What adds to the appearance of cruelty in this case is, that our translation seems to represent Ishmael as being a young child; and that Hagar was obliged to carry him, the bread, and the bottle of water on her back or shoulder at the same time. But that Ishmael could not be carried on his mother's shoulder will be sufficiently evident when his age is considered; Ishmael was born when Abraham was eighty-six years of age, Genesis 16:16; Isaac was born when he was one hundred years of age, Genesis 21:5; hence Ishmael was fourteen years old at the birth of Isaac. Add to this the age of Isaac when he was weaned, which, from Genesis 21:8, (See Clarke on Genesis 21:8.) was probably three, and we shall find that Ishmael was at the time of his leaving Abraham not less than seventeen years old; an age which, in those primitive times, a young man was able to gain his livelihood, either by his bow in the wilderness, or by keeping flocks as Jacob did.

The latter is referred to as “the child,” perhaps to emphasize his vulnerability in this situation and the need for God’s protection and care. Hagar wandered in the wilderness south of Canaan near Beersheba, one of Canaan’s traditional borders

Abraham did five things: First, he rose up early in the morning, showing that the decision had now been made. Second, he took bread and a bottle of water, and this emphasized the lack of inheritance.
Third, he gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder. Fourth, he gave her the child. Abraham put Hagar in charge of Ishmael, and he was now under her authority. Fifth, he sent her away, which was the official expulsion

And took bread, and a bottle of water. Moses intimates, not only that Abraham committed his son to the care of his mother, but that he relinquished his own paternal right over him; for it was necessary for this son to be alienated, that he might not afterwards be accounted the seed of Abraham. But with what a slender provision does he endow his wife and her son? He places a flagon of water and bread upon her shoulder. Why does he not, at least, load an ass with a moderate supply of food? Why does he not add one of his servants, of which his house contained plenty, as a companion? Truly either God shut his eyes, that, what he would gladly have done, might not come into his mind; or Abraham limited her provision, in order that she might not go far from his house. For doubtless he would prefer to have them near himself, for the purpose of rendering them such assistance as they would need. Meanwhile, God designed that the banishment of Ishmael should be thus severe and sorrowful; in order that, by his example, he might strike terror into the proud, who, being intoxicated with present gifts, trample under foot, in their haughtiness, the very grace to which they are indebted for all things. Therefore he brought the mother and child to a distressing issue. For after they have wandered into the desert, the water fails; and the mother departs from her son; which was a token of despair. Such was the reward of the pride, by which they had been vainly inflated. It had been their duty humbly to embrace the grace of God offered to all people, in the person of Isaac: but they impiously spurned him whom God had exalted to the highest honour. The knowledge of God’s gifts ought to have formed their minds to modesty. And because nothing was more desirable for them, than to retain some corner in Abraham’s house, they ought not to have shrunk from any kind of subjection, for the sake of so great a benefit: God now exacts from them the punishment, which they had deserved, by their ingratitude

Along with the child. Born when Abraham was 86 years old (16:16), Ishmael was now a “lad” of some 17 years. He could not have been put on Hagar’s shoulder with the bread and a skin (an animal skin as a container) of water. The account stresses that Sarah’s demand was fully met: Abraham sent Hagar away along with Ishmael. Nor need one infer that Ishmael was still a babe in arms when his mother later “cast the child under one of the bushes.”

putting it on her shoulder, along with the child. While these words might suggest that Ishmael was placed on Hagar’s shoulder, this is hardly likely, since Ishmael is about 16 years old (see 16:16; 21:5, 8) at this time. The last thing Abraham did was to give Ishmael to Hagar, probably after “putting it” (the bread and water) on Hagar’s shoulder. The Hebrew term for “child” (Hb. yeled) may denote an older teenager; it is used, e.g., of Joseph in 37:30. wilderness of Beersheba. Water was difficult to find in this region. Man-made wells appear to have been the main source of water (see 21:30; 26:18– 22). On “Beersheba

with the boy. The Hebrew literally reads, “He gave unto Hagar. He set upon her shoulders, and together with the boy [or, and the boy], and he sent her away.” Previous translations, which left open the suggestion that Abraham put the lad, not the water, on Hagar’s shoulders, have generated some confusion and been a favorite reading of source critics. Such a reading, however, is unnecessary and unwarranted. Source critics think that this episode is a doublet of the same incident of Hagar’s flight into the desert recorded in 16:14. They note that if these are two distinct incidents, according to the received chronology, Ishmael is at the time of the second flight about sixteen years of age (cf. 16:16; 21:5, 8). They wrongly interpret 21:14 to mean that Abraham set a young “boy” on Hagar’s shoulders, a notion incommensurate with a sixteen-year-old youth (see notes 21:14). They further argue that she would not “put” a sixteen-year-old under a bush. The Hebrew form of the verb rendered “put” means more literally “to throw,” as it is translated in 37:20, 22, 24. However, it can have the broader meaning “to expose, abandon” (Gen. 21:15; Jer. 38:6; Ezek. 16:5).179 Cogan likewise renders it “abandon,”180 a otion pertinent to a loving mother having to abandon her beloved teenager under the shade of ascrawny bush in the scorching desert.

