Genesis Chapter 16 — Hagar and the Birth of Ishmael
Sarai arranges for Abram to have a child with her servant Hagar, but conflict leads Hagar to flee into the wilderness where she encounters God.
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Notable Verses
Genesis 16:11
“The LORD’s angel said to her, 'Behold, you are with child, and will bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has heard your affliction.'”
This verse marks the naming of Ishmael and establishes God's attentiveness to human suffering.
Genesis 16:13
“She called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, 'You are a God who sees,' for she said, 'Have I even stayed alive after seeing him?'”
This is a significant moment where a specific name for God, El Roi, is revealed through Hagar's experience.
Chapter Summary
After living in Canaan for ten years without children, Sarai suggests that Abram father a child through her Egyptian servant, Hagar. Abram agrees, and Hagar conceives, but tension quickly grows between the two women as Hagar begins to look upon Sarai with contempt. Feeling mistreated by Sarai's harsh response, Hagar flees into the wilderness. There, the Angel of the LORD finds her by a spring on the way to Shur and instructs her to return and submit to Sarai. The Angel promises that her descendants will be too numerous to count and tells her to name her son Ishmael, meaning 'God hears,' because He has heard her affliction. In response to this encounter, Hagar names the LORD 'El Roi,' meaning 'the God who sees me.' Hagar returns and gives birth to Ishmael when Abram is eighty-six years old.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sarai was unable to conceive children and, following the customs of the time, she sought to obtain children through her servant to fulfill the need for an heir in Abram's household.
Ishmael is the first son of Abram, born to Hagar, Sarai's Egyptian servant. His name means 'God hears,' reflecting that God heard Hagar's affliction in the wilderness.
The name Beer Lahai Roi means 'well of the one who lives and sees me.' It is the name given to the well where Hagar encountered the Angel of the LORD.
Study Note
The name 'Ishmael' (Yishmael) literally translates to 'God will hear,' serving as a perpetual linguistic reminder of God's response to Hagar's distress.
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