Genesis 21 in the early church
153 passages quote, allude to, or echo Genesis 21, grouped by verse; passages on the same verse are in date order. Verse text from the Berean Standard Bible (public domain). References use the Protestant English Bible's numbering, with a writer's own numbering in brackets where it differs.
Verses: 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 8 · 9 · 10 · 11 · 12 · 13 · 14 · 17 · 18 · 19 · 20 · 21 · 25 · 28 · 30 · 31
Genesis 21:1
Now the LORD attended to Sarah as He had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what He had promised.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 21:1–2 | Homily on 1 Samuel 1.5 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Gen 21:1–3 | Against Celsus 8.46 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 248 |
| Gen 21:1–3 | To Quirinus 1.20 · Cyprian of Carthage | allusion, high confidence | ca. 248–250 (book 3 perhaps later) |
| Gen 21:1–2 | Demonstration 4.4 · Aphrahat | allusion, high confidence | 337-345 |
| Gen 21:1–3 | Demonstration 18.1 · Aphrahat | allusion, high confidence | 337-345 |
| Gen 21:1–2 | On the Trinity 4.25 · Hilary of Poitiers | quotation, high confidence | ca. 356–360 |
| Gen 21:1–2 | On the Trinity 4.27 · Hilary of Poitiers | quotation, high confidence | ca. 356–360 |
| Gen 21:1–7 | Tractates 2.10.1 · Zeno of Verona | allusion, high confidence | ca. 362-380 |
| Gen 21:1–3 | Tractates 2.11.1 · Zeno of Verona | allusion, high confidence | ca. 362-380 |
| Gen 21:1–7 | Tractates 2.12.1 · Zeno of Verona | allusion, high confidence | ca. 362-380 |
| Gen 21:1–3 | On Cain and Abel 1.6 · Ambrose | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 375-378 |
| Gen 21:1–3 | On Paradise 20 · Ambrose | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 375-378 |
| Gen 21:1–16 | Genesis, lines 700–724 · Cyprianus Gallus | allusion, high confidence | early 5th cent. |
| Gen 21:1–3 | City of God 16.31 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | 413–426 |
| Gen 21:1–2 | Sermon 68 · Peter Chrysologus | allusion, high confidence | ca. 425-450 |
| Gen 21:1–3 | Sermon 90 · Peter Chrysologus | allusion, high confidence | ca. 425-450 |
| Gen 21:1–2 | Book 1, lines 93–115 · Sedulius | allusion, high confidence | ca. 425-450 |
| Gen 21:1–7 | Book 1, section 4 · Sedulius | allusion, high confidence | ca. 425-450 |
Genesis 21:2
So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised.
Genesis 21:3
And Abraham gave the name Isaac to the son Sarah bore to him.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 21:3 | Sermon 92 · Peter Chrysologus | quotation, high confidence | ca. 425-450 |
| Gen 21:3–6 | Sermon 154 · Peter Chrysologus | allusion, high confidence | ca. 425-450 |
Genesis 21:4
When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God had commanded him.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 21:4 | Commentary on Romans 4.2 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 244–246 (Rufinus's translation ca. 405–406) |
| Gen 21:4–5 | Demonstration 11.4 · Aphrahat | allusion, high confidence | 337-345 |
| Gen 21:4 | Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 8.4.2 · Epiphanius of Salamis | allusion, high confidence | 374-377 |
| Gen 21:4 | On Baptism, against the Donatists 4.31 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | ca. 400–401 |
Genesis 21:5
Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 21:5 | To Autolycus 3.24 · Theophilus of Antioch | allusion, high confidence | ca. 180–185 |
| Gen 21:5 | Refutation of All Heresies 10.30.3 · Hippolytus of Rome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 222–235 |
| Gen 21:5 | Homilies on Leviticus 16.7 · Origen | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Gen 21:5 | Commentary on Romans 4.6 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 244–246 (Rufinus's translation ca. 405–406) |
| Gen 21:5 | Preparation for the Gospel 9.29.2 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, high confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Gen 21:5 | Oration I Against the Arians 56 · Athanasius of Alexandria | quotation, high confidence | ca. 339–346 |
| Gen 21:5 | City of God 16.24 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | 413–426 |
| Gen 21:5 | City of God 18.3 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | 413–426 |
Genesis 21:6
Then Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears of this will laugh with me.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 21:6 | Homilies on Jeremiah 20.6 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 240 |
| Gen 21:6 | Preparation for the Gospel 9.19.3 · Eusebius of Caesarea | echo, low confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Gen 21:6 | Preparation for the Gospel 11.6.29 · Eusebius of Caesarea | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 313–324 |
| Gen 21:6 | Letter 66.11 · Jerome | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Gen 21:6 | City of God 16.31 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | 413–426 |
| Gen 21:6 | Sermon 92 · Peter Chrysologus | quotation, high confidence | ca. 425-450 |
| Gen 21:6 | Part 1, chapter 15 · Quodvultdeus of Carthage | quotation, high confidence | ca. 445-450 |
Genesis 21:8
So the child grew and was weaned, and Abraham held a great feast on the day Isaac was weaned.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 21:8 | PG 12:1643 (Ps 129–131 LXX) · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 220-254 |
| Gen 21:8 | Homily on 1 Samuel 1.8 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Gen 21:8 | Commentary on Matthew 12.31 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 246–248 |
| Gen 21:8 | Tractates on the Psalms 130.5 · Hilary of Poitiers | allusion, high confidence | ca. 360–367 |
| Gen 21:8 | Letter 107.13 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Gen 21:8 | Exposition of Psalm 118 19.21.2 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 386-397 |
| Gen 21:8 | Sermon 73 · Peter Chrysologus | allusion, high confidence | ca. 425-450 |
Genesis 21:9
But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking her son,
Genesis 21:10
and she said to Abraham, “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac!”