on her back. Heb. literally “on her shoulder,” but the term covers also the upper part of the back in general. The middle of the sentence is now distorted. The translation of LXX and Syr., “and he placed the child on her shoulder,” would yield an acceptable word order for Heb., yet would not automatically guarantee its authenticity. The real problem is Ishmael’s age at the time. If the boy was about fifteen years old (see above, NOTE on 9), his mother would not have carried him on her back. Obviously, the present narrative depicts Ishmael as younger (cf. 15 ff.), but still old enough to play the big brother to a weaned Isaac (8 f.). The various emendations that have been proposed merely substitute one set of problems for another. An acceptable solution has yet to be discovered

The transposition וض°×گض¶×ھض¾×”ض·×™ض¼ض¶×œض¶×“ שׂض¸×‌ ×¢ض·×œض¾×©×پض´×›ض°×‍ض¸×”ض¼) was suggested by Ols., and is by far the best remedy for an awkward constr. In MT it would be necessary to take וض°×گض¶×ھض¾×”׳ as second obj. to וض·×™ض¼ض´×ھض¼ضµ×ں, and ש×‌ עלض¾×©×›×‍×” as a parenthetic circumst. cl. (so Di. De. Str.). It is an effort to evade the absurdity of a youth of 17 being carried on his mother’s back.

she cast the boy (whom, therefore, she must have been carrying) under one of the bushes] for protection from the sun (1 Ki. 19:4f.).
[24]

[24]
Skinner, J., 1851-1925. (1910). A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis. (323). New York: Scribner.

