Laughter
Sarah said, "God has made laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh over me." And she said, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age."
GENESIS 21:6-7
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Laughter
We shall take the meaning [of the verb] from the subject matter itself and disregard the disputes of the philologians. Accordingly, the proper meaning of the verb is "to laugh." Therefore when Sarah says: "God made laughter for me," this means that she rejoiced in earnest and was glad about the son whom she had borne, not only with a carnal gladness—like that of other mothers of whom Christ says that they do not remember their former anguish after giving birth (John 16:21)—but with a gladness of the Holy Spirit, because she had actually become a mother as a result of God's blessing. On account of her barrenness Sarah had so far been regarded as a woman under a curse, because God was begrudging her the usual blessing. Consequently, she undoubtedly concluded that a great injury was being inflicted on her. But now, after the birth of her son, she, too, boasts of the divine blessing, leaps with joy, and says: "Now God causes me, too, to laugh and be glad of heart because of this His unhoped-for favor."
GENESIS 21:6-7
+
Laughter
We shall take the meaning [of the verb] from the subject matter itself and disregard the disputes of the philologians. Accordingly, the proper meaning of the verb is "to laugh." Therefore when Sarah says: "God made laughter for me," this means that she rejoiced in earnest and was glad about the son whom she had borne, not only with a carnal gladness—like that of other mothers of whom Christ says that they do not remember their former anguish after giving birth (John 16:21)—but with a gladness of the Holy Spirit, because she had actually become a mother as a result of God's blessing. On account of her barrenness Sarah had so far been regarded as a woman under a curse, because God was begrudging her the usual blessing. Consequently, she undoubtedly concluded that a great injury was being inflicted on her. But now, after the birth of her son, she, too, boasts of the divine blessing, leaps with joy, and says: "Now God causes me, too, to laugh and be glad of heart because of this His unhoped-for favor."
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