Genesis 16:9-16

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

10 And the angel of the Lord said to her, I will surely multiply thy seed, and it shall not be numbered for multitude.

11 And the angel of the Lord said to her, Behold thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ismael, for the Lord hath hearkened to thy humiliation.

12 He shall be a wild man, his hands against all, and the hands of all against him, and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.

13 And she called the name of the Lord God who spoke to her, Thou art God who seest me; for she said, For I have openly seen him that appeared to me.

14 Therefore she called the well, The well of him whom I have openly seen; behold it is between Cades and Barad.

15 And Agar bore a son to Abram; and Abram called the name of his son which Agar bore to him, Ismael.

16 And Abram was eighty-six years old, when Agar bore Ismael to Abram.

Genesis 16:9-16 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.