Genesis 16:11
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The angel of the LORD proceeded: “Behold, you have conceived and will bear a son. And you shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard your cry of affliction.
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
Hagar is the person mostly concerned in the story of this chapter, an obscure Egyptian woman, whose name and story we never should have heard of if Providence had not brought her into the family of Abram. Probably she was one of those maid-servants whom the king of Egypt, among other gifts, bestowed upon Abram (Gen 14:16). Concerning her, we have four things in this chapter: - I. Her marriage to Abram her master (Gen 16:1-3). II. Her misbehaviour towards Sarai her mistress (Gen 16:4-6). III. Her discourse with an angel that met her in her flight (Gen 16:7-14). IV. Her delivery of a son (Gen 16:15, Gen 16:16).
Open source ↗16:11 Names in Genesis often capture the message of a passage and aid the remembrance of the events and their significance in the history of the faith. The name Ishmael, which means “God hears,” commemorates that the Lord . . . heard Hagar’s cry of distress (see also study note on 16:14-15). This name would have greatly comforted Hagar; God listened to her prayers and acknowledged her complaint.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.
But God replied, “Your wife Sarah will indeed bear you a son, and you are to name him Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.
So in the course of time, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.”
Behold, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus.
And now the cry of the Israelites has reached Me, and I have seen how severely the Egyptians are oppressing them.
Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God as they wander about for lack of food?
Zechariah asked for a tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they were all amazed.
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
For He has not despised or detested the torment of the afflicted. He has not hidden His face from him, but has attended to his cry for help.