Isaac's transition from infancy to independent childhood marks a significant milestone in Abraham's family, an occasion celebrated with a highly public and impressive event. Despite being born to elderly parents, the child did not grow up weak. The miraculous supply of his mother's milk lasted fully until he reached physical maturity [מלבי״ם, שפתי כהן]. The concept of weaning signifies a sense of completion and wholeness. Much like a fruit ripening on a tree, drawing moisture until it is fully developed, the child reached a stage where he naturally completed his nursing and no longer required his mother's sustenance [שד״ל, רש״ר הירש, נתינה לגר]. The primary approach among commentators is that this milestone occurred at the end of twenty-four months, which is the natural duration for nursing [רש״י, רד״ק, מזרחי, שפתי חכמים, יריעות שלמה, גור אריה, חתם סופר], though some suggest the period could have extended up to three years [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. The weaning process happened organically, with the child independently losing interest in nursing and rejecting the milk on his own [שפתי חכמים, יריעות שלמה, גור אריה, חתם סופר].
Hosting a feast to mark a child's weaning was a common custom of the era, a practice seen in later biblical generations as well [רשב״ם, רד״ק, חזקוני, ביאור יש״ר, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Yet, a question arises as to why Abraham waited so long to host such a massive gathering rather than celebrating on the day of birth or the circumcision. One perspective explains that while the birth and the circumcision were previously promised by God, the elderly mother's ability to nurse was a fresh, wondrous miracle that warranted its own special feast of gratitude [ביאור יש״ר]. Furthermore, the circumcision was considered a private commandment for Abraham's household, celebrated with a smaller meal, whereas the weaning justified a widespread public celebration [מלבי״ם].
Others attribute the timing to the child's cognitive development. At the stage of weaning, a child typically begins to speak, making it the appropriate time to introduce the letters of the Torah. Therefore, Abraham sought to celebrate the joy of this spiritual education [רד״ק, רבנו בחיי, צאינה וראינה]. Moreover, a father's love for his son deepens and solidifies during this time as the child begins to demonstrate intelligence and awareness [רבנו בחיי, צאינה וראינה]. Abraham hosted a massive banquet simply to show the world how truly precious his son was to him [העמק דבר].
The primary approach among commentators focuses on the extraordinary magnitude of the event. Usually, biblical accounts of banquets detail exactly who was invited. Since the guests are not explicitly named here, and because a prophet like Abraham would not place importance on mere quantities of food or the duration of a party, the grandeur of the feast indicates that the greatest figures of the generation were in attendance [מזרחי, רבנו בחיי, תורה תמימה, צרור המור, גור אריה, משכיל לדוד, רש״י, צאינה וראינה, דברי דוד]. Among these world leaders and royalty were Shem, Eber, and Abimelech [רש״י, מזרחי, צרור המור, צאינה וראינה]. Their names are omitted from the narrative because biblical accounts typically list the names of visitors in contexts of mourning and consolation, rather than at joyous feasts [רבנו בחיי, צרור המור].
One particularly prominent attendee was Og. His presence served a specific purpose: to publicize the miracle and completely refute his previous mockery. Og had previously claimed that the elderly couple was barren, mocking that even if a son were born, he would be as weak as a fly and easily crushed with a finger. At this feast, however, it became undeniably clear that Isaac's descendants would multiply greatly, and that Og himself would eventually fall into their hands [מזרחי, צאינה וראינה].