Genesis 16

Hagar and Ishmael

¹Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, bore him no children. She had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

²Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my servant. It may be that I will obtain children by her.” Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

³Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife.

⁴He went in to Hagar, and she conceived. When she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

⁵Sarai said to Abram, “This wrong is your fault. I gave my servant into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, she despised me. May the LORD judge between me and you.”

⁶But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes.” Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face.

⁷The LORD’s angel found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain on the way to Shur.

⁸He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where did you come from? Where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.”

⁹The LORD’s angel said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hands.”

¹⁰The LORD’s angel said to her, “I will greatly multiply your offspring, that they will not be counted for multitude.”

¹¹The LORD’s angel said to her, “Behold, you are with child, and will bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has heard your affliction.

¹²He will be like a wild donkey among men. His hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. He will live opposed to all of his brothers.”

¹³She called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees,” for she said, “Have I even stayed alive after seeing him?”

¹⁴Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi. Behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

¹⁵Hagar bore a son for Abram. Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.

¹⁶Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

Previous Genesis 15

Next Genesis 17

Facing continued barrenness after ten years in Canaan, Sarai proposes that Abram take her Egyptian servant Hagar as a surrogate wife to fulfill God's promise of offspring. When Hagar conceives and begins to despise Sarai, household tensions escalate, leading Sarai to mistreat Hagar until she flees into the wilderness. There, the angel of the LORD encounters Hagar, promises to multiply her descendants, and instructs her to name her son Ishmael, meaning 'God hears,' before directing her to return and submit to Sarai.

Context

This chapter occurs ten years after God's initial promise to Abram in chapter 15, showing human attempts to fulfill divine promises before God's covenant with Abraham is formalized in chapter 17.

Key Themes

Outline

1-3
Sarai's Plan for Surrogacy Sarai proposes that Abram take her servant Hagar as a wife to bear children on her behalf.
4-6
Household Conflict Erupts Hagar's pregnancy leads to contempt for Sarai, resulting in blame between Abram and Sarai and harsh treatment of Hagar.
7-12
Divine Encounter in the Wilderness The angel of the LORD finds the fleeing Hagar and promises her numerous descendants through her son Ishmael.
13-16
Return and Birth Hagar names God 'El Roi' (God who sees), returns home, and bears Ishmael when Abram is eighty-six years old.

Hagar and Ishmael

16:1–16:16

narrative narration anguished

Sarah gives her servant Hagar to Abraham to bear children, leading to conflict and Hagar's flight, where an angel promises her descendants and commands her return. This episode reveals family tensions and God's care for the afflicted, while establishing Ishmael's lineage.

person_contrast

Abraham, typically associated with divine promises and covenant blessings, here becomes complicit in creating suffering through polygamy, yet God still provides for the afflicted Hagar.

Insight Character Study

Abraham, typically associated with divine promises and covenant blessings, here becomes complicit in creating suffering through polygamy, yet God still provides for the afflicted Hagar.