16:1 Now Sarai, 1 Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children, 2 but she had an Egyptian servant 3 named Hagar. 4 16:2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Since 5 the Lord has prevented me from having children, have sexual relations with 6 my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.” 7 Abram did what 8 Sarai told him.
16:3 So after Abram had lived 9 in Canaan for ten years, Sarai, Abram’s wife, gave Hagar, her Egyptian servant, 10 to her husband to be his wife. 11 16:4 He had sexual relations with 12 Hagar, and she became pregnant. 13 Once Hagar realized she was pregnant, she despised Sarai. 14 16:5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You have brought this wrong on me! 15 I allowed my servant to have sexual relations with you, 16 but when she realized 17 that she was pregnant, she despised me. 18 May the Lord judge between you and me!” 19
16:6 Abram said to Sarai, “Since your 20 servant is under your authority, 21 do to her whatever you think best.” 22 Then Sarai treated Hagar 23 harshly, 24 so she ran away from Sarai. 25
16:7 The Lord’s angel 26 found Hagar near a spring of water in the desert – the spring that is along the road to Shur. 27 16:8 He said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She replied, “I’m running away from 28 my mistress, Sarai.”
16:9 Then the Lord’s angel said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit 29 to her authority. 16:10 I will greatly multiply your descendants,” the Lord’s angel added, 30 “so that they will be too numerous to count.” 31 16:11 Then the Lord’s angel said to her,
“You are now 32 pregnant
and are about to give birth 33 to a son.
You are to name him Ishmael, 34
for the Lord has heard your painful groans. 35
16:12 He will be a wild donkey 36 of a man.
He will be hostile to everyone, 37
and everyone will be hostile to him. 38
He will live away from 39 his brothers.”
16:13 So Hagar named the Lord who spoke to her, “You are the God who sees me,” 40 for she said, “Here I have seen one who sees me!” 41 16:14 That is why the well was called 42 Beer Lahai Roi. 43 (It is located 44 between Kadesh and Bered.)
16:15 So Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son, whom Abram named Ishmael. 45 16:16 (Now 46 Abram was 86 years old 47 when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael.) 48
16:1 Now Sarai, 54 Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children, 55 but she had an Egyptian servant 56 named Hagar. 57
42:1 58 “Here is my servant whom I support,
my chosen one in whom I take pleasure.
I have placed my spirit on him;
he will make just decrees 59 for the nations. 60
42:6 “I, the Lord, officially commission you; 61
I take hold of your hand.
I protect you 62 and make you a covenant mediator for people, 63
and a light 64 to the nations, 65
49:4 But I thought, 66 “I have worked in vain;
I have expended my energy for absolutely nothing.” 67
But the Lord will vindicate me;
my God will reward me. 68
49:5 So now the Lord says,
the one who formed me from birth 69 to be his servant –
he did this 70 to restore Jacob to himself,
so that Israel might be gathered to him;
and I will be honored 71 in the Lord’s sight,
for my God is my source of strength 72 –
49:6 he says, “Is it too insignificant a task for you to be my servant,
to reestablish the tribes of Jacob,
and restore the remnant 73 of Israel? 74
I will make you a light to the nations, 75
so you can bring 76 my deliverance to the remote regions of the earth.”
49:7 This is what the Lord,
the protector 77 of Israel, their Holy One, 78 says
to the one who is despised 79 and rejected 80 by nations, 81
a servant of rulers:
“Kings will see and rise in respect, 82
princes will bow down,
because of the faithful Lord,
the Holy One of Israel who has chosen you.”
49:8 This is what the Lord says:
“At the time I decide to show my favor, I will respond to you;
in the day of deliverance I will help you;
I will protect you 83 and make you a covenant mediator for people, 84
to rebuild 85 the land 86
and to reassign the desolate property.
50:4 The sovereign Lord has given me the capacity to be his spokesman, 87
so that I know how to help the weary. 88
He wakes me up every morning;
he makes me alert so I can listen attentively as disciples do. 89
50:5 The sovereign Lord has spoken to me clearly; 90
I have not rebelled,
I have not turned back.
50:6 I offered my back to those who attacked, 91
my jaws to those who tore out my beard;
I did not hide my face
from insults and spitting.
50:7 But the sovereign Lord helps me,
so I am not humiliated.
For that reason I am steadfastly resolved; 92
I know I will not be put to shame.
50:8 The one who vindicates me is close by.
Who dares to argue with me? Let us confront each other! 93
Who is my accuser? 94 Let him challenge me! 95
50:9 Look, the sovereign Lord helps me.
Who dares to condemn me?
Look, all of them will wear out like clothes;
a moth will eat away at them.
50:2 Why does no one challenge me when I come?
Why does no one respond when I call? 96
Is my hand too weak 97 to deliver 98 you?
Do I lack the power to rescue you?
Look, with a mere shout 99 I can dry up the sea;
I can turn streams into a desert,
so the fish rot away and die
from lack of water. 100
4:1 Seven women will grab hold of
one man at that time. 101
They will say, “We will provide 102 our own food,
we will provide 103 our own clothes;
but let us belong to you 104 –
take away our shame!” 105
4:1 Seven women will grab hold of
one man at that time. 106
They will say, “We will provide 107 our own food,
we will provide 108 our own clothes;
but let us belong to you 109 –
take away our shame!” 110
1 tn The disjunctive clause signals the beginning of a new episode in the story.
2 sn On the cultural background of the story of Sarai’s childlessness see J. Van Seters, “The Problem of Childlessness in Near Eastern Law and the Patriarchs of Israel,” JBL 87 (1968): 401-8.
3 tn The Hebrew term שִׁפְחָה (shifkhah, translated “servant” here and in vv. 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8) refers to a menial female servant.
4 sn The passage records the birth of Ishmael to Abram through an Egyptian woman. The story illustrates the limits of Abram’s faith as he tries to obtain a son through social custom. The barrenness of Sarai poses a challenge to Abram’s faith, just as the famine did in chap. 12. As in chap. 12, an Egyptian figures prominently. (Perhaps Hagar was obtained as a slave during Abram’s stay in Egypt.)
5 tn Heb “look.” The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) introduces the foundational clause for the imperative to follow.
6 tn Heb “enter to.” The expression is a euphemism for sexual relations (also in v. 4).
7 tn Heb “perhaps I will be built from her.” Sarai hopes to have a family established through this surrogate mother.
8 tn Heb “listened to the voice of,” which is an idiom meaning “obeyed.”
9 tn Heb “at the end of ten years, to live, Abram.” The prepositional phrase introduces the temporal clause, the infinitive construct serves as the verb, and the name “Abram” is the subject.
10 tn Heb “the Egyptian, her female servant.”
11 sn To be his wife. Hagar became a slave wife, not on equal standing with Sarai. However, if Hagar produced the heir, she would be the primary wife in the eyes of society. When this eventually happened, Hagar become insolent, prompting Sarai’s anger.
12 tn Heb “entered to.” See the note on the same expression in v. 2.
13 tn Or “she conceived” (also in v. 5)
14 tn Heb “and she saw that she was pregnant and her mistress was despised in her eyes.” The Hebrew verb קָלַל (qalal) means “to despise, to treat lightly, to treat with contempt.” In Hagar’s opinion Sarai had been demoted.
15 tn Heb “my wrong is because of you.”
16 tn Heb “I placed my female servant in your bosom.”
17 tn Heb “saw.”
18 tn Heb “I was despised in her eyes.” The passive verb has been translated as active for stylistic reasons. Sarai was made to feel supplanted and worthless by Hagar the servant girl.
19 tn Heb “me and you.”
20 tn The clause is introduced with the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh), introducing a foundational clause for the coming imperative: “since…do.”
