Genesis 16:2-12

2 So Sarai said to Abram, "Now behold, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. 1Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
3 After Abram had lived 2ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram's wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her maid, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife.
4 He went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her sight.
5 And Sarai said to Abram, "3May the wrong done me be upon you. I gave my maid into your arms, but when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her sight. 4May the LORD judge between you and me."
6 But Abram said to Sarai, "Behold, your maid is in your power; do to her what is good in your sight." So Sarai treated her harshly, and 5she fled from her presence.
7 Now 6the angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to 7Shur.
8 He said, "Hagar, Sarai's maid, 8where * have you come from and where are you going?" And she said, "I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai."
9 Then the angel of the LORD said to her, "Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority."
10 Moreover, the 9angel of the LORD said to her, "10I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count."
11 The angel of the LORD said to her further, "Behold, you are with child, And you will bear a son; And you shall call his name Ishmael, Because 11the LORD has given heed to your affliction.
12 "He will be a 12wild donkey of a man, His hand will be against everyone, And everyone's hand will be against him; And he will live 13to the east of all his brothers."

Genesis 16:2-12 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO GENESIS 16

This chapter gives an account of Abram's marrying his maid, at the instance of his wife Sarai, Ge 16:1-3, who, upon conceiving, despised her mistress; of which complaint is made to Abram, who leaving his maid to his wife, to deal with her as she pleased, dealt harshly by her, and therefore fled from her, Ge 16:4-6; when she was met by an angel, who advised her to return and submit herself to her mistress, and told her her seed would be greatly multiplied, gave a name to the child she went with, and described his temper and disposition, Ge 16:7-12; and then we have the name of God that spoke to her, and of the place where the discourse passed between them, Ge 16:13,14; and the chapter is concluded with the birth of Ishmael, and the age of Abram at his birth, Ge 16:15,16.

Cross References 13

  • 1. Gen 30:3, 4, 9, 10
  • 2. Genesis 12:4
  • 3. Jeremiah 51:35
  • 4. Genesis 31:53; Exodus 5:21
  • 5. Genesis 16:9
  • 6. Genesis 21:17, 18; Genesis 22:11, 15; Genesis 31:11
  • 7. Genesis 20:1; Genesis 25:18
  • 8. Genesis 3:9; 1 Kings 19:9, 13
  • 9. Genesis 22:15-18
  • 10. Genesis 17:20
  • 11. Exodus 2:23, 24; Exodus 3:7, 9
  • 12. Job 24:5; Job 39:5-8
  • 13. Genesis 25:18

Footnotes 14

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