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Genesis 21:20

Made Simple — Modern English Translation

Translated by Verse Made Simple Editorial
KJV ORIGINAL
And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE

And God was with the boy; and he grew up, lived in the wilderness, and became skilled with a bow and arrow.

⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE

God was present with Ishmael as he grew up in the desert and developed into a skilled hunter.

📚 Historical Context

In the book of Genesis, Ishmael, the son of Abraham and his concubine Hagar, was sent away into the wilderness with his mother due to jealousy and conflict in Abraham's household after the birth of Isaac to Sarah. God had previously promised Abraham that He would make a great nation from Ishmael, and this verse shows God's faithfulness as Ishmael grows under His protection. Ishmael's development as an archer highlights the survival skills needed in the harsh desert environment of ancient Near Eastern nomadic life.

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