Genesis 16
World English Bible
16 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, bore him no children. She had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 2 Sarai said to Abram, “See now, Yahweh has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my servant. It may be that I will obtain children by her.” Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. 3 Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife. 4 He went in to Hagar, and she conceived. When she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. 5 Sarai said to Abram, “This wrong is your fault. I gave my servant into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, she despised me. May Yahweh judge between me and you.”
6 But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes.” Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face.
7 Yahweh’s angel found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain on the way to Shur. 8 He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where did you come from? Where are you going?”
She said, “I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.”
9 Yahweh’s angel said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hands.” 10 Yahweh’s angel said to her, “I will greatly multiply your offspring, that they will not be counted for multitude.” 11 Yahweh’s angel said to her, “Behold, you are with child, and will bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because Yahweh has heard your affliction. 12 He will be like a wild donkey among men. His hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. He will live opposed to all of his brothers.”
13 She called the name of Yahweh who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees,” for she said, “Have I even stayed alive after seeing him?” 14 Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi.[a] Behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
15 Hagar bore a son for Abram. Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
Footnotes
- 16:14 Beer Lahai Roi means “well of the one who lives and sees me”.
Genesis 16
1599 Geneva Bible
16 3 Sarai being barren giveth Hagar to Abram. 4 Which conceiveth and despiseth her dame: 6 And being ill handled, fleeth. 7 The Angel comforteth her. 11, 12 The name and manners of her son. 13 She calleth upon the Lord, whom she findeth true.
1 Now [a]Sarai Abram’s wife bore him no children, and she had a maid an Egyptian, Hagar by name.
2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath [b]restrained me from childbearing, I pray thee go in unto my maid: [c]it may be that I shall [d]receive a child by her. And Abram obeyed the voice of Sarai.
3 Then Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelled ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram for his wife.
4 ¶ And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her dame was [e]despised in her eyes.
5 Then Sarai said to Abram, [f]Thou doest me wrong, I have given my maid into thy bosom, and she seeth that she hath conceived, and I am despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.
6 Then Abram said to Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thine [g]hand: do with her as it pleaseth thee. Then Sarai dealt roughly with her: wherefore she fled from her.
7 ¶ But the [h]Angel of the Lord found her beside a fountain in the way of Shur,
8 And he said, Hagar Sarai’s maid, whence comest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from my dame Sarai.
9 Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, [i]Return to thy dame, and humble thyself under her hands.
10 Again the Angel of the Lord said unto her, I will so greatly increase thy seed, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
11 Also the Angel of the Lord said unto her, See, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael: for the Lord hath heard thy tribulation.
12 And he shall be a [j]wild man: his hand shall be against every man, and every man’s hand against him, (A)and [k]he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
13 Then she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God lookest on me: for she said, [l]Have I not also here looked after him that seeth me?
14 (B)Wherefore the Well was called, [m]Beer Lahai Roi: lo, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
15 ¶ And Hagar bare Abram a son, and Abram called his son’s name which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
16 And Abram was four score and six years old when Hagar bare him Ishmael.
Footnotes
- Genesis 16:1 It seemeth that she had respect to God’s promise, which could not be accomplished without issue.
- Genesis 16:2 She faileth in binding God’s power to the common order of nature, as though God could not give her children in her old age.
- Genesis 16:2 Or, peradventure.
- Genesis 16:2 Hebrew, be built by her.
- Genesis 16:4 This punishment declareth what they gain that attempt anything against the word of God.
- Genesis 16:5 Hebrew, mine injury is upon thee.
- Genesis 16:6 Or, power.
- Genesis 16:7 Which was Christ, as appeareth verse 13 and Gen. 18:17.
- Genesis 16:9 God rejecteth none estate of people in their misery, but sendeth them comfort.
- Genesis 16:12 Or, fierce and cruel, or; as a wild ass.
- Genesis 16:12 That is, the Ishmaelites shall be a peculiar people by themselves, and not a portion of another people.
- Genesis 16:13 She rebuketh her own dullness and acknowledgeth God’s graces, who was present with her everywhere.
- Genesis 16:14 Or, the well of the living, and seeing me.
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