Gen 16:1-3 | Clarke | STEP | Sarai, having no child, gives Hagar her maid to Abram for wife, . She conceives and despises her mistress, . Sarai is offended and upbraids Abram, . Abram vindicates himself; and Hagar, being hardly used by her mistress, runs away, . She is met by an angel, and counselled to return to her mistress, . God promises greatly to multiply her seed, . Gives the name of Ishmael to the child that should be born of her, . Shows his disposition and character, . Hagar calls the name of the Lord who spoke to her, Thou God seest me, . She calls the name of the well at which the angel met her, Beer-laharoi, . Ishmael is born in the 86th year of Abram's age, , . Verse 1 She had a handmaid, an Egyptian - As Hagar was an Egyptian, St. Chrysostom's conjecture is very probable. that she was one of those female slaves which Pharaoh gave to Abram when he sojourned in Egypt; see . Her name הגר hagar signifies a stranger or sojourner, and it is likely she got this name in the family of Abram, as the word is pure Hebrew.

‏ Genesis 16:1-3

Introduction

Sarai, having no child, gives Hagar her maid to Abram for wife, Gen 16:1-3. She conceives and despises her mistress, Gen 16:4. Sarai is offended and upbraids Abram, Gen 16:5. Abram vindicates himself; and Hagar, being hardly used by her mistress, runs away, Gen 16:6. She is met by an angel, and counselled to return to her mistress, Gen 16:7-9. God promises greatly to multiply her seed, Gen 16:10. Gives the name of Ishmael to the child that should be born of her, Gen 16:11. Shows his disposition and character, Gen 16:12. Hagar calls the name of the Lord who spoke to her, Thou God seest me, Gen 16:13. She calls the name of the well at which the angel met her, Beer-laharoi, Gen 16:14. Ishmael is born in the 86th year of Abram's age, Gen 16:15, Gen 16:16.

Verse 1

She had a handmaid, an Egyptian - As Hagar was an Egyptian, St. Chrysostom's conjecture is very probable. that she was one of those female slaves which Pharaoh gave to Abram when he sojourned in Egypt; see Gen 12:16. Her name הגר hagar signifies a stranger or sojourner, and it is likely she got this name in the family of Abram, as the word is pure Hebrew. Verse 2

Go in unto my maid - It must not be forgotten that female slaves constituted a part of the private patrimony or possessions of a wife, and that she had a right, according to the usages of those times, to dispose of them as she pleased, the husband having no authority in the case.

I may obtain children by her - The slave being the absolute property of the mistress, not only her person, but the fruits of her labor, with all her children, were her owner's property also.

The children, therefore, which were born of the slave, were considered as the children of the mistress. It was on this ground that Sarai gave her slave to Abram; and we find, what must necessarily be the consequence in all cases of polygamy, that strifes and contentions took place. Verse 3

And Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar - and gave her to her husband - to be his wife - There are instances of Hindoo women, when barren, consenting to their husbands marrying a second wife for the sake of children; and second marriages on this account, without consent, are very common - Ward