1Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to have children. Since she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar, 2Sarai said to Abram, “The LORD has kept me from giving birth, so go to my servant. Maybe she will provide me with children.” Abram did just as Sarai said. 3After Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram’s wife Sarai took her Egyptian servant Hagar and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife. 4He slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when she realized that she was pregnant, she no longer respected her mistress. 5Sarai said to Abram, “This harassment is your fault. I allowed you to embrace my servant, but when she realized she was pregnant, I lost her respect. Let the LORD decide who is right, you or me.”

6Abram said to Sarai, “Since she’s your servant, do whatever you wish to her.” So Sarai treated her harshly, and she ran away from Sarai.

7The LORD’s messenger found Hagar at a spring in the desert, the spring on the road to Shur, 8and said, “Hagar! Sarai’s servant! Where did you come from and where are you going?”

She said, “From Sarai my mistress. I’m running away.”

9The LORD’s messenger said to her, “Go back to your mistress. Put up with her harsh treatment of you.” 10The LORD’s messenger also said to her,

“I will give you many children,

so many they can’t be counted!”

11The LORD’s messenger said to her,

“You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son.

You will name him Ishmael#16.11 Or God hears

because the LORD has heard about your harsh treatment.

12He will be a wild mule of a man;

he will fight everyone, and they will fight him.

He will live at odds with all his relatives.”#16.12 Or He will reside near all his relatives.

13Hagar named the LORD who spoke to her, “You are El Roi”#16.13 Or God who sees or God whom I’ve seen because she said, “Can I still see after he saw me?”#16.13 Heb uncertain; or Have I really seen God and survived? 14Therefore, that well is called Beer-lahai-roi;#16.14 Or the Well of the Living One who sees me or whom I’ve seen it’s the well between Kadesh and Bered. 15Hagar gave birth to a son for Abram, and Abram named him Ishmael. 16Abram was 86 years old when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael for Abram.

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Genesis 16

1¶ Now Sarai Abram’s wife bore him no children; and she had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

2And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord has 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.

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

5Then 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 pleases thee. Then Sarai afflicted her, and she fled from her face.

7¶ And 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, where didst thou come from and where 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 humble thyself under her hands.

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

11And the angel of the Lord yet said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son and shalt call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has 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 spoke unto her, Thou God that is seen: for she said, Have I not also here seen the back of him that sees me?

14Therefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; {well of the living one who sees me} behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

15¶ And Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bore, Ishmael.

16And Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International

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Genesis 16

Genesis 16