Genesis 21:11The thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight on account of his son.
The setting
Beersheba, Israel, ~2000 BC. Abraham sits alone after Sarah's ultimatum, torn between his love for Ishmael and his covenant with God...
The emotion here: heavy-hearted while recording a father's anguish
The original word
ra'a (רָעָה) — grievous, evil, distressing; the same word used for great disasters
Why it matters
Abraham had waited 86 years for his first son and loved Ishmael deeply
Read with care
What most readers miss in Genesis 21:11
The phrase 'on account of his son' could mean either Ishmael or Isaac — Abraham loves both
Common misconceptionPeople think Abraham didn't love Ishmael much since he sent him away, but this verse shows he was heartbroken — he obeyed God despite his pain.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Genesis 21:11
Bible Genome reading
Genesis 21:11 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Genesis 21:11 comes from the book of Genesis, written during the Patriarchal period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 60% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include parental love, difficult decisions, grief. Notable phrases: very grievous; Abraham's sight; his son.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does Genesis 21:11 mean to you, today?
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