it is written This is not a quotation of any particular passage. -It is recorded in Scripture".

a bondmaid Lit. - thebondmaid", Hagar; so - thefree woman", Sarah. Hagar was an Egyptian slave in the house of Abraham. God having promised to Abraham that in his seed all nations should be blessed, Sarah, becoming impatient because the fulfilment of the promise was delayed, gave Hagar as a concubine to her husband. This resulted in the birth of Ishmael (Genesis 16:1-3; Genesis 16:15.) Thirteen years later the Lord promised that Abraham should have a son by Sarah when she was past the age of child-bearing. This was fulfilled in the birth of Isaac.

The marked features of contrast in this narrative, which have their counterparts in the antitype are:

The bond maid and her son.

The free woman and her son.

Birth in the ordinary course of nature (-after the flesh").

Birth out of the course of nature, -through the promise".

Ishmael, born a slave.

Isaac, born free.

Hagar and her son driven forth into the desert.

Sarah and her son abiding in the home.

To these correspond

The Old Covenant (or dispensation) given on Mt Sinai.

The New Covenant, the Gospel.

The earthly Jerusalem.

The Heavenly Jerusalem.

Natural birth into bondage.

Spiritual birth to freedom.

Persecuting.

Persecuted.

Expulsion.

Inheritance.

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