Genesis 16:1-6
When God’s promises are pursued through human effort rather than trust, the result is disorder, conflict, and suffering.
1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, bore him no children. She had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
2 Sarai said to Abram, “See now, Yahweh has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my servant. It may be that I will obtain children by her.” Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
3 Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife.
4 He went in to Hagar, and she conceived. When she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
5 Sarai said to Abram, “This wrong is your fault. I gave my servant into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, she despised me. May Yahweh judge between me and you.”
6 But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes.” Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face.
When God’s promises are pursued through human effort rather than trust, the result is disorder, conflict, and suffering.
To record Sarai and Abram’s attempt to secure the promised offspring through human means, revealing the consequences of acting outside God’s promise.
Sarai and Abram Grasp at the Promise, but the LORD Sees Hagar and Preserves His Purposes
When Abram and Sarai sought to secure God’s promise through human strategy, the result was conflict and affliction, yet the LORD still saw the oppressed, preserved the unborn child, and continued to govern the promise according to His own purpose.