Focused Passage

Genesis 16:1-6

Sarai and Abram Grasp at the Promise, but the LORD Sees Hagar and Preserves His Purposes

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

1 Now Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children, but she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar.

2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Look now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

3 So after he had lived in Canaan for ten years, his wife Sarai took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to Abram to be his wife.

4 And he slept with Hagar, and she conceived. But when Hagar realized that she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress.

5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be upon you! I delivered my servant into your arms, and ever since she saw that she was pregnant, she has treated me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me.”

6 “Here,” said Abram, “your servant is in your hands. Do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she fled from her.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 1

Original words

Now Abram’s אַבְרָ֔ם H87 Noun - proper - masculine singular wife אֵ֣שֶׁת H802 Noun - feminine singular construct Sarai וְשָׂרַי֙ H8297 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - feminine singular had borne יָלְדָ֖ה H3205 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular him ל֑וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular no [children] לֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle but וְלָ֛הּ Conjunctive waw | Preposition | third person feminine singular she had an Egyptian מִצְרִ֖ית H4713 Noun - proper - feminine singular maidservant שִׁפְחָ֥ה H8198 Noun - feminine singular named וּשְׁמָ֥הּ H8034 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular Hagar הָגָֽר׃ H1904 Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 2

Original words

So Sarai שָׂרַ֜י H8297 Noun - proper - feminine singular said וַתֹּ֨אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Abram אַבְרָ֗ם H87 Noun - proper - masculine singular Look הִנֵּה־ H2009 Interjection now נָ֞א H4994 Interjection the LORD יְהוָה֙ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular has prevented me עֲצָרַ֤נִי H6113 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular from bearing [children] מִלֶּ֔דֶת H3205 Preposition-m | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Please נָא֙ H4994 Interjection go בֹּא־ H935 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition my maidservant שִׁפְחָתִ֔י H8198 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular perhaps אוּלַ֥י H194 Adverb I can build a family אִבָּנֶ֖ה H1129 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - first person common singular by her מִמֶּ֑נָּה H4480 Preposition | third person feminine singular And Abram אַבְרָ֖ם H87 Noun - proper - masculine singular listened וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע H8085 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to the voice לְק֥וֹל H6963 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct of Sarai שָׂרָֽי׃ H8297 Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 3

Original words

So after מִקֵּץ֙ H7093 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct [he] אַבְרָ֖ם H87 Noun - proper - masculine singular had lived לְשֶׁ֥בֶת H3427 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct vvv בְּאֶ֣רֶץ H776 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct in Canaan כְּנָ֑עַן H3667 Noun - proper - masculine singular for ten עֶ֣שֶׂר H6235 Number - feminine singular years שָׁנִ֔ים H8141 Noun - feminine plural [his] אַבְרָ֗ם H87 Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker wife אֵֽשֶׁת־ H802 Noun - feminine singular construct Sarai שָׂרַ֣י H8297 Noun - proper - feminine singular took וַתִּקַּ֞ח H3947 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular her Egyptian הַמִּצְרִית֙ H4713 Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular maidservant שִׁפְחָתָ֔הּ H8198 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular Hagar הָגָ֤ר H1904 Noun - proper - feminine singular and gave וַתִּתֵּ֥ן H5414 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular her אֹתָ֛הּ H853 Direct object marker | third person feminine singular to Abram לְאַבְרָ֥ם H87 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular - אִישָׁ֖הּ H376 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person feminine singular to be ל֥וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular his wife לְאִשָּֽׁה׃ H802 Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 4

Original words

And he slept with וַיָּבֹ֥א H935 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition Hagar הָגָ֖ר H1904 Noun - proper - feminine singular and she conceived וַתַּ֑הַר H2029 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular But when [Hagar] realized וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙ H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular that כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction she was pregnant הָרָ֔תָה H2029 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular she began to despise וַתֵּקַ֥ל H7043 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular . . . בְּעֵינֶֽיהָ׃ H5869 Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | third person feminine singular her mistress גְּבִרְתָּ֖הּ H1404 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Or her mistress became despised in her sight
Verse 5

Original words

Then Sarai שָׂרַ֣י H8297 Noun - proper - feminine singular said וַתֹּ֨אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Abram אַבְרָם֮ H87 Noun - proper - masculine singular May the wrong done to me חֲמָסִ֣י H2555 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular [be] upon you עָלֶיךָ֒ H5921 Preposition | second person masculine singular I אָנֹכִ֗י H595 Pronoun - first person common singular delivered נָתַ֤תִּי H5414 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular my servant שִׁפְחָתִי֙ H8198 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular into your arms בְּחֵיקֶ֔ךָ H2436 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular and ever since she saw וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙ H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular that כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction she was pregnant הָרָ֔תָה H2029 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular she has treated me with contempt וָאֵקַ֖ל H7043 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular . . . בְּעֵינֶ֑יהָ H5869 Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | third person feminine singular May the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular judge יִשְׁפֹּ֥ט H8199 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular between you and me בֵּינִ֥י H996 Preposition | first person common singular . . . וּבֵינֶֽיׄךָ׃ H996 Conjunctive waw | Preposition | second person masculine singular
Verse 6

Original words

Here הִנֵּ֤ה H2009 Interjection said וַיֹּ֨אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Abram אַבְרָ֜ם H87 Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֶל־ H413 Preposition - שָׂרַ֗י H8297 Noun - proper - feminine singular your servant שִׁפְחָתֵךְ֙ H8198 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular is in your hands בְּיָדֵ֔ךְ H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular Do עֲשִׂי־ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular whatever you want הַטּ֣וֹב H2896 Article | Adjective - masculine singular בְּעֵינָ֑יִךְ בְּעֵינָ֑יִךְ H5869 Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | second person feminine singular with her לָ֖הּ Preposition | third person feminine singular Then Sarai שָׂרַ֔י H8297 Noun - proper - feminine singular treated וַתְּעַנֶּ֣הָ H6031 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person feminine singular [Hagar] so harshly that she fled וַתִּבְרַ֖ח H1272 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular from her מִפָּנֶֽיהָ׃ H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.