Genesis 21:16

14 And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and 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 Beer-sheba.

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

And she went, and sat her down over against 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 over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.

17 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.

18 Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she said, “I cannot bear to watch the boy die!” And as she sat nearby, she lifted up her voice and wept.
KJV
And she went, and sat her down over against 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 over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept.
WEB
She went and sat down opposite him, a good way off, about a bow shot away. For she said, “Don’t let me see the death of the child.” She sat opposite him, and lifted up her voice, and wept.
ASV
And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot. For she said, Let me not look upon the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lifted up her voice, and wept.
DARBY
and she went and sat down over against [him], a bow-shot off; for she said, Let me not behold the death of the child. And she sat over against [him], and lifted up her voice and wept.
BLB
And she went and sat down by herself opposite [him], as distance of the shot of a bow, for she said, “Do not let me see the death of the boy.” And she sat opposite [him] and lifted up her voice and wept.
ÅB
og gikk bort og satte seg et stykke ifra, sa langt som et bueskudd; for hun tenkte: Jeg vil ikke se på at gutten dør. Så satt hun et stykke ifra og brast i gråt.
OTB
Hun gikk og satte seg ned motsatt ham, omtrent et bueskudd unna, og sa, “Jeg kan ikke se på at gutten dør.” Og hun satt der, løftet sin stemme og gråt.
B1930
og gikk bort og satte sig et stykke ifra, sa langt som et bueskudd; for hun tenkte: Jeg vil ikke se på at gutten dør. Så satt hun et stykke ifra og brast i gråt.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Isaiah 49:15

    Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

    Read in context
  • Ruth 1:9

    The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.

    Read in context
  • 1 Kings 3:26

    Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.

    Read in context
  • Judges 2:4

    And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 30:4

    Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.

    Read in context
  • 1 Samuel 24:16

    And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.

    Read in context
  • Esther 8:6

    For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred?

    Read in context
  • Genesis 29:11

    And Jacob kissed Rachel, and lifted up his voice, and wept.

    Read in context