Genesis 16:7-13

7 Now ¹the angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to ²Shur.

8 He said, "Hagar, Sarai's maid, ³where * 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 ⁴angel of the LORD said to her, "⁵I 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 ⁶the LORD has given heed to your affliction.

12 "He will be a ⁷wild donkey of a man, His hand will be against everyone, And everyone's hand will be against him; And he will live ⁸to the east of all his brothers."

13 Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, "You are a God who sees "; for she said, "⁹Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?"

Genesis 16:7-13 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

• 1. Genesis 21:17, 18; Genesis 22:11, 15; Genesis 31:11
• 2. Genesis 20:1; Genesis 25:18
• 3. Genesis 3:9; 1 Kings 19:9, 13
• 4. Genesis 22:15-18
• 5. Genesis 17:20
• 6. Exodus 2:23, 24; Exodus 3:7, 9
• 7. Job 24:5; Job 39:5-8
• 8. Genesis 25:18
• 9. Genesis 32:30; Psalms 139:1-12

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "under her hands"
• [b]. Lit "seed"
• [c]. Or "it shall not be counted for multitude"
• [d]. I.e. God hears
• [e]. Lit "has heard"
• [f]. Lit "dwell"
• [g]. Lit "before the face of;" or "in defiance of"
• [h]. Or "You, God, see me"
• [i]. Heb "Elroi"
• [j]. Lit "seen here after the one who saw me"