Focused Passage

Genesis 16:7-16

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

7 Now the angel of the LORD found Hagar by a spring of water in the desert—the spring along the road to Shur.

8 “Hagar, servant of Sarai,” he said, “where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I am running away from my mistress Sarai,” she replied.

9 So the angel of the LORD told her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her authority.”

10 Then the angel added, “I will greatly multiply your offspring so that they will be too numerous to count.”

11 The angel of the LORD proceeded: “Behold, you have conceived and will bear a son. And you shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard your cry of affliction.

12 He will be a wild donkey of a man, and his hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand against him; he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”

13 So Hagar gave this name to the LORD who had spoken to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “Here I have seen the One who sees me!”

14 Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi. It is located between Kadesh and Bered.

15 And Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne.

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

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 7

Original words

Now the angel מַלְאַ֧ךְ H4397 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֛ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular found וַֽיִּמְצָאָ֞הּ H4672 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular [Hagar] by עַל־ H5921 Preposition a spring עֵ֥ין H5869 Noun - common singular construct of water הַמַּ֖יִם H4325 Article | Noun - masculine plural in the desert בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר H4057 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular . . . עַל־ H5921 Preposition the spring הָעַ֖יִן H5869 Article | Noun - common singular along the road בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ H1870 Preposition-b | Noun - common singular construct to Shur שֽׁוּר׃ H7793 Noun - proper - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Or Angel; also in verses 9, 10, and 11; corresponding pronouns may also be capitalized.
Verse 8

Original words

Hagar הָגָ֞ר H1904 Noun - proper - feminine singular servant שִׁפְחַ֥ת H8198 Noun - feminine singular construct of Sarai שָׂרַ֛י H8297 Noun - proper - feminine singular he said וַיֹּאמַ֗ר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular where אֵֽי־ H335 Interrogative . . . מִזֶּ֥ה H2088 Interrogative have you come from בָ֖את H935 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singular and where וְאָ֣נָה H575 Conjunctive waw | Interrogative are you going תֵלֵ֑כִי H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular I am אָנֹכִ֖י H595 Pronoun - first person common singular running away בֹּרַֽחַת׃ H1272 Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular from מִפְּנֵי֙ H6440 Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct my mistress גְּבִרְתִּ֔י H1404 Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular Sarai שָׂרַ֣י H8297 Noun - proper - feminine singular she replied וַתֹּ֕אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Verse 9

Original words

So the angel מַלְאַ֣ךְ H4397 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular told וַיֹּ֤אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular her לָהּ֙ Preposition | third person feminine singular Return שׁ֖וּבִי H7725 Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition your mistress גְּבִרְתֵּ֑ךְ H1404 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular and submit וְהִתְעַנִּ֖י H6031 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Imperative - feminine singular to her authority תַּ֥חַת H8478 Preposition . . . יָדֶֽיהָ׃ H3027 Noun - feminine dual construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 10

Original words

Then the angel מַלְאַ֣ךְ H4397 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular added וַיֹּ֤אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular I will greatly multiply הַרְבָּ֥ה H7235 Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute . . . אַרְבֶּ֖ה H7235 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker your offspring זַרְעֵ֑ךְ H2233 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular so that וְלֹ֥א H3808 Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle they will be too numerous מֵרֹֽב׃ H7230 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular to count יִסָּפֵ֖ר H5608 Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 11

Original words

The angel מַלְאַ֣ךְ H4397 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular proceeded וַיֹּ֤אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . לָהּ֙ Preposition | third person feminine singular Behold הִנָּ֥ךְ H2009 Interjection | second person feminine singular you have conceived הָרָ֖ה H2030 Adjective - feminine singular and will bear וְיֹלַ֣דְתְּ H3205 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person feminine singular a son בֵּ֑ן H1121 Noun - masculine singular And you shall name him וְקָרָ֤את H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person feminine singular . . . שְׁמוֹ֙ H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular Ishmael יִשְׁמָעֵ֔אל H3458 Noun - proper - masculine singular for כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition has heard שָׁמַ֥ע H8085 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular your cry of affliction עָנְיֵֽךְ׃ H6040 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Ishmael means God hears.
Verse 12

