Commentary for Genesis 21:17
וַיִּשְׁמַ֣ע אֱלֹהִים֮ אֶת־ק֣וֹל הַנַּעַר֒ וַיִּקְרָא֩ מַלְאַ֨ךְ אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ אֶל־הָגָר֙ מִן־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר לָ֖הּ מַה־לָּ֣ךְ הָגָ֑ר אַל־תִּ֣ירְאִ֔י כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֧ע אֱלֹהִ֛ים אֶל־ק֥וֹל הַנַּ֖עַר בַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר הוּא־שָֽׁם׃
And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her: ‘What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
Rashi on Genesis
את קול הנער THE VOICE OF THE LAD — From this we may infer that the prayer of a sick person is more effective than the prayer offered by others for him and that it is more readily accepted (Genesis Rabbah 53:14).
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Rashbam on Genesis
באשר הוא שם, seeing she could not see him from the place where she had sat down, the angel had to use this manner of referring to Ishmael. He would be provided with water at that location.
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Ramban on Genesis
WHERE HE IS. He shall be judged according to his present deeds, and not according to those actions which he may do in the future. This was because the ministering angels laid charges, etc. Thus the words of Rashi quoting from the teachings of our Rabbis.336Ibid., 19.
The correct interpretation, in line with the simple meaning of Scripture, appears to me to be that the verse is stating that G-d heard the voice of the lad in the place in which he was. He informed her that she will not need to go from there to a fountain or well for in that very place he will quench his thirst immediately. He thus said to her, “Arise, lift up the lad337Verse 18 here. after you will have given him to drink, for I will make him a great nation.337Verse 18 here. Similarly, the word sham (there) in verses, Where he sunk, there he fell down dead;338Judges 5:27. Meaning, “‘in the place’ where he fell.” And where the slain are, there is she,339Job 39:30. Meaning “And ‘in the place’ where the slain are.” alludes to the place.
The correct interpretation, in line with the simple meaning of Scripture, appears to me to be that the verse is stating that G-d heard the voice of the lad in the place in which he was. He informed her that she will not need to go from there to a fountain or well for in that very place he will quench his thirst immediately. He thus said to her, “Arise, lift up the lad337Verse 18 here. after you will have given him to drink, for I will make him a great nation.337Verse 18 here. Similarly, the word sham (there) in verses, Where he sunk, there he fell down dead;338Judges 5:27. Meaning, “‘in the place’ where he fell.” And where the slain are, there is she,339Job 39:30. Meaning “And ‘in the place’ where the slain are.” alludes to the place.
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