Genesis 16:2

NETBible

So Sarai said to Abram, “Since 1  the Lord has prevented me from having children, have sexual relations with 2  my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.” 3  Abram did what 4  Sarai told him.

NIV ©

so she said to Abram, "The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her." Abram agreed to what Sarai said.

NASB ©

So Sarai said to Abram, "Now behold, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my maid; perhaps I will obtain children through her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

NLT ©

and gave her to Abram so she could bear his children. "The LORD has kept me from having any children," Sarai said to Abram. "Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her." And Abram agreed.

MSG ©

Sarai said to Abram, "GOD has not seen fit to let me have a child. Sleep with my maid. Maybe I can get a family from her." Abram agreed to do what Sarai said.

BBE ©

And Sarai said to Abram, See, the Lord has not let me have children; go in to my servant, for I may get a family through her. And Abram did as Sarai said.

NRSV ©

and Sarai said to Abram, "You see that the LORD has prevented me from bearing children; go in to my slave-girl; it may be that I shall obtain children by her." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

NKJV ©

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.

KJV
And Sarai
<08297>
said
<0559> (8799)
unto Abram
<087>_,
Behold now, the LORD
<03068>
hath restrained me
<06113> (8804)
from bearing
<03205> (8800)_:
I pray thee, go in
<0935> (8798)
unto my maid
<08198>_;
it may
<0194>
be that I may obtain children
<01129> (8735)
by her. And Abram
<087>
hearkened
<08085> (8799)
to the voice
<06963>
of Sarai
<08297>_.
{obtain...: Heb. be built by her}
NASB ©
So Sarai
<8297>
said
<559>
to Abram
<87>
, "Now
<4994>
behold
<2009>
, the LORD
<3068>
has prevented
<6113>
me from bearing
<3205>

children.
Please
<4994>
go
<935>
in to my maid
<8198>
; perhaps
<194>
I will obtain
<1129>
children
<1129>
through
<4480>
her." And Abram
<87>
listened
<8085>
to the voice
<6963>
of Sarai
<8297>
.
LXXM
eipen {V-AAI-3S} de
<1161> 
PRT
sara {N-PRI} prov
<4314> 
PREP
abram {N-PRI} idou
<2400> 
INJ
sunekleisen
<4788> 
V-AAI-3S
me
<1473> 
P-AS
kuriov
<2962> 
N-NSM
tou
<3588> 
T-GSN
mh
<3165> 
ADV
tiktein
<5088> 
V-PAN
eiselye
<1525> 
V-AAD-2S
oun
<3767> 
PRT
prov
<4314> 
PREP
thn
<3588> 
T-ASF
paidiskhn
<3814> 
N-ASF
mou
<1473> 
P-GS
ina
<2443> 
CONJ
teknopoihshv {V-AAS-2S} ex
<1537> 
PREP
authv
<846> 
D-GSF
uphkousen
<5219> 
V-AAI-3S
de
<1161> 
PRT
abram {N-PRI} thv
<3588> 
T-GSF
fwnhv
<5456> 
N-GSF
sarav {N-PRI}
NET [draft] ITL
So Sarai
<08297>
said
<0559>
to
<0413>
Abram
<087>
, “Since
<02009>
the Lord
<03068>
has prevented
<06113>
me from having children
<03205>
, have sexual relations
<0935>
with
<0413>
my servant
<08198>
. Perhaps
<0194>
I can have a family
<01129>
by
<04480>
her.” Abram
<087>
did
<08085>
what Sarai
<08297>
told
<06963>
him.
HEBREW
yrv
<08297>
lwql
<06963>
Mrba
<087>
emsyw
<08085>
hnmm
<04480>
hnba
<01129>
ylwa
<0194>
ytxps
<08198>
la
<0413>
an
<04994>
ab
<0935>
tdlm
<03205>
hwhy
<03068>
ynrue
<06113>
an
<04994>
hnh
<02009>
Mrba
<087>
la
<0413>
yrv
<08297>
rmatw (16:2)
<0559>
NETBible

So Sarai said to Abram, “Since 1  the Lord has prevented me from having children, have sexual relations with 2  my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.” 3  Abram did what 4  Sarai told him.

NET Notes

1 tn Heb “look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) introduces the foundational clause for the imperative to follow.

2 tn Heb “enter to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual relations (also in v. 4).

2 sn The Hebrew expression translated have sexual relations with does not convey the intimacy of other expressions, such as “so and so knew his wife.” Sarai simply sees this as the social custom of having a child through a surrogate. For further discussion see C. F. Fensham, “The Son of a Handmaid in Northwest Semitic,” VT 19 (1969): 312-21.

3 tn Heb “perhaps I will be built from her.” Sarai hopes to have a family established through this surrogate mother.

4 tn Heb “listened to the voice of,” which is an idiom meaning “obeyed.”

4 sn Abram did what Sarai told him. This expression was first used in Gen 3:17 of Adam’s obeying his wife. In both cases the text highlights weak faith and how it jeopardized the plan of God.