16

Hagar and Ishmael

1Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. 2So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lordhas restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. 3Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. 4So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes.
5Then Sarai said to Abram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The Lord judge between you and me.”
6So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence.
7Now the Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur. 8And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?”
 She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”
9The Angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.” 10Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, “I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.” 11And the Angel of the Lord said to her:
  “Behold, you are with child,
   And you shall bear a son.
   You shall call his name Ishmael,
   Because the Lord has heard your affliction.
   12He shall be a wild man;
   His hand shall be against every man,
   And every man’s hand against him.
   And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”
13Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, “Have I also here seen Him who sees me?” 14Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi; observe, it isbetween Kadesh and Bered.
15So Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.