15, in the context of the surrounding verses, especially Genesis 21:17, reveals God as a compassionate and attentive Father who hears the cries of those in need, including children, and responds with care and provision, as also seen in Psalms 103:13.

Reflection Questions

  1. How do you respond when you feel like you're 'out of water' and your resources are depleted? What does this reveal about your trust in God?
  2. Reflect on a time when you felt as desperate as Hagar. How did you respond, and what did you learn about God's presence in your life?
  3. What are the 'bushes' in your life where you might be tempted to leave your problems or the people you care about? How can you apply the lesson from Hagar's story to these situations?
  4. In what ways can you identify with Hagar's feelings of hopelessness, and how can remembering God's response to her situation encourage you to trust in His goodness and care?

Gill's Exposition on Genesis 21:15

And the water was spent in the bottle,.... It was all drank up by them, being thirsty, having wandered about some time in a wilderness, where they could not replenish their bottle: the Jewish writers

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 21:15

And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.

Matthew Poole's Commentary on Genesis 21:15

Not as if she carried him in her arms, or upon her shoulders, for he was now about eighteen years old; but being weak and faint, and no doubt much dejected in spirit upon the prospect of his desolate and distressed condition, she was forced to support and lead him by the hand; but now, despairing of his life, she lays him down under a shrub.

Trapp's Commentary on Genesis 21:15

Genesis 21:15 And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs.Ver. 15. And the water was spent in the bottle.] All creature comforts will fade and fail us; as the brook Cherith dried up while the prophet was drinking of it; as those pools about Jerusalem, that might be dried up, with the tramplings of horse and horsemen. But they that drink of Christ’ s water shall never thirst; for it shall be in them (as the widow’ s oil, or Aaron’ s ointment) "a well of water springing up to eternal life". She cast the child, &c.] Whom till then she had led in her hand, faint, and ready to die for thirst; who while he lived at the full in his father’ s house, but could not be contented. God loves to let us see the worth of his favours by the want of them; to chasten men’ s insolency with indigency, as he did the prodigal in the gospel. Carendo potius quam fruendo.

Ellicott's Commentary on Genesis 21:15

(15) She cast the child under one of the shrubs.—The act was one of despair. Ishmael, though seventeen years of age, had not yet come to his strength, and at a time when human life was so prolonged that forty was the usual age for marriage, was probably not as capable of bearing fatigue as a young man nearly grown up would be in our days. He thus became exhausted, and apparently fainted; and his mother, after trying in vain to support him, cast him down in anguish, and abandoned herself to her grief.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on Genesis 21:15

Verse 15. And she cast the child] ותשלך את הילד vattashlech eth haiyeled, and she sent the lad under one of the shrubs, viz., to screen him from the intensity of the heat. Here Ishmael appears to be utterly helpless, and this circumstance seems farther to confirm the opinion that he was now in a state of infancy; but the preceding observations do this supposition entirely away, and his present helplessness will be easily accounted for on this ground: 1. Young persons can bear much less fatigue than those who are arrived at mature age. 2. They require much more fluid from the greater quantum of heat in their bodies, strongly marked by the impetuosity of the blood; because from them a much larger quantity of the fluids is thrown off by sweat and insensible perspiration, than from grown up or aged persons. 3. Their digestion is much more rapid, and hence they cannot bear hunger and thirst as well as the others. On these grounds Ishmael must be much more exhausted with fatigue than his mother.

Cambridge Bible on Genesis 21:15

15. cast the child] This expression taken with the mention of the child in Genesis 21:14; Genesis 21:18 (“hold him in thine hand”), 20 (“and he grew”) implies that Ishmael is regarded in this story as a little boy, who could be carried by his mother. under one of the shrubs] We should probably understand by this word the low scrub such as grows in the desert, like the broom, under which Elijah rested, 1 Kings 19:4. The word used occurs also in Genesis 2:5 in a general sense; see note.

Whedon's Commentary on Genesis 21:15

15. Cast the child — From this it has been inferred that Ishmael could not have been a youth of over fifteen years.

Sermons on Genesis 21:15

SermonDescription
Zac Poonen (Genesis) - Part 19 by Zac Poonen In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of being free from attachment to worldly things. He uses the example of Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son Isaac to ill
Wesley H. Wakefield How Deep Is Your Digging by Wesley H. Wakefield In this sermon, the preacher shares a story about Mr. Finney and a little girl who taught him a valuable lesson about revival. The preacher emphasizes that revival is not just abou
Chuck Smith (Through the Bible) 2 Samuel 1-7 by Chuck Smith In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of resting in God's ability to do His work without the need for excessive promotion or striving. He contrasts the constant ef
Denny Kenaston It's Time to Seek the Lord by Denny Kenaston In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the importance of seeking the Lord in good times. He refers to the story of King Asa in 2 Chronicles 14 as an example of seeking God's bless
Bob Jones III God's Chosen People Have Forgotten Him by Bob Jones III In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of remembering and acknowledging God in our lives. He warns against becoming complacent and forgetting the source of our bless
Gerhard Du Toit (The Sermon on the Mount and Prayer - Session 1) - Part 1 by Gerhard Du Toit In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of waiting upon God and seeking His face. They reference the story of David sitting before the Lord and how it can be an encou
J. Glyn Owen Sermon on the Mount: Hunger & Thrist for Righteousness by J. Glyn Owen In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of hungering and thirsting for righteousness. He highlights that Jesus is the preacher of this sermon and brings good news to
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