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

7Now 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.

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

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

11The 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.

12He 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.”

13So 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!”

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

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

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

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 7

Original words

Now the angelמַלְאַ֧ךְH4397Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֛הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularfoundוַֽיִּמְצָאָ֞הּH4672Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person feminine singular[Hagar] byעַל־H5921Prepositiona springעֵ֥יןH5869Noun - common singular constructof waterהַמַּ֖יִםH4325Article | Noun - masculine pluralin the desertבַּמִּדְבָּ֑רH4057Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular. . .עַל־H5921Prepositionthe springהָעַ֖יִןH5869Article | Noun - common singularalong the roadבְּדֶ֥רֶךְH1870Preposition-b | Noun - common singular constructto Shurשֽׁוּר׃H7793Noun - proper - feminine singular

BSB notes

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

Original words

Hagarהָגָ֞רH1904Noun - proper - feminine singularservantשִׁפְחַ֥תH8198Noun - feminine singular constructof Saraiשָׂרַ֛יH8297Noun - proper - feminine singularhe saidוַיֹּאמַ֗רH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularwhereאֵֽי־H335Interrogative. . .מִזֶּ֥הH2088Interrogativehave you come fromבָ֖אתH935Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singularand whereוְאָ֣נָהH575Conjunctive waw | Interrogativeare you goingתֵלֵ֑כִיH1980Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singularI amאָנֹכִ֖יH595Pronoun - first person common singularrunning awayבֹּרַֽחַת׃H1272Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singularfromמִפְּנֵי֙H6440Preposition-m | Noun - common plural constructmy mistressגְּבִרְתִּ֔יH1404Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularSaraiשָׂרַ֣יH8297Noun - proper - feminine singularshe repliedוַתֹּ֕אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Verse 9

Original words

So the angelמַלְאַ֣ךְH4397Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singulartoldוַיֹּ֤אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularherלָהּ֙Preposition | third person feminine singularReturnשׁ֖וּבִיH7725Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionyour mistressגְּבִרְתֵּ֑ךְH1404Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singularand submitוְהִתְעַנִּ֖יH6031Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Imperative - feminine singularto her authorityתַּ֥חַתH8478Preposition. . .יָדֶֽיהָ׃H3027Noun - feminine dual construct | third person feminine singular
Verse 10

Original words

Then the angelמַלְאַ֣ךְH4397Noun - masculine singular construct. . .יְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularaddedוַיֹּ֤אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularI will greatly multiplyהַרְבָּ֥הH7235Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute. . .אַרְבֶּ֖הH7235Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markeryour offspringזַרְעֵ֑ךְH2233Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singularso thatוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlethey will be too numerousמֵרֹֽב׃H7230Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singularto countיִסָּפֵ֖רH5608Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 11

Original words

The angelמַלְאַ֣ךְH4397Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularproceededוַיֹּ֤אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .לָהּ֙Preposition | third person feminine singularBeholdהִנָּ֥ךְH2009Interjection | second person feminine singularyou have conceivedהָרָ֖הH2030Adjective - feminine singularand will bearוְיֹלַ֣דְתְּH3205Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person feminine singulara sonבֵּ֑ןH1121Noun - masculine singularAnd you shall name himוְקָרָ֤אתH7121Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person feminine singular. . .שְׁמוֹ֙H8034Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularIshmaelיִשְׁמָעֵ֔אלH3458Noun - proper - masculine singularforכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionthe LORDיְהוָ֖הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .אֶל־H413Prepositionhas heardשָׁמַ֥עH8085Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularyour cry of afflictionעָנְיֵֽךְ׃H6040Noun - masculine singular construct | second person feminine singular

BSB notes

  • Ishmael means God hears.
Verse 12

Original words

Heוְה֤וּאH1931Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - third person masculine singularwill beיִהְיֶה֙H1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singulara wild donkeyפֶּ֣רֶאH6501Noun - masculine singular construct[of a] manאָדָ֔םH120Noun - masculine singularand his handיָד֣וֹH3027Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singularwill be against everyoneבַכֹּ֔לH3605Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularand everyone’sכֹּ֖לH3605Noun - masculine singularhandוְיַ֥דH3027Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular constructagainst himבּ֑וֹPreposition | third person masculine singularhe will liveיִשְׁכֹּֽן׃H7931Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularin hostilityוְעַל־H5921Conjunctive waw | Prepositiontowardפְּנֵ֥יH6440Noun - common plural constructallכָל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructhis brothersאֶחָ֖יוH251Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

So [Hagar] gaveוַתִּקְרָ֤אH7121Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularthis nameשֵׁם־H8034Noun - masculine singular constructto the LORDיְהוָה֙H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularwho had spokenהַדֹּבֵ֣רH1696Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularto herאֵלֶ֔יהָH413Preposition | third person feminine singularYou areאַתָּ֖הH859Pronoun - second person masculine singularthe Godאֵ֣לH410Noun - masculine singular constructwho sees meרֳאִ֑יH7210Noun - masculine singularforכִּ֣יH3588Conjunctionshe saidאָֽמְרָ֗הH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularHereהֲלֹ֛םH1988AdverbI haveהֲגַ֥םH1571Conjunctionseenרָאִ֖יתִיH7200Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular. . .אַחֲרֵ֥יH310Noun - masculine plural constructthe One who sees meרֹאִֽי׃H7200Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular construct | first person common singular

BSB notes

  • Hebrew El-Roi
Verse 14

Original words

Thereforeעַל־H5921Preposition. . .כֵּן֙H3651Adverbthe wellלַבְּאֵ֔רH875Preposition-l, Article | Noun - feminine singularwas calledקָרָ֣אH7121Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularvvvבְּאֵ֥רH883Prepositionvvvלַחַ֖יH883PrepositionBeer-lahai-roiרֹאִ֑יH883Noun - proper - feminine singularIt is locatedהִנֵּ֥הH2009Interjectionbetweenבֵין־H996PrepositionKadeshקָדֵ֖שׁH6946Noun - proper - feminine singular. . .וּבֵ֥יןH996Conjunctive waw | Prepositionand Beredבָּֽרֶד׃H1260Noun - proper - feminine singular

BSB notes

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

Original words

And Hagarהָגָ֛רH1904Noun - proper - feminine singularboreוַתֵּ֧לֶדH3205Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularAbramלְאַבְרָ֖םH87Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singulara sonבֵּ֑ןH1121Noun - masculine singularand Abramאַבְרָ֧םH87Noun - proper - masculine singulargaveוַיִּקְרָ֨אH7121Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe nameשֶׁם־H8034Noun - masculine singular constructIshmaelיִשְׁמָעֵֽאל׃H3458Noun - proper - masculine singularto the sonבְּנ֛וֹH1121Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relative[she]הָגָ֖רH1904Noun - proper - feminine singularhad borneיָלְדָ֥הH3205Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular
Verse 16

Original words

Abramוְאַבְרָ֕םH87Conjunctive waw | Noun - proper - masculine singularwas eighty-sixשְׁמֹנִ֥יםH8084Number - common plural. . .וְשֵׁ֣שׁH8337Conjunctive waw | Number - feminine singularyearsשָׁנִ֑יםH8141Noun - feminine pluraloldבֶּן־H1121Noun - masculine singular construct. . .שָׁנָ֖הH8141Noun - feminine singularwhen Hagarהָגָ֥רH1904Noun - proper - feminine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerboreבְּלֶֽדֶת־H3205Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructIshmaelיִשְׁמָעֵ֖אלH3458Noun - proper - masculine singularto himלְאַבְרָֽם׃סH87Preposition-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.