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Read Genesis Chapter 16

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1Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

2And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

3And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

4And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

5And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.

6But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.

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

8And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.

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

10And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.

11And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.

12And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.

13And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?

14Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

15And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.

16And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.

You are readingKing James Version

Explanation

Genesis 16

In short

Sarai cannot have children, so she gives her servant Hagar to Abram as a wife to bear a child instead. Hagar becomes pregnant and is mistreated, runs away, and meets an angel who promises her son will have many descendants and tells her to return home. She names God "the God who sees" because he saw her suffering.

What the text says

Verse 1 begins by stating Sarai has no children and names her Egyptian servant, Hagar. In verses 2 and 3, Sarai tells Abram to sleep with Hagar, hoping to gain a child through her, and Abram agrees. Verse 4 says Hagar becomes pregnant, then looks down on Sarai. In verse 5, Sarai blames Abram for her shame, saying the Lord must judge between them. Verse 6 tells us Abram leaves the matter to Sarai, who treats Hagar so badly she flees.

Verses 7 to 9 say an angel finds Hagar at a spring in the wilderness and tells her to go back and obey Sarai. Verses 10 and 11 contain the angel's promise: her descendants will be countless, she will have a son, and she must name him Ishmael, because God has heard her affliction. Verse 12 describes the son's character and future. In verse 13, Hagar names God "Thou God seest me" and reflects on meeting him. Verses 15 and 16 record that Hagar bears Ishmael when Abram is eighty-six years old.

Takeaways

  • Human plans can conflict with what God intends, and trying to force results creates suffering for others.
  • God notices those who are forgotten or mistreated, even slaves far from home.
  • A child born from this arrangement becomes the ancestor of a great nation alongside Abraham's promised line.

Explanation written with the help of AI. The Bible text above is not changed. Context and interpretation are flagged as such; always come back to the text itself.