21 tn Heb “in your hand.”
22 tn Heb “what is good in your eyes.”
23 tn Heb “her”; the referent (Hagar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
24 tn In the Piel stem the verb עָנָה (’anah) means “to afflict, to oppress, to treat harshly, to mistreat.”
25 tn Heb “and she fled from her presence.” The referent of “her” (Sarai) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
26 tn Heb “the messenger of the
27 tn Heb “And the angel of the
28 tn Heb “from the presence of.”
29 tn The imperative וְהִתְעַנִּי (vÿhit’anni) is the Hitpael of עָנָה (’anah, here translated “submit”), the same word used for Sarai’s harsh treatment of her. Hagar is instructed not only to submit to Sarai’s authority, but to whatever mistreatment that involves. God calls for Hagar to humble herself.
30 tn Heb “The
31 tn Heb “cannot be numbered because of abundance.”
32 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) focuses on her immediate situation: “Here you are pregnant.”
33 tn The active participle refers here to something that is about to happen.
34 sn The name Ishmael consists of the imperfect or jussive form of the Hebrew verb with the theophoric element added as the subject. It means “God hears” or “may God hear.”
35 tn Heb “affliction,” which must refer here to Hagar’s painful groans of anguish.
36 sn A wild donkey of a man. The prophecy is not an insult. The wild donkey lived a solitary existence in the desert away from society. Ishmael would be free-roaming, strong, and like a bedouin; he would enjoy the freedom his mother sought.
37 tn Heb “His hand will be against everyone.” The “hand” by metonymy represents strength. His free-roaming life style would put him in conflict with those who follow social conventions. There would not be open warfare, only friction because of his antagonism to their way of life.
38 tn Heb “And the hand of everyone will be against him.”
39 tn Heb “opposite, across from.” Ishmael would live on the edge of society (cf. NASB “to the east of”). Some take this as an idiom meaning “be at odds with” (cf. NRSV, NLT) or “live in hostility toward” (cf. NIV).
40 tn Heb “God of my seeing.” The pronominal suffix may be understood either as objective (“who sees me,” as in the translation) or subjective (“whom I see”).
41 tn Heb “after one who sees me.”
42 tn The verb does not have an expressed subject and so is rendered as passive in the translation.
43 sn The Hebrew name Beer Lahai Roi (בְּאֵר לַחַי רֹאִי, bÿ’er lakhay ro’i) means “The well of the Living One who sees me.” The text suggests that God takes up the cause of those who are oppressed.
44 tn Heb “look.” The words “it is located” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.
45 tn Heb “and Abram called the name of his son whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.”
46 tn The disjunctive clause gives information that is parenthetical to the narrative.
47 tn Heb “the son of eighty-six years.”
48 tn The Hebrew text adds, “for Abram.” This has not been included in the translation for stylistic reasons; it is somewhat redundant given the three occurrences of Abram’s name in this and the previous verse.
49 tn Heb “Now the Valley of Siddim [was] pits, pits of tar.” This parenthetical disjunctive clause emphasizes the abundance of tar pits in the area through repetition of the noun “pits.”
50 tn Or “they were defeated there.” After a verb of motion the Hebrew particle שָׁם (sham) with the directional heh (שָׁמָּה, shammah) can mean “into it, therein” (BDB 1027 s.v. שָׁם).
51 tn Heb “the rest.”
52 sn The reference to the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah must mean the kings along with their armies. Most of them were defeated in the valley, but some of them escaped to the hills.
53 tn Heb “they”; the referent (the four victorious kings, see v. 9) has been supplied in the translation for clarity.
54 tn The disjunctive clause signals the beginning of a new episode in the story.
55 sn On the cultural background of the story of Sarai’s childlessness see J. Van Seters, “The Problem of Childlessness in Near Eastern Law and the Patriarchs of Israel,” JBL 87 (1968): 401-8.