Genesis 21:11
Now this matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son Ishmael.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 21:11 | Dialogue with Trypho 56.7 · Justin Martyr | quotation, high confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Gen 21:11 | Arabic Pentateuch fragment VII · Hippolytus of Rome | allusion, high confidence | unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena) |
| Gen 21:11 | Tractates on the Gospel of John 11.12 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | ca. 406–420 |
Genesis 21:12
But God said to Abraham, “Do not be distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to everything that Sarah tells you, for through Isaac your offspring will be reckoned.
Genesis 21:13
But I will also make a nation of the slave woman’s son, because he is your offspring.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 21:13 | Arabic Pentateuch fragment VII · Hippolytus of Rome | quotation, high confidence | unknown (transmitted in a medieval Arabic catena) |
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.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 21:14–16 | Homilies on Psalms 36-38 4.3 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Gen 21:14 | Letter 36.10 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |
| Gen 21:14 | Book of Rules 3 · Tyconius | allusion, high confidence | ca. 380 |
| Gen 21:14 | Homily 20.5 on Ephesians · John Chrysostom | allusion, high confidence | ca. 392-397 |
Genesis 21:17
Then God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, “What is wrong, Hagar? Do not be afraid, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he lies.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 21:17 | On the Trinity 18 · Novatian | quotation, high confidence | ca. 240–250 |
| Gen 21:17 | Prophetic Extracts 1.4 · Eusebius of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | before 325 (probably ca. 310–320) |
| Gen 21:17–18 | On the Trinity 4.25 · Hilary of Poitiers | quotation, high confidence | ca. 356–360 |
| Gen 21:17–34 | Genesis, lines 725–749 · Cyprianus Gallus | allusion, high confidence | early 5th cent. |
Genesis 21:18
Get up, lift up the boy, and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 21:18 | Dialogue with Trypho 119.4 · Justin Martyr | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 155–160 |
| Gen 21:18 | On the Trinity 18 · Novatian | quotation, high confidence | ca. 240–250 |
| Gen 21:18 | Prophetic Extracts 1.4 · Eusebius of Caesarea | quotation, high confidence | before 325 (probably ca. 310–320) |
Genesis 21:19
Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 21:19 | Homilies on Exodus 3.2 · Origen | quotation, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Gen 21:19 | On the Trinity 18 · Novatian | quotation, high confidence | ca. 240–250 |
| Gen 21:19 | Demonstration 15.5 · Aphrahat | allusion, high confidence | 337-345 |
| Gen 21:19 | On the Merits and Forgiveness of Sins 2.36 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | 411–412 |
| Gen 21:19 | On Marriage and Concupiscence 1.6 · Augustine of Hippo | allusion, high confidence | ca. 419–421 |
| Gen 21:19 | Against Two Letters of the Pelagians 1.32 · Augustine of Hippo | quotation, high confidence | ca. 420–421 |
Genesis 21:20
And God was with the boy, and he grew up and settled in the wilderness and became a great archer.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 21:20 | On the Trinity 18 · Novatian | quotation, high confidence | ca. 240–250 |
| Gen 21:20–21 | Demonstration 11.9 · Aphrahat | quotation, high confidence | 337-345 |
Genesis 21:21
And while he was dwelling in the Wilderness of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 21:21 | Panarion (Adversus Haereses), Haer. 1-64 4.1.7 · Epiphanius of Salamis | allusion, high confidence | 374-377 |
Genesis 21:25
But when Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well that Abimelech’s servants had seized,
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 21:25 | Homilies on Numbers 12.1 · Origen | allusion, high confidence | ca. 238–250 (Rufinus's translation ca. 400–410) |
| Gen 21:25 | Homilies on the Psalms 7.8 · Basil of Caesarea | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 360-378 |
| Gen 21:25 | On the Governance of God 1.35 · Salvian of Marseilles | allusion, medium confidence | ca. 439-451 |
Genesis 21:28
Abraham separated seven ewe lambs from the flock,
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 21:28 | On the Making of the World 8 · Victorinus of Pettau | allusion, low confidence | late 3rd century |
Genesis 21:30
He replied, “You are to accept the seven ewe lambs from my hand as my witness that I dug this well.”
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 21:30 | Explanation of Twelve Psalms 45.5.1 · Ambrose | allusion, high confidence | ca. 387-397 |
Genesis 21:31
So that place was called Beersheba, because it was there that the two of them swore an oath.
| Reference | Passage | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gen 21:31 | Letter 69.6 · Jerome | allusion, high confidence | ca. 370–419 |