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Introduction

Genesis 21:9 captures a tense moment in Abraham’s household, where Sarah observes Ishmael, Hagar’s son, in an act that prompts her demand for his expulsion. The Updated American Standard Version (UASV) translates it: “But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.” The Masoretic Text (MT) reads מְצַחֵק (mᵉtsaḥēq, “mocking”), while the Septuagint (LXX) and Vulgate (Vg.) expand this to “mocking her son Isaac,” specifying the target of Ishmael’s behavior. This article uses the historical-grammatical method, grounding analysis in the MT as the primary Hebrew witness, to determine the original text. Scripture citations bolster the evaluation, ensuring a conservative evangelical approach for Pastors, Teachers, and Believers.

Textual Evidence: Masoretic Text vs. Septuagint and Vulgate

The MT, exemplified by the Codex Leningrad B 19A (1008 CE) and the Aleppo Codex (circa 925 CE), is the cornerstone of Old Testament textual criticism. In Genesis 21:9, it states: וַתֵּרֶא שָׂרָה אֶת־בֶּן־הָגָר הַמִּצְרִית אֲשֶׁר־יָלְדָה לְאַבְרָהָם מְצַחֵק (wattērē’ śārâ ’et-ben-hāgār hammitsrît ’ăšer-yālᵉdâ lᵉ’abrāhām mᵉtsaḥēq), translating to “And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.” The participle מְצַחֵק, from the root צחק (ts-ḥ-q), means “mocking” or “laughing,” and stands alone without an object.

The LXX, a Greek translation from the 3rd–2nd centuries BCE, renders it: καὶ εἶδεν Σαρρα τὸν υἱὸν Αγαρ τῆς Αἰγυπτίας, ὃν ἔτεκεν τῷ Αβρααμ, παίζοντα μετὰ Ισαακ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτῆς (kai eiden Sarra ton huion Agar tēs Aigyptias, hon eteken tōi Abraam, paizonta meta Isaak tou huiou autēs), meaning “And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she bore to Abraham, playing with Isaac her son.” The addition of “with Isaac her son” clarifies the object of Ishmael’s action. The Vg., completed by Jerome in 405 CE, follows suit: et cum vidisset Sara filium Agar Aegyptiae ludentem cum Isaac filio suo (“And when Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian playing with Isaac her son”).

Contextual Analysis: Does the Text Need Specification?

The context of Genesis 21:9 follows Isaac’s birth and weaning (verses 1–8), setting the stage for conflict. Verse 8 notes, “And the child grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned” (UASV). Ishmael, about 14 years older (Genesis 16:16; 21:5), is the subject in verse 9. The MT’s מְצַחֵק is ambiguous—its root can mean “to laugh,” “to play,” or “to mock,” depending on context. Here, Sarah’s reaction in verse 10—“Cast out this slave woman with her son, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac” (UASV)—implies a negative connotation, likely “mocking.”

The LXX and Vg.’s addition of “her son Isaac” aligns with verse 10’s reference to Isaac, suggesting Ishmael’s action targeted him. However, the MT’s brevity is typical of Hebrew narrative, leaving the object implicit when context suffices (e.g., Genesis 18:10, where “he said” omits the speaker’s target). The absence of “Isaac” in the MT does not obscure the meaning, as verse 10 clarifies the stakes.

Weighing the Manuscript Evidence

The MT’s authority stems from the Masoretes’ meticulous copying from the 6th to 10th centuries CE, building on a consonantal text standardized by the 1st–2nd centuries CE. Their marginal notes (Small, Large, and Final Masora) and letter counts minimize errors. The reading מְצַחֵק lacks any Masoretic notation suggesting corruption, reinforcing its reliability.

The LXX, reflecting a Hebrew Vorlage from centuries earlier, is a key secondary witness. Its addition of “with Isaac her son” could indicate a variant Hebrew text with an explicit object (e.g., מְצַחֵק אֶת־יִצְחָק, “mocking Isaac”), lost in the MT tradition. However, the LXX often expands for clarity, as seen in Genesis 12:3, where it adds explanatory phrases. The Vg., reliant on the LXX and Hebrew texts available to Jerome, mirrors this expansion but lacks independent Hebrew support.

The Dead Sea Scrolls offer no Genesis 21:9 fragment for comparison. The Syriac Peshitta (2nd–3rd centuries CE) aligns with the MT, reading “mocking” without “Isaac.” Aramaic Targums, like Onkelos (1st–2nd centuries CE), also retain the MT’s brevity, translating מְצַחֵק as “jesting” or “mocking” without specification. Later LXX revisions—Aquila (LXXAq), Symmachus (LXXSym), and Theodotion (LXXTh)—are unavailable for this verse.

Evaluating Variant Readings

The MT’s מְצַחֵק is a piel participle, implying intentional action (mocking rather than innocent play). Adding “Isaac” requires significant textual insertion (e.g., אֶת־יִצְחָק בְּנָהּ), unlikely to drop out accidentally due to haplography or scribal oversight, given the Masoretes’ precision. The LXX’s παίζοντα μετὰ Ισαακ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτῆς suggests a translator’s interpretive choice, possibly harmonizing with verse 10 or reflecting a Vorlage with added detail. The Vg.’s ludentem cum Isaac filio suo follows this trend.

The burden of proof rests on rejecting the MT. The LXX and Vg.’s agreement may stem from a shared tradition of clarification rather than a superior Hebrew text. Without early Hebrew corroboration (e.g., DSS), the MT’s reading holds unless internal evidence demands otherwise.

The Reading Culture of Early Christianity

Internal Evidence and Theological Implications

Internally, the MT’s brevity fits Hebrew style, where context clarifies meaning. Galatians 4:29 supports this: “But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now” (UASV). Paul interprets Ishmael’s action as persecution, implying Isaac as the target, but the MT’s lack of “Isaac” in Genesis 21:9 does not weaken this inference—verse 10 suffices.

Theologically, the focus is Sarah’s perception of a threat to Isaac’s inheritance, not the precise target of Ishmael’s mocking. Proverbs 22:10 aligns with this: “Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out, and quarreling and abuse will cease” (UASV). Whether “mocking” stands alone or specifies “Isaac,” the narrative’s thrust—God’s protection of Isaac’s line (Genesis 21:12)—remains intact.

Scholarly Consensus and Conclusion

Scholars like Emanuel Tov (Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible, 3rd ed., 2012) uphold the MT unless multiple early witnesses and internal flaws justify emendation. The LXX and Vg.’s addition likely reflects interpretive expansion, not a lost original. The UASV retains the MT’s “mocking,” noting the variant as a clarification lacking Hebrew support. The MT’s reading is original, with the LXX and Vg. enhancing for specificity—a practice common in translation but not decisive against the MT’s fidelity.

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About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).