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.
GENESIS 21:16KJVWhat does Genesis 21:16 mean?
Genesis 21:16 describes Hagar moving away from her son Ishmael, sitting at a distance because she cannot bear to watch him die, and then crying out in distress. The verse shows her deep sorrow and helplessness as she faces the possibility of her child’s death in the wilderness.
Hagar is alone with Ishmael after being sent away by Abraham at Sarah’s request. She places Ishmael under a bush and sits “a bowshot” away, meaning a distance as far as an arrow can be shot, to avoid seeing him suffer. Hagar’s words and actions reflect a mother’s pain and desperation, highlighting the emotional weight of the moment.
The Hebrew behind Genesis 21:16
- “bowshot” (כִּמְטַחֲוֵי קֶשֶׁת, kimtaḥavei qeshet): This phrase combines two words—one meaning “the distance of a shot” and the other “bow”—to describe a measurable but not exact distance. It emphasizes how far Hagar separated herself from Ishmael, underlining her distress.
- “wept” (וַתֵּבְךְּ, vattevkh): The Hebrew word here means to weep or cry aloud, showing that Hagar’s grief was not silent but expressed openly and bitterly.
Why Genesis 21:16 matters
- The verse clarifies that Hagar’s separation from Ishmael is not abandonment but an act of anguish—she cannot watch her son die, yet she does not leave him completely.
- The detail about the “bowshot” distance connects to the wilderness setting and the theme of survival, making the scene more vivid and relatable.
- This moment sets up the following verses, where God hears their cries and intervenes, showing that even in deep despair, the story is not over.