Genesis 21:10

21:10 So she said to Abraham, “Banish ¹  that slave woman and her son, for the son of that slave woman will not be an heir along with my son Isaac!”

Genesis 20:17

20:17 Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, as well as his wife and female slaves so that they were able to have children.

Genesis 21:13

21:13 But I will also make the son of the slave wife into a great nation, for he is your descendant too.”

Genesis 30:3

30:3 She replied, “Here is my servant Bilhah! Have sexual relations with ²  her so that she can bear ³  children ⁴  for me ⁵  and I can have a family through her.” ⁶ 

Genesis 31:33

31:33 So Laban entered Jacob’s tent, and Leah’s tent, and the tent of the two female servants, but he did not find the idols. ⁷  Then he left Leah’s tent and entered Rachel’s. ⁸ 

Genesis 21:12

21:12 But God said to Abraham, “Do not be upset ⁹  about the boy or your slave wife. Do ¹⁰  all that Sarah is telling ¹¹  you because through Isaac your descendants will be counted. ¹² 

[21:10]  ¹ tn Heb “drive out.” The language may seem severe, but Sarah’s maternal instincts sensed a real danger in that Ishmael was not treating Isaac with the proper respect.

[30:3]  ² tn Heb “go in to.” The expression “go in to” in this context refers to sexual intercourse.

[30:3]  ³ tn After the imperative, the prefixed verbal form with the conjunction indicates the immediate purpose of the proposed activity.

[30:3]  ⁴ tn The word “children” is not in the Hebrew text but has been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[30:3]  ⁵ tn Heb “upon my knees.” This is an idiomatic way of saying that Bilhah will be simply a surrogate mother. Rachel will adopt the child as her own.

[30:3]  ⁶ tn Heb “and I will be built up, even I, from her.” The prefixed verbal form with the conjunction is subordinated to the preceding prefixed verbal form and gives the ultimate purpose for the proposed action. The idiom of “built up” here refers to having a family (see Gen 16:2, as well as Ruth 4:11 and BDB 125 s.v. בָנָה).

[31:33]  ³ tn No direct object is specified for the verb “find” in the Hebrew text. The words “the idols” have been supplied in the translation for clarification.

[31:33]  ⁴ tn Heb “and he went out from the tent of Leah and went into the tent of Rachel.”

[21:12]  ⁴ tn Heb “Let it not be evil in your eyes.”

[21:12]  ⁵ tn Heb “listen to her voice.” The idiomatic expression means “obey; comply.” Here her advice, though harsh, is necessary and conforms to the will of God. Later (see Gen 25), when Abraham has other sons, he sends them all away as well.

[21:12]  ⁶ tn The imperfect verbal form here draws attention to an action that is underway.

[21:12]  ⁷ tn Or perhaps “will be named”; Heb “for in Isaac offspring will be called to you.” The exact meaning of the statement is not clear, but it does indicate that God’s covenantal promises to Abraham will be realized through Isaac, not Ishmael.