And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
Sarah saw the son of Hagar ... mocking, [Septuagint, paizonta meta Isaak] - playing with Isaac, though not in a sportive humour for the child's amusement. Ishmael was then about seventeen years of age, fully aware of the great change in his prospects, and under the impulse of irritated or resentful feelings, in which he was probably joined by his mother, treated the young heir with derisive insult (as the word is used in Genesis 19:14; Genesis 39:14; Nehemiah 2:19; Nehemiah 4:1), and probably some violence-fighting (2 Samuel 2:14), or inflicting blows (Galatians 4:29); according to a Jewish tradition, which it is supposed Paul adopted. 'As Ishmael must have been instructed by his father concerning the promise made to him-to the blessings of which he laid claim, as being the older son-he "mocked" at the great stir that was made at the weaning of Isaac, as thinking that he could not be deprived of the natural right of his primogeniture. At least, it is very probable that, except it had been thus, Sarah's anger would not have proved so violent, both against Ishmael and Hagar, who had probably encouraged him in these pretensions' (Allix.).