The Miraculous Birth of Isaac: A Testament of Faith

5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

Abraham was a hundred years old when son Isaac was born to him—So that this was years after his departure from Haran, and coming into the land of Canaan, for then he was seventy five years of age (Gen 12:4); and this exactly agrees with the account of Demetrius, as related by Polyhistor, a Gentile writer, who makes Isaac to be born just twenty five years from Abraham’s coming into the land of Canaan, and who must be now a hundred years old, being ninety nine at the time the Lord appeared to him, and promised him a son at the set time the next year (Gen 17:1, 21). This is observed, both to show the wonderful favour to Abraham, and the faithfulness of God in the exact performance of his promise: according to Bishop Usher, Isaac was born A. M. 2108, and before Christ 1896, and probably at Beersheba, see Gen 21:33-34.

He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. ROM 4:19

John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

He did not weaken in faith—Abraham was not weak in the exercise of his faith, on the promise of God; nor was his faith weakened about the accomplishment of it, neither by the length of time after the promise was made, nor by the seeming insuperable difficulties of nature which attended it.

He considered his own body, which was as good as dead—Which makes his faith the greater, that though he did consider his case, yet his faith was not weakened: the phrase, “his body, which was as good as dead,” is a “euphemism” of the “merebrum virile,” which by the Jews, when unfit for generation, is called “merebrum emortuum.”

Since he was about a hundred years old—Not being quite a hundred years of age, wanting a year or thereabout.

Or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb—How unfit she was to conceive and bear children: now though he might consider these things in his mind, yet they did not dwell upon his mind, nor he upon them; at least he did not consider them, so as to distrust the divine promise.

6 And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me.”

John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

And Sarah said, “God has made laughter for me”—This she said on occasion of the name of her son Isaac, which name her husband had given him by divine direction, and to which she assented. This doubtless brought to her mind her former laughing, when she first heard that she should have a son, which was in a way of diffidence and distrust; but now God having given her a son, laid a foundation for laughter of another kind, for real, solid, joy and thankfulness.

Everyone who hears will laugh over me—Not laugh at her, and deride her, as Piscator interprets it; but congratulate her, and rejoice with her on this occasion, as on a like one the neighbours of Elizabeth did with her (Luk 1:58).

Rashi

Will laugh over me—Heb. יִצְחַק will laugh for me. The Midrashic statement (Bereishit Rabbah 53:8) is: Many barren women were remembered with her, many sick were healed in that day, many prayers were answered with hers and there was great rejoicing in the world.

21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.

Commentary on the Bible, by Adam Clarke

For joy that a human being has been born—Ανθρωπος is put here for a human creature, whether male or female; as homo among the Romans denoted either man or woman.

John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow—As was said she should have (Gen 3:16). This is God’s ordination and appointment for sin.

Because her hour has come—Is at hand; the fixed time in nature is up, and there is no avoiding it.

But when she has delivered the baby—For though the sorrow is great, yet there is a deliverance, and she is saved in child bearing.

She no longer remembers the anguish—The sharp pains she has endured in her travail.

For joy that a human being has been born into the world—Much such a way of speaking is used by the Jews, who observe,

“if a woman brings forth a male child, all is forgot, and she repents (i.e. of her impatience, or any unbecoming expression in the time of labour), ‘for the joy of a man child.’ ”

And our Lord seems to have respect to a prevailing notion among them, as well as many others, of the felicity of male children: it is a common saying with them,

“blessed is he whose children are males, and woe to him whose children are females”:

for they say,

“when ‘a man child comes into the world,’ peace comes into the world.”

Now our Lord, by this instance, illustrates the sorrow his disciples should have by his departure, and the joy that they should be possessed of upon his return to them; that as the pains of a woman giving birth are very sharp and severe, and the distress of her mind, about the issue of things respecting herself and offspring, is very great, so would be the grief and trouble of the disciples on account of the death of their Lord and master: but as when a woman is safely delivered of a man child, she is so filled with joy, that her sorrow is remembered no longer so should it be with them, when Christ should appear to them; all their trouble, concern, anxiety of mind, and fears, that attended them, would all vanish away, and they be distressed with them no longer.

22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. JOH 16:21-22

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley

So also you have sorrow now—This gives us no manner of authority to assert all believers must come into a state of darkness. They never need lose either their peace, or love, or the witness that they are the children of God. They never can lose these, but either through sin, or ignorance, or vehement temptation, or bodily disorder.

Study Guide for John 16, by David Guzik

I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice—They didn’t fully understand the separation, so they could not fully understand the joy of the coming reunion. Yet when it happened, no one could deny their joy-filled testimony of the resurrection. It was testimony so sure that they endured death because of it. It was joy no one will take from you.

No one will take your joy from you—“Our Lord’s meaning appears to have been this: that his resurrection should be so completely demonstrated to them, that they should never have a doubt concerning it; and consequently that their joy should be great and permanent” (Clarke).

“That he should suffer was cause for grief, but that he has now suffered all is equal cause for joy. When a champion returns from the wars bearing the scars of conflict by which he gained his honors, does anyone lament over his campaigns?” (Spurgeon)

7 And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

And she said, “Who would have said to Abraham”—No one a year ago could ever have thought of such a thing, much less have come and told Abraham that he should have a child or children by Sarah; the thing was incredible, and next to impossible; none but God himself, or an angel from him, could have declared this, as none but he could bring it about, the thing is so marvellous and astonishing.

That Sarah would nurse children?—That she who was ninety years of age would bear a child, and suckle it, as she did; and in doing which she set an example to her daughters to do the like, since neither age nor grandeur, nor the business of her family, were any objection to this duty of nature; and her being able to do this was a clear proof that this was truly a child of her own. The plural number may be put for the singular, as it often is, see Gen 46:23; or Sarah might think, as she had strength given her to bear and suckle one child, she might bear and suckle more; though the phrase seems only to be expressive and descriptive of her as a nursing mother: yet I have borne him a son in his old age (see Gill on Gen 21:2).

11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.

John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years—The one being ninety nine years of age, and the other eighty nine; and which is observed to make it the more surprising that they should have a son at such an age; and what follows still makes it more so.

The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah—Her monthly visitors had left her, so that she was unfit for conception, and there could be no hope of it in a natural way; though there are some, that it is possible, may conceive without them.

12 So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” GEN 18:11-12

John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

So Sarah laughed to herself—Not for joy of a son, and as pleased with it, believing so it would be; but as disbelieving it, and perhaps deriding it, and confuting it with a laugh, which, though it did not appear in her countenance, was secretly in her heart.

Saying—Not with her mouth, but in her mind.

After I am worn out—Being almost ninety years of age.

And my lord is old—Which increased the difficulty and her unbelief: the apostle Peter seems to have respect to this in 1Pe 3:6.

Shall I have pleasure?—In conception, or rather in having a son, and in suckling and nursing him, and bringing him up; for in bearing and bringing forth is sorrow.

God Protects Hagar and Ishmael

8 And the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned.

Rashi

And was weaned—At the end of twenty-four months.

A great feast—For all the prominent people of the generation were there: Shem, Eber, and Abimelech.

So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. GEN 26:30

John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible

So he made them a feast—Made a feast like a king, for the king and his grandees; he treated them in a generous way, according to their dignity, and agreeable to his own disposition and substance.

And they ate and drank—Freely, cheerfully, and in a friendly manner; for both having spoken their minds, they agreed to bury all former things oblivion, and live in peace and friendship; though this feast was not on account of the covenant made between them, as is observed by some interpreters, but as a hospitable act, and a token of good will; for the covenant and the oath confirming it seem to be made next morning.