Sarah's demand to expel Hagar and Ishmael triggers a profound internal crisis for Abraham. It is a moment of intense emotional turmoil that shatters his personal plans and aspirations for his family [שד״ל, רש״ר הירש]. The primary source of Abraham's agony is his deep, genuine concern for his son. This detail highlights Abraham's moral character, showing that his distress stems entirely from fatherly love rather than any lingering desire for his concubine, Hagar. If Sarah had demanded only Hagar's departure, Abraham would have agreed without hesitation; it is the banishment of his child that tears at his heart [רמב״ן, מלבי״ם, ביאור יש״ר, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. While sending Hagar away is certainly difficult for him, the pain regarding his son is infinitely greater [בכור שור]. In a unique contrast, one perspective suggests that Abraham's sorrow is actually directed toward Isaac, feeling pained that his younger son's presence is the very reason Hagar and Ishmael are forced to suffer [קונטרס חיבה יתירה].
The sheer reality of severing ties is agonizing. Abraham deeply loves his firstborn, having raised and educated him in the path of God. Despite the unbearable nature of Sarah's demand, Abraham restrains himself. To preserve peace in his home, he bears his grief in silence, refusing to scold his wife while waiting for God's guidance [רד״ק]. Compounding this tension is a fundamental difference in how the parents view the boy. Sarah treats Ishmael as the son of a maidservant, carrying the status of a slave. Abraham, however, considers him a full and equal son, having previously freed Hagar and taken her as a wife [העמק דבר]. Furthermore, Abraham is terrified for Ishmael's physical safety, dreading the disasters that might befall him in the harsh desert [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך]. He also grieves the necessity of stripping his son of his inheritance, holding onto the hope that righteous descendants might eventually emerge from him. Sarah, however, possesses a prophetic foresight that this will not happen, a vision God ultimately confirms [חתם סופר, פרדס יוסף].
Beyond physical safety, Abraham's distress is rooted in a deep spiritual and educational anxiety. He is acutely aware that Ishmael is drifting toward improper behavior and negative influences [רש״י]. As long as the boy remains under his roof, Abraham can supervise him, offer correction, and hold onto the hope of his return to the right path. The true tragedy of the expulsion is the realization that once Ishmael is removed from the holy environment of their home, he will be left entirely vulnerable to Hagar's negative influence. For Abraham, sending the boy away means losing his final opportunity to guide him, effectively abandoning him to sink into a corrupt culture without any further fatherly direction [הכתב והקבלה, רש״ר הירש, לבוש האורה, גור אריה, אור החיים].
Ultimately, God intervenes to soothe Abraham's broken heart while simultaneously clarifying the harsh reality of the situation. God validates Sarah's perspective, definitively removing Ishmael from the lineage of Abraham's divine destiny. God establishes that only Isaac will carry forward the spiritual legacy. Abraham humbly accepts this divine decree, shifting his own perspective so completely that he subsequently relates to Ishmael merely as a child, rather than as his spiritual heir [אור החיים].