Genesis 16:8
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“Hagar, servant of Sarai,” he said, “where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I am running away from my mistress Sarai,” she replied.
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 ↗16:8-12 The angel’s rhetorical questions encouraged Hagar to pour out her heart to God. When she did, God commanded her to return and submit (16:9), promising that her son would have innumerable descendants. The angel of the Lord never referred to Hagar as Abram’s wife, only as Sarai’s servant. She would have Abram’s child, but Ishmael was not central to God’s covenant with Abram.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
But the LORD God called out to the man, “Where are you?”
“What have you done?” replied the LORD. “The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground.
If the ruler’s temper flares against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness lays great offenses to rest.
Now please, may my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the LORD has stirred you up against me, then may He accept an offering. But if men have done it, may they be cursed in the presence of the LORD! For today they have driven me away from sharing in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’
Now Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children, but she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar.
And he slept with Hagar, and she conceived. But when Hagar realized that she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress.