The First Book of Moses, Called Genesis

Chapter 16

Sarai, being barren, gives Hagar to Abram, 1-3. Hagar, being afflicted for despising her mistress, runs away, 4-6. An angel commands her to return and submit herself, promises her a numerous posterity, and shows their character and condition, 7-12. Hagar names the place and returns to Sarai, 13, 14. Ishmael is born, 15. The age of Abram, 16.

1 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bore him no children. And she had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 2 And Sarai said to Abram, "Behold now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing. I pray you go in to my servant. It may be that I may obtain children by her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. 3 And Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar her servant, the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. 4 And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. 5 And Sarai said to Abram, "My wrong is upon you. I have given my servant into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes. May the LORD judge between you and me." 6 But Abram said to Sarai, "Behold, your servant is in your hand. Do to her as it pleases you." And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her face.

7 And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. 8 And he said, "Hagar, Sarai's servant, where did you come from? And where will you go?" And she said, "I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai." 9 And the angel of the LORD said to her, "Return to your mistress and submit yourself under her hands." 10 And the angel of the LORD said to her, "I will multiply your offspring exceedingly so that they shall not be numbered for multitude."

11 And the angel of the LORD said to her,

"Behold, you are with child/
and shall bear a son/
and call his name Ishmael,/
because the LORD has heard your affliction.

12 And he will be a wild man./
His hand will be against every man,/
and every man's hand against him./
And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brothers."

13 And she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, "You are a God who sees me," for she said, "Have I also here looked after him who sees me?" 14 Therefore, the well was called Beer-la-hai-roi. Behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

15 And Hagar bore Abram a son. And Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16 And Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

Commentary

Matthew Henry Commentary - Genesis, Chapter 16[➚]

Notes

[v.6] - "she fled from her face" - In other words, Hagar fled from Sarai. See verse 8.

[v.14] - "Beer-la-hai-roi" - LXX: "The well of him whom I have openly seen."

Top