# Genesis 16 đź“–: Hagar and Ishmael
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### The Birth of Ishmael
[[#Verse 01.]] Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children, but she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar.Â
[[#Verse 02.]] So Sarai said to Abram, “Since the Lord has prevented me from having children, please sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.” Abram did what Sarai told him.
[[#Verse 03.]] So after Abram had lived in Canaan for ten years, Sarai, Abram’s wife, gave Hagar, her Egyptian servant, to her husband to be his wife.Â
[[#Verse 04.]] He slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. Once Hagar realized she was pregnant, she despised Sarai.Â
[[#Verse 05.]] Then Sarai said to Abram, “You have brought this wrong on me! I gave my servant into your embrace, but when she realized that she was pregnant, she despised me. May the Lord judge between you and me!”
[[#Verse 06.]] Abram said to Sarai, “Since your servant is under your authority, do to her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai treated Hagar harshly, so she ran away from Sarai.
[[#Verse 07.]] The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring of water in the wilderness—the spring that is along the road to Shur.Â
[[#Verse 08.]] He said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She replied, “I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai.”
[[#Verse 09.]] Then the angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her authority.Â
[[#Verse 10.]] I will greatly multiply your descendants,” the angel of the Lord added, “so that they will be too numerous to count.”Â
[[#Verse 11.]] Then the angel of the Lord said to her, “You are now pregnant and are about to give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your painful groans.
[[#Verse 12.]] He will be a wild donkey of a man. He will be hostile to everyone, and everyone will be hostile to him. He will live away from his brothers.”
[[#Verse 13.]] So Hagar named the Lord who spoke to her, “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “Here I have seen one who sees me!”Â
[[#Verse 14.]] That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi. (It is located between Kadesh and Bered.)
[[#Verse 15.]] So Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son, whom Abram named Ishmael.Â
[[#Verse 16.]] (Now Abram was 86 years old when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael.)
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. Using a servant as a surrogate was a known custom. Ancient law codes such as Hammurabi's address it.
2. Abram had lived in Canaan ten years when this happened (16:3).
3. This is the first appearance of "the angel of the Lord" in the Bible (16:7).
4. Many see the angel of the Lord as an appearance of God Himself, because Hagar says she has seen God (16:13).
5. Ishmael means "God hears" (16:11).
6. Hagar is the only person in the Bible who gives God a name (16:13).
7. The well was named Beer Lahai Roi, "the well of the Living One who sees me" (16:14).
8. Shur (16:7) was on the road from Canaan toward Egypt, Hagar's homeland.
9. Abram was 86 when Ishmael was born (16:16).
10. Paul uses Hagar and Sarah as an illustration of two covenants (Galatians 4:21-31).
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the One who sees and seeks the outcast. The angel of the Lord found Hagar in the wilderness (16:7), and Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10).
## 🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. Sarai and Abram tried to fulfill God's promise their own way (16:2). Where are you tempted to help God along?
2. Hagar called God "the God who sees me" (16:13). How does it encourage you that God sees you?
3. God told Hagar to return (16:9). Why is it sometimes harder to obey than to escape?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verse 2: Sarai urges Abram to have a child through Hagar.
- đź“– verse 7: The angel of the Lord finds Hagar in the wilderness.
- đź“– verse 13: Hagar names the Lord "the God who sees me."
## đź”— Related Passages
- đź”— [[Galatians 04#Verse 21.|Galatians 4:21-31]] - Hagar and Sarah as two covenants.
- đź”— [[Genesis 21#Verse 14.|Genesis 21:14-21]] - God hears Ishmael in the wilderness.
- đź”— [[Psalm 139#Verse 01.|Psalm 139:1-12]] - God sees and knows us everywhere.
- đź”— [[Luke 19#Verse 10.|Luke 19:10]] - Jesus came to seek and save the lost.
- đź”— [[Hebrews 04#Verse 13.|Hebrews 4:13]] - Nothing is hidden from God's sight.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
📝 SOAP: [[Genesis 16- SOAP|Don’t Try to Help God]]
## đź“‚ Internal Notes