< Genesis 16 >

1 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had given him no children; and she had a servant, a woman of Egypt whose name was Hagar.
Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
2 And Sarai said to Abram, See, the Lord has not let me have children; go in to my servant, for I may get a family through her. And Abram did as Sarai said.
And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, Yhwh 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.
3 So after Abram had been living for ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai took Hagar, her Egyptian servant, and gave her to Abram for his wife.
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.
4 And he went in to Hagar and she became with child, and when she saw that she was with child, she no longer had any respect for her master's wife.
And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
5 And Sarai said to Abram, May my wrong be on you: I gave you my servant for your wife and when she saw that she was with child, she no longer had any respect for me: may the Lord be judge between you and me.
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: Yhwh judge between me and thee.
6 And Abram said, The woman is in your power; do with her whatever seems good to you. And Sarai was cruel to her, so that she went running away from her.
But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her face.
7 And an angel of the Lord came to her by a fountain of water in the waste land, by the fountain on the way to Shur.
And the angel of Yhwh found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
8 And he said, Hagar, Sarai's servant, where have you come from and where are you going? And she said, I am running away from Sarai, my master's wife.
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.
9 And the angel said to her, Go back, and put yourself under her authority.
And the angel of Yhwh said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
10 And the angel of the Lord said, Your seed will be greatly increased so that it may not be numbered.
And the angel of Yhwh said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.
11 And the angel of the Lord said, See, you are with child and will give birth to a son, to whom you will give the name Ishmael, because the ears of the Lord were open to your sorrow.
And the angel of Yhwh said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because Yhwh hath heard thy affliction.
12 And he will be like a mountain ass among men; his hand will be against every man and every man's hand against him, and he will keep his place against all his brothers.
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.
13 And to the Lord who was talking with her she gave this name, You are a God who is seen; for she said, Have I not even here in the waste land had a vision of God and am still living?
And she called the name of Yhwh that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?
14 So that fountain was named, Fountain of Life and Vision: it is between Kadesh and Bered.
Wherefore the well was called Beer–lahai–roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
15 And Hagar gave birth to a child, the son of Abram, to whom Abram gave the name of Ishmael.
And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael.
And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.

< Genesis 16 >