Genesis 16:3-6

Context

16:3 So after Abram had lived¹ in Canaan for ten years, Sarai, Abram’s wife, gave Hagar, her Egyptian servant,² to her husband to be his wife.³ 16:4 He had sexual relations with⁴ Hagar, and she became pregnant.⁵ Once Hagar realized she was pregnant, she despised Sarai.⁶ 16:5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You have brought this wrong on me!⁷ I allowed my servant to have sexual relations with you,⁸ but when she realized⁹ that she was pregnant, she despised me.¹⁰ May the Lord judge between you and me!”¹¹

16:6 Abram said to Sarai, “Since your¹² servant is under your authority,¹³ do to her whatever you think best.”¹⁴ Then Sarai treated Hagar¹⁵ harshly,¹⁶ so she ran away from Sarai.¹⁷

Genesis 16:15

Context

16:15 So Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son, whom Abram named Ishmael.¹⁸

Genesis 17:20

Context
17:20 As for Ishmael, I have heard you.¹⁹ I will indeed bless him, make him fruitful, and give him a multitude of descendants.²⁰ He will become the father of twelve princes;²¹ I will make him into a great nation.

[16:3] ¹tn 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.

[16:3] ²tn Heb “the Egyptian, her female servant.”

[16:3] ³sn 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.

[16:4] ⁴tn Heb “entered to.” See the note on the same expression in v. 2.

[16:4] ⁵tn Or “she conceived” (also in v. 5)

[16:4] ⁶tn 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.

[16:5] ⁷tn Heb “my wrong is because of you.”

[16:5] ⁸tn Heb “I placed my female servant in your bosom.”

[16:5] ⁹tn Heb “saw.”

[16:5] ¹⁰tn 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.

[16:5] ¹¹tn Heb “me and you.”

[16:6] ¹²tn The clause is introduced with the particle הִנֵּה (hinneh), introducing a foundational clause for the coming imperative: “since…do.”

[16:6] ¹³tn Heb “in your hand.”

[16:6] ¹⁴tn Heb “what is good in your eyes.”

[16:6] ¹⁵tn Heb “her”; the referent (Hagar) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:6] ¹⁶tn In the Piel stem the verb עָנָה (’anah) means “to afflict, to oppress, to treat harshly, to mistreat.”

[16:6] ¹⁷tn Heb “and she fled from her presence.” The referent of “her” (Sarai) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[16:15] ¹⁸tn Heb “and Abram called the name of his son whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.”

[17:20] ¹⁹sn The Hebrew verb translated “I have heard you” forms a wordplay with the name Ishmael, which means “God hears.” See the note on the name “Ishmael” in 16:11.

[17:20] ²⁰tn Heb “And I will multiply him exceedingly, exceedingly.” The repetition is emphatic.

[17:20] ²¹tn For a discussion of the Hebrew word translated “princes,” see E. A. Speiser, “Background and Function of the Biblical Nasi’,” CBQ 25 (1963): 111-17.