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Genesis 16 |
"I pray thee, go in unto my maid."
Sarai is the first of a long line of barren women who were desperate for children. (In the Bible, it is the women who
are barren, never the men.) She sends Abram into her slave, Hagar, so that she can "obtain children by her."
Abram gladly complies.
What the Bible says about polygamy
Is polygamy OK?
 Sarah Presenting Hagar to Abraham
(Adriae van der Werff, 1696)
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| 16:1
Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an
handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
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| 16:2
And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing:
I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain
children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
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| 16:3
And Sarai Abram's wife
took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the
land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
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| 16:4
And he went in unto
Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her
mistress was despised in her eyes. |
 Ishmael is Born
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| 16:5
And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid
into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in
her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.
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| 16:6
But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thine hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And
when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face. |
"Do to her as it pleaseth thee."
Hagar conceives, making Sarai jealous. Abram tells Sarai to do to Hagar whatever she wants." And when Sarai dealt hardly
with her, she fled."
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| 16:7
And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the
wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
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| 16:8
And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid,
whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
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"Submit thyself under her hands."
The angel tells Hagar to return and submit to her abusive owner, Sarai.
Does God approve of slavery?
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| 16:9
And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her
hands.
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| 16:10
And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed
exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. |
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| 16:11
And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and
shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath
heard thy affliction. |
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| 16:12
And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every
man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his
brethren. |
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| 16:13
And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest
me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? |
 (16:15) "And Hagar bare Abram a son."
Ishmael was Abraham's first son, and Isaac was his second. Yet
Genesis 22:2 and Hebrews 11:17 say he had only one son.
How many sons did Abraham have?
(16:16) "Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram."
How old was Abram when Ishmael was born?
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| 16:14
Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh
and Bered.
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| 16:15
And Hagar bare Abram a
son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
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| 16:16
And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.
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Sarah Presenting Hagar to Abraham