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

Hagar and Ishmael

1Abram's wife Sarai had not borne him any children. But she had an Egyptian slave woman named Hagar, 2and so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Why don't you sleep with my slave? Perhaps she can have a child for me.” Abram agreed with what Sarai said. 3So she gave Hagar to him to be his concubine. (This happened after Abram had lived in Canaan for ten years.) 4Abram had intercourse with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When she found out that she was pregnant, she became proud and despised Sarai.

5Then Sarai said to Abram, “It's your fault that Hagar despises me.#16.5: It's your fault … me; or May you suffer for this wrong done against me. I myself gave her to you, and ever since she found out that she was pregnant, she has despised me. May the Lord judge which of us is right, you or me!”

6Abram answered, “Very well, she is your slave and under your control; do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so cruelly that she ran away.

7The angel of the Lord met Hagar at a spring in the desert on the road to Shur 8and said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?”

She answered, “I am running away from my mistress.”

9He said, “Go back to her and be her slave.” 10Then he said, “I will give you so many descendants that no one will be able to count them. 11You are going to have a son, and you will name him Ishmael,#16.11: Ishmael: This name in Hebrew means “God hears.” because the Lord has heard your cry of distress. 12But your son will live like a wild donkey; he will be against everyone, and everyone will be against him. He will live apart from all his relatives.”

13Hagar asked herself, “Have I really seen God and lived to tell about it?”#16.13: Probable text lived to tell about it?; Hebrew unclear. So she called the Lord, who had spoken to her, “A God Who Sees.” 14That is why people call the well between Kadesh and Bered “The Well of the Living One Who Sees Me.”

15 # Ga 4.22 Hagar bore Abram a son, and he named him Ishmael. 16Abram was eighty-six years old at the time.

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Genesis 16

Genesis 16