Genesis 21:7 · Bible study
Genesis 21:7 Commentary: Sarah's Cry of Wonder
Hebrew · 6 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Sarah speak of nursing 'children'? This study examines the wonder of Isaac's birth and what it means for faith.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Sarah expresses joyful amazement that she, a 90-year-old, is nursing Isaac, emphasizing that only God could have brought this about.
- Key words: מִי (who?), מִלֵּל (has said), הֵינִיקָה (she has suckled), יָלַד (borne), זְקֻנָיו (his old age).
- Main debate: Whether the plural "children" is a singular substitute, a poetic expression, or reflects a legend about nursing multiple infants.
- Theological theme: God fulfills His covenant promises in ways that surpass human capability and expectation.
- Best use: Preaching on God's faithfulness, the transformation of doubt into faith, and the miraculous sign of Isaac's birth as a foretaste of Christ (per Christian tradition).
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
She added, “Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
She said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? For I have borne him a son in his old age.”
KJV King James Version 1769
And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should give children suck? for I have borne him a son in his old age.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
She saith also, `Who hath said to Abraham, Sarah hath suckled sons, that I have born a son for his old age?'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And she said, Who would have said to Abraham, Sarah will suckle children? For I have borne [him] a son in his old age.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And again she said: Who would believe that Abraham should hear that Sara gave suck to a son, whom she bore to him in his old age?
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y añadió: ¿ Quién dijera á Abraham que Sara había de dar de mamar á hijos? pues que le he parido un hijo á su vejez.
E acrescentou: Quem diria a Abraão que Sara havia de dar de mamar a filhos? pois que lhe dei um filho em sua velhice.
Elle ajouta: Qui aurait dit à Abraham: Sara allaitera des enfants? Cependant je lui ai enfanté un fils dans sa vieillesse.
und sprach: Wer durfte von Abraham sagen, daß Sara Kinder säuge? Denn ich habe ihm einen Sohn geboren in seinem Alter.
Voorts zeide zij: Wie zou Abraham gezegd hebben: Sara heeft zonen gezoogd? want ik heb een zoon gebaard in zijn ouderdom.
E aggiunse: “Chi avrebbe mai detto ad Abrahamo che Sara allatterebbe figliuoli? poiché io gli ho partorito un figliuolo nella sua vecchiaia”.
I rzekła: Któżby to był rzekł Abrahamowi, że Sara będzie karmiła piersiami syny? gdyżem urodziła syna w starości jego.
И сказала: кто сказал бы Аврааму: Сарра будет кормить детей грудью? ибо в старости его я родила сына.
又說：「誰 能預先對亞伯拉罕 說『撒拉 要乳養 嬰孩』呢？因為 在他年老的時候，我給他生 了一個兒子。」
And she said, Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would have a child at her breast? for see, I have given him a son now when he is old.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Genesis 21:7
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Sarah's words erupt from a heart overwhelmed by the fulfillment of God's promise. The main puzzle is the plural "children" (בָנִים, banim). Calvin argues that Sarah uses the future tense for the subjunctive, expressing something no one could have imagined, and he dismisses the Jewish legend that she nursed multiple infants to prove her maternity. The plural, he says, simply marks her as a nursing mother. Gill suggests the plural may be used for the singular, a common Hebrew idiom, or that the miracle opened the possibility of more children. Keil & Delitzsch note the poetic verb מִלֵּל (millēl) and read the line as an inspired tristich: "Who would have said to Abraham: Sarah is giving suck!" The uncontested core is that Sarah marvels that God alone could bring about such an impossible event. Her nursing Isaac is the visible, tangible proof that God is faithful to His word. As Matthew Henry observes, the birth of Isaac shows that "God's providences look best and brightest when they are compared with His word."
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Plural for singular: Gill and many commentators see banim as a grammatical plural used for the singular, common in Hebrew.
- Poetic/generic plural: Calvin, Keil & Delitzsch view the plural as a way of describing Sarah as a nursing mother, perhaps by poetic extension.
- Literal plural (Jewish legend): The tradition that Sarah nursed many infants to prove her maternity; Calvin dismisses it but it reflects an early interpretive strand.
