< Genesis 16 >

1 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had not borne any children for him, but she had a female servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
And Sara the wife of Abram bore him no children; and she had an Egyptian maid, whose name was Agar.
2 So Sarai said to Abram, “See, Yahweh has kept me from having children. Go sleep with my servant. It may be that I will have children by her.” Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
And Sara said to Abram, Behold, the Lord has restrained me from bearing, go therefore in to my maid, that I may get children for myself through her. And Abram listened to the voice of Sara.
3 It was after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan that Sarai, Abram's wife, gave Hagar, her Egyptian servant, to her husband as a wife.
So Sara the wife of Abram having taken Agar the Egyptian her handmaid, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Chanaan, gave her to Abram her husband as a wife to him.
4 So he had relations with Hagar, and she conceived. When she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress.
And he went in to Agar, and she conceived, and saw that she was with child, and her mistress was dishonored before her.
5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “This wrong on me is because of you. I gave my servant woman into your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes. Let Yahweh judge between me and you.”
And Sara said to Abram, I am injured by you; I gave my handmaid into your bosom, and when I saw that she was with child, I was dishonored before her. The Lord judge between me and you.
6 But Abram said to Sarai, “See here, your servant woman is in your power, do to her what you think best.” So Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her.
And Abram said to Sara, Behold your handmaid is in your hands, use her as it may seem good to you. And Sara afflicted her, and she fled from her face.
7 The angel of Yahweh found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring that is on the way to Shur.
And an angel of the Lord found her by the fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Sur.
8 He said, “Hagar, Sarai's servant, where did you come from and where are you going?” Then she said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.”
And the angel of the Lord said to her, Agar, Sara's maid, whence come you, and wither go you? and she said, I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sara.
9 The angel of Yahweh said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her authority.”
And the angel of the Lord said to her, Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hands.
10 Then the angel of Yahweh said to her, “I will greatly multiply your descendants, so that they will be too numerous to count.”
And the angel of the Lord said to her, I will surely multiply your seed, and it shall not be numbered for multitude.
11 The angel of Yahweh also said to her, “Behold, you are pregnant and will bear a son, and you will call his name Ishmael, because Yahweh has heard your affliction.
And the angel of the Lord said to her, Behold you are with child, and shall bear a son, and shall call his name Ismael, for the Lord has listened to your humiliation.
12 He will be a wild donkey of a man. He will be hostile against every man, and every man will be hostile to him, and he will live apart from all his brothers.”
He shall be a wild man, his hands against all, and the hands of all against him, and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
13 Then she gave this name to Yahweh who spoke to her, “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “Do I really continue to see, even after he has seen me?”
And she called the name of the Lord God who spoke to her, You are God who see me; for she said, For I have openly seen him that appeared to me.
14 Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
Therefore she called the well, The well of him whom I have openly seen; behold it is between Cades and Barad.
15 Hagar gave birth to Abram's son, and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.
And Agar bore a son to Abram; and Abram called the name of his son which Agar bore to him, Ismael.
16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.
And Abram was eighty-six years old, when Agar bore Ismael to Abram.

< Genesis 16 >