Genesis 16:7-12

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.”

10 The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.”

11 The angel of the LORD also said to her: “You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael,^[a]for the LORD has heard of your misery.

12 He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward^[b] all his brothers.”

Genesis 16:7-12 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

• 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
• 4. S ver 1
• 5. S Genesis 3:9
• 6. S Genesis 13:16">Genesis 13:16; Genesis 13:16">Genesis 13:16; Genesis 17:20
• 7. S ver 7; S Acts 5:19
• 8. S Genesis 3:15
• 9. Genesis 12:2-3; Genesis 18:19; Nehemiah 9:7; Isaiah 44:1; Amos 3:2; Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:13,31
• 10. Genesis 17:19; Genesis 21:3; Genesis 37:25,28; Genesis 39:1; Judges 8:24
• 11. Genesis 29:32; Genesis 31:42; Exodus 2:24; Exodus 3:7,9; Exodus 4:31; Numbers 20:16; Deuteronomy 26:7; 1 Samuel 9:16
• 12. Job 6:5; Job 11:12; Job 24:5; Job 39:5; Psalms 104:11; Jeremiah 2:24; Hosea 8:9
• 13. Genesis 25:18

Footnotes

• [a] "Ishmael" means "God hears."
• [b] Or "live to the east" / "of"