What is clear: Sarah is expressing amazement that she, a woman long past childbearing, is nursing a son born to Abraham in extreme old age, clearly attributing this to God alone.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The meaning of the plural "children" (banim) | All agree that Sarah is expressing the miraculous nature of nursing any child at her age. | Some (Gill, many others) see it as a plural for singular or a generic statement; Calvin and Keil & Delitzsch view it as a poetic expression of joy; the Jewish legend of nursing multiple infants is dismissed by Calvin but may reflect an early tradition. |
| Sarah's faith at this moment | She acknowledges God is the author of this wonder. | Calvin suggests she also condemns her own former unbelief; others (Matthew Henry, Keil) focus on her joy and do not emphasize self-condemnation. |
| The significance of nursing as proof | It serves as a visible sign that Isaac is truly her biological son. | Some early Jewish interpreters (reported by Calvin) saw this as a public demonstration to silence doubters; most modern readers see it as a natural maternal act that itself is miraculous given her age. |
| Connection to earlier laughter (Gen 18:12) | Sarah's previous laugh of unbelief is now replaced by a laugh of joyful amazement. | Some see a complete transformation of faith; others (Keil & Delitzsch) note the laughter is still mixed with human emotion but now directed correctly. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The events of Genesis 21 follow decades of waiting. Abraham was one hundred years old, Sarah was ninety, and she had been barren her entire life (Gen 11:30). God had promised Abraham a son repeatedly (Gen 12:7; 15:4; 17:16), and the angel had specifically told Sarah she would bear a child within a year (Gen 18:10). Her initial response was a laugh of disbelief (Gen 18:12). Now that Isaac is born "at the set time of which God had spoken" (Gen 21:2), that laughter has been transformed into joy.
In the ancient Near East, mothers typically nursed their own children for two to three years. For a ninety-year-old woman to nurse was a double miracle: her body, long past childbearing, produced milk. Sarah's use of the plural "children" (בָנִים) has puzzled interpreters. Calvin reports a Jewish tradition that she nursed several local infants to prove Isaac was truly her son, but he dismisses it as a fable. Gill and Keil & Delitzsch see the plural as a generic or poetic expression: she is simply a nursing mother. The question "Who would have said?" conveys the utter impossibility of the event. As Balaam later exclaims,
"Surely there is no enchantment with Jacob; neither is there any divination with Israel. Now it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘What has God done!’"
— Numbers 23:23 (WEB)
Sarah's exclamation places her story within the larger pattern of God's mighty acts. The covenant is now advancing: "in Isaac shall your seed be called" (Gen 21:12). Her nursing is not just a maternal act but a sign that the promise is alive.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Genesis 21:7. The Hebrew form מִלֵּל (millēl, a poetic verb for 'said') is consistent across manuscripts. The verse is textually stable.
Reception History
Early Jewish interpretation, as reported by Calvin, contained a tradition that Sarah nursed several infants to prove Isaac was truly her son, a legend Christian commentators have consistently dismissed as unnecessary to the miracle. The Reformers (Calvin, Geneva Bible) saw the verse as proof of God's supernatural intervention and a model of faith emerging from doubt. Eighteenth-century interpreters (Gill, Matthew Henry) focused on the maternal sign of nursing as evidence of the wonder, with Henry connecting Isaac's birth to Christ. In the nineteenth century, Keil & Delitzsch highlighted the poetic structure of Sarah's words and the significance of the name Isaac (laughter). Across all eras, the verse has been cherished as a personal testimony of God's faithfulness to His promises, rather than a site of major doctrinal conflict.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God's promise is never too late. At one hundred and ninety, Abraham and Sarah had no natural hope. Yet God kept His word exactly when He said He would.
- Skeptical laughter gives way to joyful confession. Sarah's laugh in Genesis 18 was unbelief; her laugh in chapter 21 is faith. God can transform our doubts into testimony.
- God's miracles are meant to be spoken aloud. "Who would have said?" is a question that demands an answer. We are called to tell what God has done.
Five-point outline
- The long wait, Years of silence between promise and fulfillment.
- The specific promise, God named the child and the timing.
- The miraculous birth, Isaac born to a barren, aged mother.
- The sign of nursing, Sarah's own milk proves the miracle.
- The public testimony, "Who would have said?" invites wonder.