Original words

He וְה֤וּא H1931 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singular will be יִהְיֶה֙ H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular a wild donkey פֶּ֣רֶא H6501 Noun - masculine singular construct [of a] man אָדָ֔ם H120 Noun - masculine singular and his hand יָד֣וֹ H3027 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular will be against everyone בַכֹּ֔ל H3605 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular and everyone’s כֹּ֖ל H3605 Noun - masculine singular hand וְיַ֥ד H3027 Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct against him בּ֑וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular he will live יִשְׁכֹּֽן׃ H7931 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular in hostility וְעַל־ H5921 Conjunctive waw | Preposition toward פְּנֵ֥י H6440 Noun - common plural construct all כָל־ H3605 Noun - masculine singular construct his brothers אֶחָ֖יו H251 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

So [Hagar] gave וַתִּקְרָ֤א H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular this name שֵׁם־ H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct to the LORD יְהוָה֙ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular who had spoken הַדֹּבֵ֣ר H1696 Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular to her אֵלֶ֔יהָ H413 Preposition | third person feminine singular You are אַתָּ֖ה H859 Pronoun - second person masculine singular the God אֵ֣ל H410 Noun - masculine singular construct who sees me רֳאִ֑י H7210 Noun - masculine singular for כִּ֣י H3588 Conjunction she said אָֽמְרָ֗ה H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular Here הֲלֹ֛ם H1988 Adverb I have הֲגַ֥ם H1571 Conjunction seen רָאִ֖יתִי H7200 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular . . . אַחֲרֵ֥י H310 Noun - masculine plural construct the One who sees me רֹאִֽי׃ H7200 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | first person common singular

BSB notes

  • Hebrew El-Roi
Verse 14

Original words

Therefore עַל־ H5921 Preposition . . . כֵּן֙ H3651 Adverb the well לַבְּאֵ֔ר H875 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singular was called קָרָ֣א H7121 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular vvv בְּאֵ֥ר H883 Preposition vvv לַחַ֖י H883 Preposition Beer-lahai-roi רֹאִ֑י H883 Noun - proper - feminine singular It is located הִנֵּ֥ה H2009 Interjection between בֵין־ H996 Preposition Kadesh קָדֵ֖שׁ H6946 Noun - proper - feminine singular . . . וּבֵ֥ין H996 Conjunctive waw | Preposition and Bered בָּֽרֶד׃ H1260 Noun - proper - feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Beer-lahai-roi means well of the Living One who sees me.
Verse 15

Original words

And Hagar הָגָ֛ר H1904 Noun - proper - feminine singular bore וַתֵּ֧לֶד H3205 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular Abram לְאַבְרָ֖ם H87 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular a son בֵּ֑ן H1121 Noun - masculine singular and Abram אַבְרָ֧ם H87 Noun - proper - masculine singular gave וַיִּקְרָ֨א H7121 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular the name שֶׁם־ H8034 Noun - masculine singular construct Ishmael יִשְׁמָעֵֽאל׃ H3458 Noun - proper - masculine singular to the son בְּנ֛וֹ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative [she] הָגָ֖ר H1904 Noun - proper - feminine singular had borne יָלְדָ֥ה H3205 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Verse 16

Original words

Abram וְאַבְרָ֕ם H87 Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singular was eighty-six שְׁמֹנִ֥ים H8084 Number - common plural . . . וְשֵׁ֣שׁ H8337 Conjunctive waw | Number - feminine singular years שָׁנִ֑ים H8141 Noun - feminine plural old בֶּן־ H1121 Noun - masculine singular construct . . . שָׁנָ֖ה H8141 Noun - feminine singular when Hagar הָגָ֥ר H1904 Noun - proper - feminine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker bore בְּלֶֽדֶת־ H3205 Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct Ishmael יִשְׁמָעֵ֖אל H3458 Noun - proper - masculine singular to him לְאַבְרָֽם׃ס H87 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine 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.