Gen 16:1-6 | NETfull | STEP | Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children, but she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar.

Genesis 16:1-6

1 Now Sarai, ^{▼▼ The disjunctive clause signals the beginning of a new episode in the story.} Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children, ^{▼▼ On the cultural background of the story of Sarai’s childlessness see J. Van Seters, “The Problem of Childlessness in Near Eastern Law and the Patriarchs of Israel,” JBL 87 (1968): 401-8.} but she had an Egyptian servant ^{▼▼ The Hebrew term שִׁפְחָה (shifkhah, translated “servant” here and in vv. 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8) refers to a menial female servant.} named Hagar. ^{▼▼ The passage records the birth of Ishmael to Abram through an Egyptian woman. The story illustrates the limits of Abram’s faith as he tries to obtain a son through social custom. The barrenness of Sarai poses a challenge to Abram’s faith, just as the famine did in chap. 12. As in chap. 12, an Egyptian figures prominently. (Perhaps Hagar was obtained as a slave during Abram’s stay in Egypt.)} 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Since ^{▼▼ Heb “look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) introduces the foundational clause for the imperative to follow.} the Lord has prevented me from having children, have sexual relations with ^{▼▼ Heb “enter to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual relations (also in v. 4).} ^{▼▼ The Hebrew expression translated have sexual relations with does not convey the intimacy of other expressions, such as “so and so knew his wife.” Sarai simply sees this as the social custom of having a child through a surrogate. For further discussion see C. F. Fensham, “The Son of a Handmaid in Northwest Semitic,” VT 19 (1969): 312-21.} my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.” ^{▼▼ Heb “perhaps I will be built from her.” Sarai hopes to have a family established through this surrogate mother.} Abram did what ^{▼▼ Heb “listened to the voice of,” which is an idiom meaning “obeyed.”} ^{▼▼ Abram did what Sarai told him. This expression was first used in Gen 3:17 of Adam’s obeying his wife. In both cases the text highlights weak faith and how it jeopardized the plan of God.} Sarai told him.

3 So after Abram had lived ^{▼▼ Heb “at the end of ten years, to live, Abram.” The prepositional phrase introduces the temporal clause, the infinitive construct serves as the verb, and the name “Abram” is the subject.} in Canaan for ten years, Sarai, Abram’s wife, gave Hagar, her Egyptian servant, ^{▼▼ Heb “the Egyptian, her female servant.”} to her husband to be his wife. ^{▼▼ To be his wife. Hagar became a slave wife, not on equal standing with Sarai. However, if Hagar produced the heir, she would be the primary wife in the eyes of society. When this eventually happened, Hagar become insolent, prompting Sarai’s anger.} 4 He had sexual relations with ^{▼▼ Heb “entered to.” See the note on the same expression in v. 2.} Hagar, and she became pregnant. ^{▼▼ Or “she conceived” (also in v. 5)} Once Hagar realized she was pregnant, she despised Sarai. ^{▼▼ Heb “and she saw that she was pregnant and her mistress was despised in her eyes.” The Hebrew verb קָלַל (qalal) means “to despise, to treat lightly, to treat with contempt.” In Hagar’s opinion Sarai had been demoted.} 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You have brought this wrong on me! ^{▼▼ Heb “my wrong is because of you.”} I allowed my servant to have sexual relations with you, ^{▼▼ Heb “I placed my female servant in your bosom.”} but when she realized ^{▼▼ Heb “saw.”} that she was pregnant, she despised me. ^{▼▼ Heb “I was despised in her eyes.” The passive verb has been translated as active for stylistic reasons. Sarai was made to feel supplanted and worthless by Hagar the servant girl.} May the Lord judge between you and me!” ^{▼▼ Heb “me and you.”} ^{▼▼ May the Lord judge between you and me. Sarai blamed Abram for Hagar’s attitude, not the pregnancy. Here she expects to be vindicated by the Lord who will prove Abram responsible. A colloquial rendering might be, “God will get you for this.” It may mean that she thought Abram had encouraged the servant girl in her elevated status.}

6 Abram said to Sarai, “Since your ^{▼▼ The clause is introduced with the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh), introducing a foundational clause for the coming imperative: “since…do.”} servant is under your authority, ^{▼▼ Heb “in your hand.”} do to her whatever you think best.” ^{▼▼ Heb “what is good in your eyes.”} Then Sarai treated Hagar ^{▼▼ Heb “her”; the referent (Hagar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.} harshly, ^{▼▼ In the Piel stem the verb עָנָה (’anah) means “to afflict, to oppress, to treat harshly, to mistreat.”} so she ran away from Sarai. ^{▼▼ Heb “and she fled from her presence.” The referent of “her” (Sarai) has been specified in the translation for clarity.}