SARAI and HAGAR

 

Genesis 16:1

King James Version

16 Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: 

and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, 

whose name was Hagar.

What happens when a woman can't bear a child?

Sarai, Abram's wife, thought up a plan.

She must have been frustrated, and desperate.

Enough to think this:

Genesis 16:2-3

King James Version

2 And Sarai said unto Abram, 

Behold now, 

the Lord hath 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.

3 And 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.

As destiny would have it, Hagar didn't share the same problem as Sarai.

But she turned haughty.

Genesis 16:4

King James Version

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.

Sarai sought Abram's advice.

Genesis 16:5-6

King James Version

5 And 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.

6 But Abram said unto Sarai, 

Behold, thy maid is in thine hand; 

do to her as it pleaseth thee. 

And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, 

she fled from her face.

An angel of the Lord visits Hagar.

Genesis 16:7-9

King James Version

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.

8 And he said, 

Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou?

 and whither wilt thou go? 

And she said, 

I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.

9 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, 

Return to thy mistress, 

and submit thyself under her hands.

The angel also promises her:

Genesis 16:10

King James Version

10 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, 

I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, 

that it shall not be numbered for multitude.

The angel informs Hagar,

Genesis 16:11

King James Version

11 And the angel of the Lord said unto her, 

Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, 

and shalt call his name Ishmael; 

because the Lord hath heard thy affliction.

The angel prophesies:

Genesis 16:12

King James Version

12 And 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.

Abram becomes a father at 86.

Genesis 16:15-16

King James Version

15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: 

and Abram called his son's name,

which Hagar bare, 

Ishmael.

16 And Abram was fourscore and six years old, 

when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.

But what of Sarai?

How did she fare?

Did GOD bless her, too?

We shall find out on the next post.

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