8 And he said, H559 Hagar, H1904 Sarai's H8297 maid, H8198 whence H335 camest thou? H935 and whither wilt thou go? H3212 And she said, H559 I flee H1272 from the face H6440 of my mistress H1404 Sarai. H8297
Hast thou not procured H6213 this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken H5800 the LORD H3068 thy God, H430 when H6256 he led H3212 thee by the way? H1870 And now what hast thou to do in the way H1870 of Egypt, H4714 to drink H8354 the waters H4325 of Sihor? H7883 or what hast thou to do in the way H1870 of Assyria, H804 to drink H8354 the waters H4325 of the river? H5104
Servants, G1401 be obedient G5219 to them that are your masters G2962 according to G2596 the flesh, G4561 with G3326 fear G5401 and G2532 trembling, G5156 in G1722 singleness G572 of your G5216 heart, G2588 as G5613 unto Christ; G5547 Not G3361 with G2596 eyeservice, G3787 as G5613 menpleasers; G441 but G235 as G5613 the servants G1401 of Christ, G5547 doing G4160 the will G2307 of God G2316 from G1537 the heart; G5590 With G3326 good will G2133 doing service, G1398 as to the Lord, G2962 and G2532 not G3756 to men: G444 Knowing G1492 that G3754 whatsoever G3739 G1437 G5100 good thing G18 any man G1538 doeth, G4160 the same G5124 shall he receive G2865 of G3844 the Lord, G2962 whether G1535 he be bond G1401 or G1535 free. G1658
Let G1526 as many G3745 servants G1401 as G3745 are G1526 under G5259 the yoke G2218 count G2233 their own G2398 masters G1203 worthy G514 of all G3956 honour, G5092 that G3363 the name G3686 of God G2316 and G2532 his doctrine G1319 be G987 not G3363 blasphemed. G987 And G1161 they that have G2192 believing G4103 masters, G1203 let them G2706 not G3361 despise G2706 them, because G3754 they are G1526 brethren; G80 but G235 rather G3123 do them service, G1398 because G3754 they are G1526 faithful G4103 and G2532 beloved, G27 partakers G482 of the benefit. G2108 These things G5023 teach G1321 and G2532 exhort. G3870
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Genesis 16
Commentary on Genesis 16 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 16
Ge 16:1-16. Bestowment of Hagar.
1. Now, Sarai … had a handmaid—a female slave—one of those obtained in Egypt.
3. Sarai … gave her to … Abram to be his wife—"Wife" is here used to describe an inferior, though not degrading, relation, in countries where polygamy prevails. In the case of these female slaves, who are the personal property of his lady, being purchased before her marriage or given as a special present to her, no one can become the husband's secondary wife without her mistress consent or permission. This usage seems to have prevailed in patriarchal times; and Hagar, Sarai's slave, of whom she had the entire right of disposing, was given by her mistress' spontaneous offer, to be the secondary wife of Abram, in the hope of obtaining the long-looked-for heir. It was a wrong step—indicating a want of simple reliance on God—and Sarai was the first to reap the bitter fruits of her device.
5. And Sarai said … My wrong be upon thee—Bursts of temper, or blows, as the original may bear, took place till at length Hagar, perceiving the hopelessness of maintaining the unequal strife, resolved to escape from what had become to her in reality, as well as in name, a house of bondage.
7. And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain—This well, pointed out by tradition, lay on the side of the caravan road, in the midst of Shur, a sandy desert on the west of Arabia-Petræa, to the extent of a hundred fifty miles, between Palestine and Egypt. By taking that direction, she seems to have intended to return to her relatives in that country. Nothing but pride, passion, and sullen obstinacy, could have driven any solitary person to brave the dangers of such an inhospitable wild; and she would have died, had not the timely appearance and words of the angel recalled her to reflection and duty.
11. Ishmael—Like other Hebrew names, this had a signification, and it is made up of two words—"God hears." The reason is explained.
12. he will be a wild man—literally, "a wild ass man," expressing how the wildness of Ishmael and his descendants resembles that of the wild ass.
his hand will be against every man—descriptive of the rude, turbulent, and plundering character of the Arabs.
dwell in the presence of all his brethren—dwell, that is, pitch tents; and the meaning is that they maintain their independence in spite of all attempts to extirpate or subdue them.
13. called the name—common in ancient times to name places from circumstances; and the name given to this well was a grateful recognition of God's gracious appearance in the hour of Hagar's distress.