Illustration hooks
- The ancient exclamation "What has God done!" (Numbers 23:23). This is the Old Testament's way of saying "Only God."
- The barren woman's question in Isaiah 49:21, "Who has conceived these for me?" Both verses use surprise to point to God's power.
- The image of an elderly mother nursing her infant, in any culture, a visible, undeniable sign that nature has been overruled.
Questions your congregation is asking
- "Does Sarah's earlier laugh of disbelief mean she had weak faith?"
- "Why does God let His people wait so long for His promises to be fulfilled?"
- "How can I turn my own doubts into a testimony of God's faithfulness?"
Leading a Discussion
Sarah's words in Genesis 21:7 are not a quiet aside; they are a public statement of wonder. After decades of waiting, the impossible has happened. This study helps your group explore how we respond when God breaks through our expectations.
Discussion questions
- Read Genesis 21:1, 7 aloud. What emotions does Sarah express in verses 6 and 7? How are they different from her reaction in Genesis 18:12?
- Why do you think Sarah emphasizes nursing children instead of simply saying she has a son? What does the physical act of nursing add to her testimony?
- The Hebrew uses the plural "children" (banim). Interpreters offer different explanations. Which one seems most fitting to you, and why? Does the plural change how you read the verse?
- How does the surrounding story (the weaning feast in v8, the conflict with Hagar in v9, 10) affect your understanding of Sarah's joy?
- Sarah asks, "Who would have said?" In what ways does her question invite others to recognize God's hand? How can we ask similar questions in our own lives?
- Read Numbers 23:23 and Isaiah 49:21. These verses echo Sarah's language of astonishment. What do they tell us about God's character? How does the Bible connect barrenness and blessing?
- Think of a time when God did something in your life that felt impossible. How did you respond? What difference does it make to tell that story to others, as Sarah did?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 18:11 | Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing. |
| Genesis 18:12 | Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?” |
| Numbers 23:23 | Surely there is no enchantment with Jacob; neither is there any divination with Israel. Now it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, ‘What has God done!’ |
| Deuteronomy 4:32 | For ask now of the days that are past, which were before you, since the day that God created man on the earth, and from the one end of the sky to the other, whether there has been anything as great as this thing is, or has been heard like it? |
| Deuteronomy 4:34 | Or has God tried to go and take a nation for himself from among another nation, by trials, by signs, by wonders, by war, by a mighty hand, by an outstretched arm, and by great terrors, according to all that Yahweh your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? |
| Psalms 86:8 | There is no one like you among the gods, Lord, nor any deeds like your deeds. |
| Psalms 86:10 | For you are great, and do wondrous things. You are God alone. |
| Isaiah 49:21 | Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has conceived these for me, since I have been bereaved of my children and am alone, an exile, and wandering back and forth? Who has brought these up? Behold, I was left alone. Where were these?’” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin reads Sarah's words as expressing utter impossibility: no one could have imagined she would nurse children, proving God alone caused it. He dismisses a Jewish fable about multiple infants brought to verify her motherhood, then argues that mothers who refuse to nurse their own children break the sacred natural bond God established.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Sarah's words express pure astonishment at God's extraordinary kindness: she, a woman past childbearing, now nurses a son. The note emphasizes that this joy points to the miraculous fulfillment of God's promise, something no one would have dared to predict for Abraham in his old age.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights the sheer incredibility of Sarah's pregnancy: no human could have predicted or announced it. Her ability to nurse the child at age ninety proved the child was truly her own. The plural "children" likely refers to Isaac alone or expresses her role as a nursing mother.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch highlights that Isaac's name, meaning laughter, captures the contrast between God's promise and human inability. Abraham and Sarah's laughter first came from unbelief at the impossibility, but the miraculous birth transformed it into joyous amazement. Isaac is therefore the fruit of omnipotent grace working beyond natural forces.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange highlights the Hebrew word for God visited, noting it marks major shifts in divine providence where God comes to aid or save. He traces Sarah’s joy and Isaac’s name back to this active intervention, showing how every event connects to God’s faithful plan rather than random chance.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that God's acts look brightest when measured against His own word: Isaac was born exactly when God had promised, proving no word from God fails. He also sees Isaac as a type of Christ, the long-promised seed that holy men had expected across the ages.