Genesischapter 16

16 verses · ASV

This chapter sends 158 cross-references outward and receives 126 — heaviest partner: Genesis.

Chapter summary

Hagar and Ishmael. Sarai, still childless, gives her Egyptian maid to Abram; Hagar conceives and despises her mistress; Sarai afflicts her, and she flees. The angel of the LORD finds her at a fountain in the wilderness, sends her back with a promise — Ishmael will be a great nation, a wild man. Hagar names the LORD ‘Thou God seest me’. The chapter shows the fruit of trying to help God's promise along. Henry: patience would have waited; unbelief invented a short-cut and bequeathed a long quarrel. Yet even here the covenant God speaks kindly to a fleeing handmaid.

Drafted from Matthew Henry, Calvin, Gill, Clarke, JFB, and Barnes.

Context

Law · Moses — see the Genesis overview for the book's full setting.

1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, bare him no children: and she had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, Jehovah hath restrained me from bearing; go in, I pray thee, unto my handmaid; it may be that I shall obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

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

4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I gave my handmaid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: Jehovah judge between me and thee.

6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her that which is good in thine eyes. And Sarai dealt hardly with her, and she fled from her face.

7 And the angel of Jehovah 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 handmaid, whence camest thou? and whither goest thou? And she said, I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.

9 And the angel of Jehovah said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.