56 tn The Hebrew term שִׁפְחָה (shifkhah, translated “servant” here and in vv. 2, 3, 5, 6, and 8) refers to a menial female servant.
57 sn The passage records the birth of Ishmael to Abram through an Egyptian woman. The story illustrates the limits of Abram’s faith as he tries to obtain a son through social custom. The barrenness of Sarai poses a challenge to Abram’s faith, just as the famine did in chap. 12. As in chap. 12, an Egyptian figures prominently. (Perhaps Hagar was obtained as a slave during Abram’s stay in Egypt.)
58 sn Verses 1-7 contain the first of Isaiah’s “servant songs,” which describe the ministry of a special, ideal servant who accomplishes God’s purposes for Israel and the nations. This song depicts the servant as a just king who brings justice to the earth and relief for the oppressed. The other songs appear in 49:1-13; 50:4-11; and 52:13-53:12.
59 tn Heb “he will bring out justice” (cf. ASV, NASB, NRSV).
60 sn Like the ideal king portrayed in Isa 11:1-9, the servant is energized by the divine spirit and establishes justice on the earth.
61 tn Heb “call you in righteousness.” The pronoun “you” is masculine singular, referring to the servant. See the note at 41:2.
62 tn The translation assumes the verb is derived from the root נָצַר (natsar, “protect”). Some prefer to derive it from the root יָצַר (yatsar, “form”).
63 tn Heb “a covenant of people.” A person cannot literally be a covenant; בְּרִית (bÿrit) is probably metonymic here, indicating a covenant mediator. The precise identity of עָם (’am, “people”) is uncertain. In v. 5 עָם refers to mankind, and the following reference to “nations” also favors this. But in 49:8, where the phrase בְּרִית עָם occurs again, Israel seems to be in view.
64 sn Light here symbolizes deliverance from bondage and oppression; note the parallelism in 49:6b and in 51:4-6.
65 tn Or “the Gentiles” (so KJV, ASV, NIV); the same Hebrew word can be translated “nations” or “Gentiles” depending on the context.
66 tn Or “said” (KJV, NASB, NIV, NRSV); NLT “I replied.”
67 tn Heb “for nothing and emptiness.” Synonyms are combined to emphasize the common idea.
68 tn Heb “But my justice is with the Lord, and my reward [or “wage”] with my God.”
69 tn Heb “from the womb” (so KJV, NASB).
70 tn The words “he did this” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons. In the Hebrew text the infinitive construct of purpose is subordinated to the previous statement.
71 tn The vav (ו) + imperfect is translated here as a result clause; one might interpret it as indicating purpose, “and so I might be honored.”
72 tn Heb “and my God is [perhaps, “having been”] my strength.” The disjunctive structure (vav [ו] + subject + verb) is interpreted here as indicating a causal circumstantial clause.
73 tn Heb “the protected [or “preserved”] ones.”
74 sn The question is purely rhetorical; it does not imply that the servant was dissatisfied with his commission or that he minimized the restoration of Israel.
75 tn See the note at 42:6.
76 tn Heb “be” (so KJV, ASV); CEV “you must take.”
77 tn Heb “redeemer.” See the note at 41:14.
78 sn See the note on the phrase “the Holy One of Israel” in 1:4.
79 tc The Hebrew text reads literally “to [one who] despises life.” It is preferable to read with the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa לבזוי, which should be vocalized as a passive participle, לִבְזוּי (livzuy, “to the one despised with respect to life” [נֶפֶשׁ is a genitive of specification]). The consonantal sequence וי was probably misread as ה in the MT tradition. The contextual argument favors the 1QIsaa reading. As J. N. Oswalt (Isaiah [NICOT], 2:294) points out, the three terse phrases “convey a picture of lowliness, worthlessness, and helplessness.”
80 tn MT’s Piel participle (“to the one who rejects”) does not fit contextually. The form should be revocalized as a Pual, “to the one rejected.”
