16:9 Then the Lord’s angel said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit 1 to her authority.
“You are now 2 pregnant
and are about to give birth 3 to a son.
You are to name him Ishmael, 4
for the Lord has heard your painful groans. 5
1 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.
2 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) focuses on her immediate situation: “Here you are pregnant.”
3 tn The active participle refers here to something that is about to happen.
4 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.”
5 tn Heb “affliction,” which must refer here to Hagar’s painful groans of anguish.