Genesis 16:7

7 The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur.

Genesis 16:7 in Other Translations

7 And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.

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

7 The angel of the LORD found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur.

7 An angel of God found her beside a spring in the desert; it was the spring on the road to Shur.

7 The Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur.

Genesis 16:7 Meaning and Commentary

Genesis 16:7

And the angel of the Lord found her
This is the first time that mention is made of an angel in Scripture, but is not to be understood of a created angel, but of a divine Person, as appears from ( Genesis 16:10 Genesis 16:13 ) , the uncreated angel, the Logos or Son of God, called the Angel of God's presence, and the Angel of the covenant, ( Isaiah 63:9 ) ( Malachi 3:1 ) ; who often appeared in an human form before his incarnation, being sent by his divine Father on one account or another; and hence called an angel, a messenger, or one sent, as in the fulness of time he was sent in human nature to be the Redeemer of his people; though many of the Jewish writers take this angel to be a man sent of God. Gersom

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 says he was one of the prophets that lived in those times, and observes, that some of their Rabbins say ^F15 he was Shem, the son of Noah; and Maimonides ^F16 suggests, that this angel was but a mere man, by comparing this passage with that in ( Genesis 37:15 ) , "a certain man found him" but the context most clearly confutes this notion, and proves him to be the almighty and omniscient God; since he promises to do what none but the omnipotent Being could do, and declares such things as none but the omniscient God could know: and when it is said he "found Hagar", it is not to be understood as if it was a chance matter, or the fruit and effect of search and inquiry, or as if he had not seen her before; but rather it shows that his eye was upon her, and he had a concern for her, and at a proper time and place appeared to her at once, and unawares, and unthought of by her. And the place where he found her was

by a fountain of water in the wilderness;
which lay between Egypt and Canaan, the same through which the Israelites passed afterwards from the one to the other: here was a fountain of water, and meeting with it she stopped to refresh herself,

by the fountain in the way to Shur;
a place before or over against Egypt, from whence the wilderness had its name, see ( Genesis 25:18 ) ( 1 Samuel 15:7 ) ( Exodus 15:22 ) , which shows that she was making her way to Egypt, as fast as she could, her native country, where in all probability she proposed to continue, and never return more: what the name of the place the angel found her at was, at that time, is not certain, or whether it had any; for it seems to be so called from the Lord's "looking" upon her here, which "Shur" signifies: the Jerusalem Targum calls it Chalaza; and both the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan name it Chagra or Hagra, after her own name, as it should seem: and it is remarkable, that this very place, and the wilderness, and parts adjacent, were the habitation of her posterity, the sons of Ishmael, ( Genesis 25:18 ) ; and must be in Arabia Petraea, which they inhabited; and Ptolemy ^F17 speaks of a city called Suratta, in that country.

F14 Comment in loc.
F15 Bereshit Rabba, sect. 45. fol. 41. 1.
F16 Moreh Nevochim, par. 2. c. 42. p. 311.
F17 Geograph. l. 5. c. 17.

Genesis 16:7 In-Context

5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the LORD judge between you and me.”

6 “Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.

7 The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur.

8 And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered.

9 Then the angel of the LORD told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.”

Cross References

• 1. ver 11; Genesis 21:17; Genesis 22:11,15; Genesis 24:7,40; Genesis 31:11; Genesis 48:16; Exodus 3:2; Exodus 14:19; Exodus 23:20,23; Exodus 32:34; Exodus 33:2; Numbers 22:22; Judges 2:1; Judges 6:11; Judges 13:3; 2 Samuel 24:16; 1 Kings 19:5; 2 Kings 1:3; 2 Kings 19:35; Psalms 34:7; Zechariah 1:11; S Acts 5:19
• 2. ver 14; Genesis 21:19
• 3. Genesis 20:1; Genesis 25:18; Exodus 15:22; 1 Samuel 15:7; 1 Samuel 27:8