Gen 21:16 | NETfull | STEP | Then she went and sat down by herself across from him at quite a distance, about a bowshot away; for she thought, “I refuse to watch the child die.” So she sat across from him and wept uncontrollably.

Genesis 21:16

16 Then she went and sat down by herself across from him at quite a distance, about a bowshot ^{▼▼ A bowshot would be a distance of about a hundred yards (ninety meters).} away; for she thought, ^{▼▼ Heb “said.”} “I refuse to watch the child die.” ^{▼▼ Heb “I will not look on the death of the child.” The cohortative verbal form (note the negative particle אַל,’al) here expresses her resolve to avoid the stated action.} So she sat across from him and wept uncontrollably. ^{▼▼ Heb “and she lifted up her voice and wept” (that is, she wept uncontrollably). The LXX reads “he” (referring to Ishmael) rather than “she” (referring to Hagar), but this is probably an attempt to harmonize this verse with the following one, which refers to the boy’s cries.}