Genesis 16:4-5

16:4 He had sexual relations with ¹  Hagar, and she became pregnant. ²  Once Hagar realized she was pregnant, she despised Sarai. ³  16:5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You have brought this wrong on me! ⁴  I allowed my servant to have sexual relations with you, ⁵  but when she realized ⁶  that she was pregnant, she despised me. ⁷  May the Lord judge between you and me!” ⁸ 

[16:4]  ¹ tn Heb “entered to.” See the note on the same expression in v. 2.

[16:4]  ² tn Or “she conceived” (also in v. 5)

[16:4]  ³ 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.

[16:5]  ⁴ tn Heb “my wrong is because of you.”

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

[16:5]  ⁶ tn Heb “saw.”

[16:5]  ⁷ 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.

[16:5]  ⁸ tn Heb “me and you.”