שָׁלַךְ not used in Kal (cognate to שָׁלַח).
Hiphil—(1) to cast, to throw, Gen. 21:15; Num. 35:20, 22; to cast away, 2 Ki. 7:15; Ezek. 20:8; Ecc. 3:6 (opp. to שָׁמַר to retain); to cast about, as stones, Ecc. 3:5 (opp. to כָּנַס to collect). Const. followed by אֶל of the place into which anything is cast (into a pit, into water, into fire), Gen. 37:22; Num. 19:6; Deut. 9:21; Jer. 26:23; also, followed by בְּ Gen. 37:20; Ex. 32:24; Mic. 7:19; followed by עַל of the person at whom anything is cast (auf jem werfen), Jud. 9:53. Job 27:22, יַשְׁלֵךְ עָלָיו “he will cast upon him,” sc. arrows, he will shoot at him; followed by לְ to cast anything (to a dog), Exod. 22:30; followed by מִן of place, to cast (any person or thing) out of a place, Neh. 13:8; Deu. 29:27; to pluck, Job 29:17, מִשִּׁנָּיו אַשְׁלִיךְ טֶרֶף “from his teeth I plucked the prey;” followed by מִמֶּנּוּ, מֵעָלָיו to cast away, throw off (von fich werfen), Psa. 2:3; Ezek. 18:31.—The following phrases are figuratively used—(a) הִשְׁלִיךְ נַפְשׁוֹ מִנֶּגֶד i.e. to expose one’s life to the greatest danger; Gr. παραβάλλεσθαι τὴν ψυχήν, Il. ix. 322 (whence the Lat. parabolanus).—(b) הִשְׁלִיךְ אַחֲרָיו Psalm 50:17, and אַחֲרֵי גַוּוֹ to cast (anything) behind one, behind one’s back, i.e. to neglect, to despise, 1 Ki. 14:9; Neh. 9:26; Isa. 38:17; Eze. 23:35. (As to the same phrase in Arabic, see my Comment. on Isa. loc. cit.)—(c) הִשְׁלִיךְ עַל יְיָ to cast anything upon God, i.e. to commit to his care, Ps. 55:23 (compare 37:5).—(d) יְיָ הִשְׁלִיךְ פּ׳ מֵעַל פָּנָיו God has rejected or expelled any one from his presence, i.e. he has rejected him, cast him off, 2 Ki. 13:23; 17:20; 24:20; 2 Ch. 7:20; Jer. 7:15.
(2) to cast down, to overthrow, as a house, Jer. 9:18. Metaph. Job 18:7, וְתַשְׁלִיכֵהוּ עֲצָתוֹ “and his own counsel shall cast him down.”
Hophal הָשְׁלַךְ and הֻשְׁלַךְ—(1) to be cast, to be thrown, to be cast out, Isa. 14:19 (where we must not join, “thou art cast out from thy sepulchre,” but, “thou art cast out without thy sepulchre,” i.e. which was thy due); followed by בְּ and אֶל of place 2 Sa. 20:21; Jer. 14:16; Eze. 16:5; followed by לְ to be cast forth (delivered) to any one, Jer. 36:30. Metaph. Ps. 22:11, עָלֶיךָ הָשְׁלַכְתִי מֵרֶחֶם “I was cast upon thee from the womb,” i.e. I committed my affairs to thee.
(2) pass. of Hiphil No. 2, Dan. 8:11. Hence—
שָׁלָךְ m. Lev. 11:17; Deu. 14:17, an aquatic bird, LXX. καταράκτης, al. καταῤῥάκτης, i.e. a species of pelican, which casts itself down from the highest rocks into the water (Pelecanus Bassanus, Linn.). Vulg. mergulus; Syr. and Ch. fish-catcher. Compare Bochart, Hieroz. part ii. lib. ii. cap. xxi.; Oedmann, Verm. Sammlungen aus der Naturkunde, iii. page 68: and—
שַׁלֶּכֶת f.—(1) a cutting down (pr. overturning, casting down) of a tree, Isa. 6:13.
(2) [Shallecheth] pr.n. of a gate of the temple, 1 Chr. 26:16.
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[שָׁלַךְ] vb. Hiph. throw, fling, cast — 1. usu. human subj., throw, cast: a. acc. rei, with many prep.: e.g. אֶל loc., also (acc. rei om.); ב loc.; rarely ל loc. and (acc. om.); עַל, ָה loc.; esp. of casting dead bodies, אֶל loc., ב loc.; acc. rei + אֶל pers. (acc. om.); acc. rei עַל pers. (+ מֵעַל), etc.; acc. rei + מִיָּד (מֵעַל); + ל of animal, etc. b. c. acc. pers., אֶל of pit, ב of pit, c. ה loc. (pit); תַּחַת loc.; acc. ˊי‍, fig., c. אַחֲרֵי גַוֶּךָ (of apostasy), so ˊי‍’s law, words (אַחֲרֵי pers. reflex.); acc. om. (of locusts); abs.; acc. of transgr. (fig.; מֵעַל reflex.). d. cast off, shed, blossom (like flower). e. cast down (late), subj. goat, acc. pers. (lit.) (מִן loc.) his (own) counsel felleth him. f. fig., cast ˊעל־י‍ thy lot. 2. ˊי‍ subj.: a. cast, acc. rei, + עַל pers., sandal upon (sign of possession); ice (no prep.) shoot against. b. acc. pers. + ב loc.; + אַרְצָה (fig.); אֶל loc. (of exile); esp. of ˊי‍’s rejecting men, acc. pers. + מֵעל פָּנָיו and (without מִן); casting sins (acc.), ב loc. c. cast down, honour of Israel + acc. loc.; acc. pers. 3. phrases: גּוֹרָל ˊהִשׁ‍ cast lots ל in behalf of; טָרֶף ˊמִשִּׁנָּיו אַשׁ‍ out of his teeth I cast the prey. Hoph. 1. be thrown, cast, subj. head, אֶל pers. + בְּעַד of wall; carcass, ב loc. 2. be cast forth, out, abs. of dead; מִן of grave. 3. be cast down, לָאָרֶץ (Isr., fig. of vine); abs. of sanctuary. 4. metaph., be cast, על of ˊי‍ (i.e. on his protection).
[32]

she cast the boy (whom, therefore, she must have been carrying) under one of the bushes] for protection from the sun (1 Ki. 19:4f.).
[34]

[31]
Gesenius, W., & Tregelles, S. P. (2003). Gesenius' Hebrew and Chaldee lexicon to the Old Testament Scri ptures. Translation of the author's Lexicon manuale Hebraicum et Chaldaicum in Veteris Testamenti libros, a Latin version of the work first published in 1810-1812 under title: Hebräisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch des Alten Testaments.; Includes index. (829). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[32]
Whitaker, R., Brown, F., Driver, S. (. R., & Briggs, C. A. (. A. (1997, c1906). The Abridged Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew-English Lexicon of the Old Testament : From A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament by Francis Brown, S.R. Driver and Charles Briggs, based on the lexicon of Wilhelm Gesenius. Edited by Richard Whitaker (Princeton Theological Seminary). Text provided by Princeton Theological Seminary. (1020.2-1021.2). Oak Harbor WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

[34]
Skinner, J., 1851-1925. (1910). A critical and exegetical commentary on Genesis. (323). New York: Scribner.

[35]
Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon: Targum Pseudo-Jonathan to the Pentateuch. Hebrew Union College, 2005; 2005, S. Ge 21:15Hebrew Union College, 2005; 2005, S. Ge 21:15