16: 2 And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, Jehovah hath restrained me from bearing; go in, I pray thee, unto my handmaid; it may be that I shall 230obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
230Hb. be builded by her.
16: 3 And Sarai, Abram’s wife, 231took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife.
231Apparently no earlier than the 4th month. Compare vs. 16. So Hagar’s flight was not in the winter. If Melchizedek’s blessing was a year earlier, then Sarah’s decision took 8-17 months; if the same year, then < 5 months; if two years earlier, then 20-29 months. 1(±½) year would seem reasonable.
16: 4 And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
16: 5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I gave my handmaid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: Jehovah judge between me and 232her.
232Sopherim changed to thee. See Companion Bible note and Appendix 31.
16: 6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her that which is good in thine eyes. And Sarai dealt hardly with her, and she fled from her face.
16: 7 And the angel of Jehovah found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
16: 8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s handmaid, whence camest thou? And whither goest thou? And she said, I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.
16: 9 And the angel of Jehovah said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
16: 10 And the angel of Jehovah said unto her, I will greatly multiply thy seed, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
16: 11 And the angel of Jehovah said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son; and thou shalt call his name 233Ishmael, because Jehovah hath heard thy affliction.
233That is, God heareth,
16: 12 And he shall be as a wild ass among men; his hand shall be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell 234over against all his brethren.
234Or, to the east of
16: 13 And she called the name of Jehovah that spake unto her, 235Thou art 236a God that seeth: for she said, Have I even here looked after him that seeth me?
235Or, Thou God seest me:
236Hb. El roi: that is, God of seeing:
16: 14 Wherefore the well was called 237Beer lahai roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
237That is, The well of the living one who seeth me;
16: 15 And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bare, Ishmael.
16: 16 And Abram was eighty-six years old, 238when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.
238Probably not later than the 9th month. Cf. vs. 3.
