Genesis 16

Hagar and Ishmael

1Abram's wife Sarai had not borne him any children. But she had an Egyptian slave woman named Hagar, 2and so she said to Abram, “The LORD has kept me from having children. Why don't you sleep with my slave? Perhaps she can have a child for me.” Abram agreed with what Sarai said. 3So she gave Hagar to him to be his concubine. (This happened after Abram had lived in Canaan for ten years.) 4Abram had intercourse with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When she found out that she was pregnant, she became proud and despised Sarai.

5Then Sarai said to Abram, “It's your fault that Hagar despises me.#16.5 It's your fault… me; or May you suffer for this wrong done against me. I myself gave her to you, and ever since she found out that she was pregnant, she has despised me. May the LORD judge which of us is right, you or me!”

6Abram answered, “Very well, she is your slave and under your control; do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so cruelly that she ran away.

7The angel of the LORD met Hagar at a spring in the desert on the road to Shur 8and said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?”

She answered, “I am running away from my mistress.”

9He said, “Go back to her and be her slave.” 10Then he said, “I will give you so many descendants that no one will be able to count them. 11You are going to have a son, and you will name him Ishmael,#16.11 Ishmael: This name in Hebrew means “God hears”. because the LORD has heard your cry of distress. 12But your son will live like a wild donkey; he will be against everyone, and everyone will be against him. He will live apart from all his relatives.”

13Hagar asked herself, “Have I really seen God and lived to tell about it?”#16.13 Probable text lived to tell about it?; Hebrew unclear. So she called the LORD who had spoken to her “A God who Sees”. 14That is why people call the well between Kadesh and Bered “The Well of the Living One who Sees Me”.

15 # Gal 4.22 Hagar bore Abram a son, and he named him Ishmael. 16Abram was 86 years old at the time.

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Genesis 16

Hagar and Ishmael

1Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, #Gen. 11:30; 15:2, 3had borne him no children. And she had #Gen. 12:16; 21:9an Egyptian maidservant whose name was #Gal. 4:24Hagar. 2#Gen. 30:3So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord #Gen. 20:18has restrained me from bearing children. Please, #Gen. 30:3, 9go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram #Gen. 3:17heeded the voice of Sarai. 3Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram #Gen. 12:4, 5had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. 4So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became #1 Sam. 1:6, 7; (Prov. 30:21, 23)despised in her eyes.

5Then Sarai said to Abram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. #Gen. 31:53; Ex. 5:21The Lord judge between you and me.”

6#1 Pet. 3:7So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, #Gen. 16:9; Ex. 2:15she fled from her presence.

7Now the #Gen. 21:17, 18; 22:11, 15; 31:11Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, #Gen. 20:1; 25:18by the spring on the way to #Ex. 15:22Shur. 8And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?”

She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”

9The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and #(Titus 2:9)submit yourself under her hand.” 10Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, #Gen. 17:20“I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” 11And the Angel of the Lord said to her:

“Behold, you are with child,

#Luke 1:13, 31And you shall bear a son.

You shall call his name Ishmael,

Because the Lord has heard your affliction.

12#Gen. 21:20; Job 24:5; 39:5–8He shall be a wild man;

His hand shall be against every man,

And every man’s hand against him.

#Gen. 25:18And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”

13Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him #Gen. 31:42who sees me?” 14Therefore the well was called #Gen. 24:62Beer Lahai Roi; observe, it is #Gen. 14:7; Num. 13:26between Kadesh and Bered.

15So #Gal. 4:22Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

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