And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the
Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. Wherefore she said
unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son.... (KJV)
But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, when she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son
Isaac. So she said to Abraham, "Cast out this slave woman and her son...." (NRSV)
What did Sarah see that disturbed her so much?
Jonathan Kirsch suggests in
The
Harlot by the Side of the Road that the "play" between Isaac and Ishmael may have been of a
sexual nature, noting that the same word is used to describe the behaviour of
Ishmael and Isaac as is
used in Gen.26:8 to describe Isaac's fondling of Rebekah.
