Hagar and Ishmael

In this chapter we see a breakdown of faith as several characters took matters into their own hands. Before going further, let us all acknowledge that we have done the same at various points in our life, some more than others, in trusting our own efforts or growing impatient with God when we do not see immediate results.

To give some background, at this point in time, Abraham had been promised descendents as many as the stars in the sky and sand on the beach. Several chapters back, God had already ruled out the possibility that Abraham need to give his inheritance to his relative or friend due to his not having any children - meaning that Abraham would have his own children.

Some time must have passed between God's promise and the events in this chapter. Abraham would have also discussed with Sarah about God's promises. Sarah may have doubted that the promise of Abraham's offspring would come through her after waiting for some time and looking at her age. She took matters into her own hands, perhaps thinking she is helping God fulfill His promise, by asking Abraham to make a child with her servant. Abraham also made the mistake of taking part in Sarah's plan. The result is ill feelings created between Hagar the maid and Sarah. Eventually, with Abraham's permission, Sarah drove Hagar away, though they may not have known that Hagar was pregnant.

As Hagar fled Abraham's household, an angel revealed to Hagar that she was pregnant. Moreover, it appears God's promise to bless Abraham with many descendents also included the child of Hagar, Ishmael, who would have many offsprings. The angel also revealed that the descendents of Ishmael will be a quarrelsome people and may develop into nations that will be in constant strife with each other.

The chapter ends with Hagar's obedience to the angel's message “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.” By this act of Hagar, the blessings on her child was able to come true.


Genesis 16

 1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar.
 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai.
 3 Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan.
 4 So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes.
5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The LORD judge between you and me.”
6 So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence.
7 Now the Angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur.
8 And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?”
She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”
9 The Angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.”
10 Then the Angel of the LORD said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.”
11 And the Angel of the LORD said to her:

      “ Behold, you are with child,
      And you shall bear a son.
      You shall call his name Ishmael,
      Because the LORD has heard your affliction.
 12 He shall be a wild man;
      His hand shall be against every man,
      And every man’s hand against him.
      And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”
13 Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?”
14 Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi;[a] observe, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
15 So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.
16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.