Internet Verse Search Commentaries Word Analysis ITL - draft

Genesis 16:2

NETBible	So Sarai said to Abram, “Since¹ the Lord has prevented me from having children, have sexual relations with² my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.”³ Abram did what⁴ Sarai told him.
NIV © biblegateway Gen 16:2	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 © biblegateway Gen 16:2	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 © biblegateway Gen 16:2	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 © biblegateway Gen 16:2	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 © SABDAweb Gen 16:2	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 © bibleoremus Gen 16:2	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 © biblegateway Gen 16:2	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.
[+] More English


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 © biblegateway Gen 16:2	So Sarai <08297> said <0559> to Abram <087> , "Now <04994> behold <02009> , the LORD <03068> has prevented <06113> me from bearing <03205> children. Please <04994> go <0935> in to my maid <08198> ; perhaps <0194> I will obtain <01129> children <01129> through <04480> her." And Abram <087> listened <08085> to the voice <06963> of Sarai <08297> .
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, “Since¹ the Lord has prevented me from having children, have sexual relations with² my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.”³ Abram did what⁴ Sarai told him.

NET Notes

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

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

²sn 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.

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

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

⁴sn 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.