God told Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away because Ishmael, the son of the flesh, was mocking Isaac, the son of promise, and could not share in Isaac's inheritance.
Genesis 21 reports that Sarah saw Ishmael mocking Isaac and demanded that Hagar and Ishmael be cast out (Genesis 21:9-10). Abraham was grieved, but God confirmed Sarah's words, saying, "in Isaac shall thy seed be called" (Genesis 21:12). Paul later used this event as an allegory showing that law and legalism must be cast out from grace (Galatians 4:30).
Genesis 21:9-12 — This is the passage where the command to send Hagar and Ishmael away is given, showing both the immediate cause and God's direct instruction.
Galatians 4:30 — Paul quotes this event, revealing that God used it to illustrate that law and legalism must be cast out from grace.
In Genesis 21:9, Sarah saw Ishmael, the son of Hagar, mocking Isaac. Sarah then told Abraham, "Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac" (Genesis 21:10). Abraham was greatly distressed because Ishmael was his son, but God said to him, "Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called" (Genesis 21:11-12). Paul later quotes this same event in Galatians 4:30: "Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman."
Les Feldick teaches that the sending away of Hagar and Ishmael was not merely a human family dispute. God set the stage in Genesis for the two boys to be raised in proximity and then sent apart so that Paul could later build his allegory in Galatians (Clip 1, Clip 4). Ishmael was the son of the flesh, while Isaac was the son of promise (Clip 7). Because Hagar and Ishmael had been brought back under Abraham's tent for twelve or thirteen years, the event provides a living example of how law and legalism may appear alongside grace for a time — but ultimately must be cast out (Clip 4). Les also stresses that this was not a request to put Ishmael in a tent next door or even half a mile away. God sent Hagar and Ishmael "clear out into the desert" (Clip 1). Paul's application is that believers cannot mix legalism with grace; just as Ishmael had to leave the whole area, the law and legalism must be cast out (Clip 5). Abraham's grief shows the difficulty of separation, but God's purpose was clear (Clip 3, Clip 6).
Sarah saw Ishmael mocking Isaac (Genesis 21:9) and told Abraham, "Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac" (Genesis 21:10). Abraham found this very grievous because he loved Ishmael, but God said to him, "In all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called" (Genesis 21:12). So the immediate biblical reason is that Ishmael was mocking the son of promise and could not share the inheritance with Isaac.
Les explains that God deliberately set the stage in Genesis by having Ishmael and Isaac raised in proximity and then sent apart so Paul could later use the event as an allegory (Clip 1). In Galatians 4:30, Paul quotes the casting out of Hagar and Ishmael, and Les says this shows that "we cannot bring legalism into grace" (Clip 5). Ishmael was the son of the flesh; Isaac was the son of promise (Clip 7). Just as Ishmael had to leave the whole area, legalism cannot simply be placed nearby — it must be cast out.
Les notes that God did not tell Abraham to give Hagar a tent next door, or a tent behind Abraham's tent, or half a mile down the line. Instead, Hagar and Ishmael were sent "clear out into the desert" (Clip 1). This is the picture Paul uses: the son of the bondwoman could not remain anywhere in proximity to the son of the free woman, and the same is true of law and legalism — they cannot coexist with grace (Clip 5).
Genesis 21:11 says the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son (Clip 3). Abraham loved Ishmael, and Les says it was an excruciating experience for the man (Clip 6). Yet God told Abraham not to let it be grievous in his sight and to listen to Sarah, because Isaac was the son through whom the covenant would continue (Clip 3; Genesis 21:12).
Noah’s Ark & Your Salvation: A Deep Bible Study on Eternal Security
next couple of verses. Verse 15, for example, For you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have, see past tense, this has been done, but you have received the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba, Father. We've come into that relationship with God that places us as a complete mature son.
God Set the Stage for the Allegory
Les explains that God placed Ishmael and Isaac in the same tent for a time and then had them separated so Paul could later use the situation as an allegory for separating law from grace.
Hagar's First Banishment and Return
Les recounts that Hagar taunted Sarah while pregnant and was first sent away, but God sent her back — knowing that thirteen years later she and Ishmael would be sent out again into the desert.
God Confirms Sarah's Demand
Les notes that even from Abraham's viewpoint it was grievous, yet God told Abraham to listen to Sarah and cast them out because in Isaac would Abraham's seed be called.
The Son of the Bondwoman Will Not Be Heir
Les points out that Sarah's motherly demand matched God's own word — Ishmael would not be heir with Isaac — and that Hagar and Ishmael had been under the tent roof for twelve or thirteen years.
Ishmael's Expulsion and Law vs. Grace
Les connects Galatians 4:30 to the Genesis event, showing that just as Ishmael had to leave the whole area, legalism must be kept out of grace — a tent next door would not be enough.
Abraham's Grief in the Test
Les describes how hard it was for Abraham to send Ishmael away because he loved him, and notes that this is one of several typical tests Abraham experienced.
The Mocking and the Command to Cast Out
Les emphasizes that Sarah saw Ishmael mocking, that the flesh son was not to be heir with the promised son, and that Abraham loved Ishmael but lacked the long-range view of the covenant.
Genesis 21:9: And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
This verse records the mocking that prompted Sarah's demand and the casting out.
Genesis 21:10: Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.
Sarah's words demand that Ishmael not inherit with Isaac.
Genesis 21:11: And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son.
Shows Abraham's distress because he loved Ishmael.
Genesis 21:12: And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
God directly tells Abraham to listen to Sarah and confirms Isaac is the promised seed.
Galatians 4:30: Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the free woman.
Paul quotes the Genesis event as an allegory for excluding law from grace.
Ishmael mocked Isaac and Sarah demanded that the son of the bondwoman not be heir with Isaac (Genesis 21:9-10). God confirmed that the covenant would continue through Isaac, saying "in Isaac shall thy seed be called" (Genesis 21:12). Paul later used the casting out as an allegory for separating law from grace (Galatians 4:30).
No. Genesis 21:11 says the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son. Les Feldick points out that Abraham loved Ishmael and that it was an excruciating experience for him, but God told Abraham to listen to Sarah.
Les teaches that the event is an allegory for the treatment of law and legalism. Just as Ishmael had to leave the whole area, legalism must be cast out from grace (Galatians 4:30). God sent Hagar and Ishmael into the desert rather than letting them remain in a nearby tent, showing that law and grace cannot coexist.
Watch the Teaching: Noah’s Ark & Your Salvation: A Deep Bible Study on Eternal Security