Genesis 21:9Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.
The setting
Beersheba region, southern Israel, ~2000 BC. A family feast celebrating Isaac's weaning, but teenage Ishmael mocks his baby half-brother...
The emotion here: recording family dysfunction with uncomfortable honesty
The original word
metsahaq (מְצַחֵק) — playing, laughing, but also mocking or mimicking mockingly
Why it matters
Weaning feasts typically happened when children turned 2-3 years old
Read with care
What most readers miss in Genesis 21:9
Ishmael was about 16 years old when this happened — not a small child
Common misconceptionPeople assume this was innocent child's play, but the Hebrew suggests deliberate mockery that threatened Isaac's position as heir.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Genesis 21:9
Bible Genome reading
Genesis 21:9 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Genesis 21:9 comes from the book of Genesis, written during the Patriarchal period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is angry, with a comfort power of 15% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include jealousy, family conflict, rivalry. Notable phrases: Sarah saw; son of Hagar; mocking.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same angry
“Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weak say, 'I am strong.'”
— Joel 3:10
“You blind guides, who strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”
— Matthew 23:24
“Listen to this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who tell their husba…”
— Amos 4:1
“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I can't stand your solemn assemblies.”
— Amos 5:21
“Your eyes shall not pity; life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.”
— Deuteronomy 19:21
Your reflection
What does Genesis 21:9 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
Speak your heart →Get 3 verses for "angry"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.