So the child grew and was weaned. And Abraham made a great feast on the same day that Isaac was weaned. And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, scoffing. (Gen 21,8-9)

The birth of the child, the pure joy and laughter of Sarah worked on both parents like an elixir of youth. Their strength seemed renewed, their readiness to stand by the desired child until it was able to be on its own feet in life gave them a new determination, so that many of the glooms which old age inevitably brings with it were for a long time quelled. But as it happens in the world, even pure joy has its reverse side...

With the arrival of Isaac, something fundamental changed in the house of Abraham. Something we understand well these days - a change of succession. This change did not occur at the moment of Isaac's birth, but months earlier, when it became clear that Sarah was pregnant. While Abraham was silent at first, as if he could not believe the news, and then erupted into an outburst of incredible gratitude and joy. While the whole tribe marveled that the God of their lord had proved faithful to His promises after all, something that many had already secretly doubted, there was a person in the camp who was struck by the news with unrelenting bitterness.

Abraham now found himself unable to avoid keeping an eye on Sarah whenever she moved away from him, and sometimes secretly watching Hagar when Sarah had to pass her tent. The pregnancy itself was by no means a guarantee that the child would be born healthy and survive the first few months, he knew that very well. Ishmael didn't really understand the whole situation at first. After all, Abraham had tried very hard to preserve in him the consciousness of a beloved son, so he had gotten him the latest model crossbow and tried to spend even more time with him than before. But through it all, Ishmael unmistakably sensed what was going on in the mind of his mother. She knew from the first moment that once Isaac was born that her star would be extinguished forever. It was clear to Hagar that neither she nor Ishmael would ever again have the position they had enjoyed in the house. So fear settled permanently in the hearts of both mothers, for even Sarah could not now help not to feel the jealousy of her stepson towards Isaac. She demanded a clear statement how Abraham would handle the question of succession, and what would then become of Ishmael and his mother.

As is sometimes the case, family celebrations are not exactly a place of peace and tranquility, but a catalyst for underlying tensions and disagreements. And so the feast that Abraham had arranged to share with everyone the great joy that the child of promise was prospering in every way resulted in already open expressions of resentment on the part of Ishmael. With his violent temper, it was becoming apparent that little Isaac would be in permanent danger beside him.