Genesis 16
16
1And Sarai Abram's wife did not bear him children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant; and her name was Hagar. 2And Sarai said to Abram, Behold now, Jehovah has shut me up, that I do not bear. Go in, I pray thee, to my maidservant: it may be that I shall be built up by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. 3And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar, the Egyptian, her maidservant, at the end of ten years that Abram had dwelt in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram, as his wife.
4And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was lightly esteemed in her eyes. 5And Sarai said to Abram, My wrong be on thee! I have given my maidservant into thy bosom; and now she sees that she has conceived, I am lightly esteemed in her eyes. Jehovah judge between me and thee! 6And Abram said to Sarai, Behold, thy maidservant is in thy hand: do to her what is good in thine eyes. And Sarai oppressed her; and she fled from her face.
7And the Angel of Jehovah found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. 8And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maidservant, whence comest thou? and whither art thou going? And she said, I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai. 9And the Angel of Jehovah said to her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
10And the Angel of Jehovah said to her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. 11And the Angel of Jehovah said to her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael, because Jehovah hath hearkened to thy affliction. 12And he will be a wild-ass of a man, his hand against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell before the face of all his brethren. 13And she called the name of Jehovah who spoke to her, Thou art the ·God#GodHebrew: El who reveals himself, for she said, Also here have I seen after he has revealed himself. 14Therefore the well was named Beer-lahai-roi: behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
15And Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called the name of his son whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16And Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
Genesis 16
16
Hagar the Servant Girl
1Sarai was Abram’s wife, but she did not have any children. She had an Egyptian slave named Hagar. 2Sarai told Abram, “The Lord has not allowed me to have children, so sleep with my slave. Maybe she can have a son, and I will accept him as my own.” Abram did what Sarai said.
3So after living ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai gave her Egyptian slave to Abram as a second wife. 4Abram slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When Hagar realized this, she became very proud and began to feel that she was better than Sarai her owner. 5Then Sarai said to Abram, “My slave girl now hates me, and I blame you for this. I gave her to you, and she became pregnant. Then she began to feel that she is better than I am. I want the Lord to judge which of us is right.”
6But Abram said to Sarai, “She is your slave. You can do anything you want to her.” So Sarai was cruel to Hagar, and Hagar ran away.
Hagar’s Son Ishmael
7The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring of water in the desert. The spring was by the road to Shur. 8The angel said, “Hagar, Sarai’s slave girl, why are you here? Where are you going?”
Hagar said, “I am running away from Sarai.”
9The angel of the Lord said to her, “Sarai is your owner. Go home to her and obey her.” 10The angel of the Lord also said, “From you will come many people—too many people to count.”
11Then the angel of the Lord said,
“Hagar, you are now pregnant,
and you will have a son.
You will name him Ishmael,#16:11 Ishmael This name means “God hears.”
because the Lord has heard that you were treated badly.
12Ishmael will be wild and free
like a wild donkey.
He will be against everyone,
and everyone will be against him.
He will move from place to place
and camp near his brothers.”
13The Lord talked to Hagar. She began to use a new name for God. She said to him, “You are ‘God Who Sees Me.’” She said this because she thought, “I see that even in this place God sees me and cares for me!” 14So the well there was called Beer Lahai Roi.#16:14 Beer Lahai Roi This means “The well of the Living One who sees me.” It is between Kadesh and Bered.
15Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son, and Abram named the son Ishmael. 16Abram was 86 years old when Ishmael was born from Hagar.
© 1987, 2004 Bible League International