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Genesis 16

The patriarchs Joseph in Egypt Israel in Egypt Sojourn: oppression in Egypt 2100 BC 2000 BC 1900 BC 1800 BC 1700 BC The patriarchs Joseph in Egypt Israel in Egypt Sojourn: oppression in Egypt 2000 BC 1900 BC 1800 BC 1700 BC 1600 BC

The patriarchs: 2167–1805 BC 1990–1609 BC

On the Timeline
On the Biblical World
Dates follow one of two datings of the Exodus:
What the marks mean
  • 3 A verse number with a dotted line opens the verses that echo it.
  • a A small letter opens the translators’ footnote.

Hagar and Ishmael

Now Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children, but she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar. 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. 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. And he slept with Hagar, and she conceived. But when Hagar realized that she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress.a

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.”

“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.

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

So the angel of the LORD told her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her authority.” Then the angel added, “I will greatly multiply your offspring so that they will be too numerous to count.”

The angel of the LORD proceeded:

“Behold, you have conceived and will bear a son.

And you shall name him Ishmael,c

for the LORD has heard your cry of affliction.

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.”

So Hagar gave this name to the LORD who had spoken to her: “You are the God who sees me,d” for she said, “Here I have seen the One who sees me!” Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi.e It is located between Kadesh and Bered.

And 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.

Genesis 16:9

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1 more

Genesis 16:12

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Genesis 16:14

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Where this fits in Genesis

Genesis falls into four parts, and chapter 16 belongs to Abraham. Each part’s name takes you to where it begins.

  1. Beginnings

    Creation to Babel. Genesis 1:1–11:26.

  2. Abraham (this chapter is here)

    Abraham's call, to his death. Genesis 11:27–25:18.

  3. Isaac and Jacob

    Isaac's sons, and Jacob's family. Genesis 25:19–37:1.

  4. Joseph

    Joseph, and Israel's move to Egypt. Genesis 37:2–50:26.

The sections of chapter 16

As the Berean Standard Bible heads them. Each takes you to its first verse.