81 tn Parallelism (see “rulers,” “kings,” “princes”) suggests that the singular גּוֹי (goy) be emended to a plural or understood in a collective sense (see 55:5).
82 tn For this sense of קוּם (qum), see Gen 19:1; 23:7; 33:10; Lev 19:32; 1 Sam 20:41; 25:41; 1 Kgs 2:19; Job 29:8.
83 tn The translation assumes the verb is derived from the root נָצָר (natsar, “protect”). Some prefer to derive it from the root יָצָר (yatsar, “form”).
84 tn Heb “a covenant of people.” A person cannot literally be a covenant; בְּרִית (bÿrit) is probably metonymic here, indicating a covenant mediator. Here עָם (’am, “people”) appears to refer to Israel. See the note at 42:6.
85 tn The Hiphil of קוּם (qum, “arise”) is probably used here in the sense of “rebuild.”
86 tn The “land” probably stands by metonymy for the ruins within it.
87 tn Heb “has given to me a tongue of disciples.”
88 tc Heb “to know [?] the weary with a word.” Comparing it with Arabic and Aramaic cognates yields the meaning of “help, sustain.” Nevertheless, the meaning of עוּת (’ut) is uncertain. The word occurs only here in the OT (see BDB 736 s.v.). Various scholars have suggested an emendation to עָנוֹת (’anot) from עָנָה (’anah, “answer”): “so that I know how to respond kindly to the weary.” Since the Qumran scroll 1QIsaa and the Vulgate support the MT reading, that reading is retained.
89 tn Heb “he arouses for me an ear, to hear like disciples.”
90 tn Or perhaps, “makes me obedient.” The text reads literally, “has opened for me an ear.”
91 tn Or perhaps, “who beat [me].”
92 tn Heb “Therefore I set my face like flint.”
93 tn Heb “Let us stand together!”
94 tn Heb “Who is the master of my judgment?”
95 tn Heb “let him approach me”; NAB, NIV “Let him confront me.”
96 sn The present tense translation of the verbs assumes that the Lord is questioning why Israel does not attempt to counter his arguments. Another possibility is to take the verbs as referring to past events: “Why did no one meet me when I came? Why did no one answer when I called?” In this case the Lord might be asking why Israel rejected his calls to repent and his offer to deliver them.
97 tn Heb “short” (so NAB, NASB, NIV).
98 tn Or “ransom” (NAB, NASB, NIV).
99 tn Heb “with my rebuke.”
100 tn Heb “the fish stink from lack of water and die from thirst.”
101 tn Or “in that day” (ASV).
102 tn Heb “eat” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); CEV “buy.”
103 tn Heb “wear” (so NASB, NRSV); NCV “make.”
104 tn Heb “only let your name be called over us.” The Hebrew idiom “call the name over” indicates ownership. See 2 Sam 12:28, and BDB 896 s.v. I ָקרָא Niph. 2.d.(4). The language reflects the cultural reality of ancient Israel, where women were legally the property of their husbands.
105 sn This refers to the humiliation of being unmarried and childless. The women’s words reflect the cultural standards of ancient Israel, where a woman’s primary duties were to be a wife and mother.
106 tn Or “in that day” (ASV).
107 tn Heb “eat” (so NASB, NIV, NRSV); CEV “buy.”
108 tn Heb “wear” (so NASB, NRSV); NCV “make.”
109 tn Heb “only let your name be called over us.” The Hebrew idiom “call the name over” indicates ownership. See 2 Sam 12:28, and BDB 896 s.v. I ָקרָא Niph. 2.d.(4). The language reflects the cultural reality of ancient Israel, where women were legally the property of their husbands.
110 sn This refers to the humiliation of being unmarried and childless. The women’s words reflect the cultural standards of ancient Israel, where a woman’s primary duties were to be a wife and mother.