Genesis 21:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Observe once more how, in accordance with God's grace toward the righteous, she is also granted divine care. Hagar, cast out by Abraham, roamed through the wilderness, and in her thirst, she discovered no solace anywhere.

Abraham faced great hardship in parting with Hagar, yet he released her as instructed by God. Similarly, the holy apostles and evangelists felt profound sorrow at Israel's separation, which was not a voluntary choice but rather a consequence of divine will and their love for Christ. The Apostle Paul himself expresses, ‘Great is my sorrow and continual anguish to my heart: I wish I myself were separated from Christ for my brethren who are my kinsmen according to the flesh, that is, the Israelites’ (Romans 9:2-4). Thus, when the mother of the Jews was sent away, she experienced a long period of wandering and was close to utter destruction. Had the Jews cried out to God in their time of need, they would certainly have found mercy.

The remaining details should not lead to any confusion. The central idea is that in the Hebrew scripture, following the phrase, “I will not see my young man die,” there is a narrative where Hagar positioned herself opposite her son, raised her voice, and wept, and God heard the voice of the young man. This illustrates that amid the mother’s tears over the anticipated death of her child, God attended to the young man. He made a promise to Abraham regarding this, stating, “But I will also make the son of your handmaid into a great nation” (Genesis 17:20). Furthermore, the mother’s sorrow was not for her own demise but for her son’s. As a result, God preserved the life of the one who was mourned. Ultimately, it states, “Arise, and lift up the young man, and take him by the hand” (Gen. 21:18). This implies that the young man whom the mother lifts is not a burden, but rather a companion, and her act of taking him by the hand signifies a deep tenderness.