Genesis 16

1 Now Sarai the wife of Abram, had brought forth no children; but having a handmaid, an Egyptian, named Agar,

Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had given him no children; and she had a servant, a woman of Egypt whose name was Hagar.

2 She said to her husband: Behold, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: go in unto my handmaid, it may be I may have children of her at least. And when he agreed to her request,

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.

3 She took Agar the Egyptian her handmaid, ten years after they first dwelt in the land of Chanaan, and gave her to her husband to wife.

So after Abram had been living for ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai took Hagar, her Egyptian servant, and gave her to Abram for his wife.

4 And he went in to her. But she, perceiving that she was with child, despised her mistress.

And he went in to Hagar and she became with child, and when she saw that she was with child, she no longer had any respect for her master's wife.

5 And Sarai said to Abram: Thou dost unjustly with me: I gave my handmaid into thy bosom, and she perceiving herself to be with child, despiseth me. The Lord judge between me and thee.

And Sarai said to Abram, May my wrong be on you: I gave you my servant for your wife and when she saw that she was with child, she no longer had any respect for me: may the Lord be judge between you and me.

6 And Abram made answer, and said to her: Behold thy handmaid is in thy own hand, use her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai afflicted her, she ran away.

And Abram said, The woman is in your power; do with her whatever seems good to you. And Sarai was cruel to her, so that she went running away from her.

7 And the angel of the Lord having found her, by a fountain of water in the wilderness, which is in the way to Sur in the desert,

And an angel of the Lord came to her by a fountain of water in the waste land, by the fountain on the way to Shur.

8 He said to her: Agar, handmaid of Sarai, whence comest thou? and whither goest thou? And she answered: I flee from the face of Sarai, my mistress.

And he said, Hagar, Sarai's servant, where have you come from and where are you going? And she said, I am running away from Sarai, my master's wife.

9 And the angel of the Lord said to her: Return to thy mistress, and humble thyself under her hand.

And the angel said to her, Go back, and put yourself under her authority.

10 And again he said: I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, and it shall not be numbered for multitude.

And the angel of the Lord said, Your seed will be greatly increased so that it may not be numbered.

11 And again: Behold, said he, thou art with child, and thou shalt bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Ismael, because the Lord hath heard thy affliction.

And the angel of the Lord said, See, you are with child and will give birth to a son, to whom you will give the name Ishmael, because the ears of the Lord were open to your sorrow.

12 He shall be a wild man: his hand will be against all men, and all men’s hands against him: and he shall pitch his tents over against all his brethren.

And he will be like a mountain ass among men; his hand will be against every man and every man's hand against him, and he will keep his place against all his brothers.

13 And she called the name of the Lord that spoke unto her: Thou the God who hast seen me. For she said: Verily here have I seen the hinder parts of him that seeth me.

And to the Lord who was talking with her she gave this name, You are a God who is seen; for she said, Have I not even here in the waste land had a vision of God and am still living?

14 Therefore she called that well, The well of him that liveth and seeth me. The same is between Cades and Barad.

So that fountain was named, Fountain of Life and Vision: it is between Kadesh and Bered.

15 And Agar brought forth a son to Abram: who called his name Ismael.

And Hagar gave birth to a child, the son of Abram, to whom Abram gave the name of Ishmael.

16 Abram was four score and six years old when Agar brought him forth Ismael.

Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael.