Genesis 16

1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, bore him no children. She had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

Now Sarai, the wife of Abram, had not conceived children. But, having an Egyptian handmaid named Hagar,

2 Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my servant. It may be that I will obtain children by her.” Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

she said to her husband: “Behold, the Lord has closed me, lest I give birth. Enter to my handmaid, so that perhaps I may receive sons of her at least.” And when he agreed to her supplication,

3 Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife.

she took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, ten years after they began to live in the land of Canaan, and she gave her to her husband as a wife.

4 He went in to Hagar, and she conceived. When she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

And he entered to her. But when she saw that she had conceived, she despised her mistress.

5 Sarai said to Abram, “This wrong is your fault. I gave my servant into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, she despised me. May the LORD judge between me and you.”

And Sarai said to Abram: “You have acted unfairly against me. I gave my handmaid into your bosom, who, when she saw that she had conceived, held me in contempt. May the Lord judge between me and you.”

6 But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes.” Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face.

Abram responded to her by saying, “Behold, your handmaid is in your hand to treat as it pleases you.” And so, when Sarai afflicted her, she took flight.

7 The LORD’s angel found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain on the way to Shur.

And when the Angel of the Lord had found her, near the fountain of water in the wilderness, which is on the way to Shur in the desert,

8 He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where did you come from? Where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.”

he said to her: “Hagar, handmaid of Sarai, where have you come from? And where will you go?” And she answered, “I flee from the face of Sarai, my mistress.”

9 The LORD’s angel said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hands.”

And the Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and humble yourself under her hand.”

10 The LORD’s angel said to her, “I will greatly multiply your offspring, that they will not be counted for multitude.”

And again he said, “I will multiply your offspring continuously, and they will not be numbered because of their multitude.”

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.

But thereafter he said: “Behold, you have conceived, and you will give birth to a son. And you shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord has heard your affliction.

12 He will be like a wild donkey amongst men. His hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. He will live opposed to all of his brothers.”

He will be a wild man. His hand will be against all, and all hands will be against him. And he will pitch his tents away from the region of all his brothers.”

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?”

Then she called upon the name of the Lord who had spoken to her: “You are the God who has seen me.” For she said, “Certainly, here I have seen the back of the one who sees me.”

14 Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi. Behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

Because of this, she called that well: ‘The well of the one who lives and who sees me.’ The same is between Kadesh and Bered.

15 Hagar bore a son for Abram. Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.

And Hagar gave birth to a son for Abram, who called his name Ishmael.

16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

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