Genesis Chapter 16 Bible Study – Sarai’s Proposal to Abram

Genesis 16 opens with Sarai, Abram’s wife, unable to bear children (Genesis 16:1). She has an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar. Sarai tells Abram, “Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid” (Genesis 16:2). This reflects the ancient Near Eastern custom where a barren wife could give her servant to her husband to produce children on her behalf.

This human attempt to fulfill God’s promise parallels other biblical examples where impatience leads to self-made solutions, such as Israel asking for a king before God’s appointed time (1 Samuel 8:5-7). The plan shows a lack of reliance on God’s timing, despite His clear promise in Genesis 15:4 that Abram’s heir would come from his own body.

Abram Agrees to Sarai’s Plan

Abram listens to Sarai’s voice and takes Hagar as a secondary wife after living in Canaan for ten years (Genesis 16:3). While this arrangement fits the culture of the time, it contradicts the pattern of marriage established in Genesis 2:24—one man and one woman united by God. The choice mirrors Adam’s decision in Genesis 3:17 to heed his wife’s voice over God’s command, resulting in long-term consequences.

Tension Between Sarai and Hagar

When Hagar conceives, she begins to despise Sarai (Genesis 16:4). The shift in Hagar’s attitude demonstrates how human schemes can create division rather than blessing. Proverbs 30:21-23 describes a maidservant who displaces her mistress as one of the situations that cause the earth to tremble, highlighting the inherent instability such arrangements bring.

Sarai’s Complaint to Abram

Sarai blames Abram for the conflict, saying, “My wrong be upon thee” (Genesis 16:5). She appeals to the Lord to judge between them. Abram responds by telling Sarai that Hagar is in her power to treat as she sees fit (Genesis 16:6). Sarai’s harsh treatment causes Hagar to flee. This resembles later instances where mistreated individuals, such as David fleeing from Saul (1 Samuel 19:10), choose to escape rather than endure oppressive conditions.

The Angel of the Lord Finds Hagar

Genesis 16:7 introduces “the angel of the Lord” appearing to Hagar by a spring of water in the wilderness. This is the first occurrence of the term in Scripture, often associated with the pre-incarnate Christ. The location is identified as the way to Shur, a desert region between Canaan and Egypt, suggesting that Hagar was attempting to return to her homeland.

God’s pursuit of Hagar mirrors His seeking of Adam and Eve after the fall (Genesis 3:9) and Jesus’ seeking of the lost in Luke 19:10. It underscores His care for the marginalized and afflicted.

The Angel’s Instruction and Promise

The angel instructs Hagar to return to Sarai and submit to her authority (Genesis 16:9). This direction emphasizes the principle of order and submission, even in difficult circumstances (1 Peter 2:18-20). The angel then makes a remarkable promise: Hagar’s descendants will be multiplied “exceedingly” (Genesis 16:10).

This blessing shows that God’s mercy extends even to those outside the covenant line, much like His blessings on Ishmael later in Genesis 17:20.

Prophecy About Ishmael

The angel tells Hagar she will bear a son named Ishmael, meaning “God hears,” because the Lord has heard her affliction (Genesis 16:11). He describes Ishmael as “a wild man” whose hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him (Genesis 16:12). This prophecy points to Ishmael’s independent, nomadic nature and the future tensions between his descendants and others.

The description parallels later prophecies about nations and individuals marked by conflict, such as Esau’s descendants in Genesis 27:40.

Hagar Names the Lord

In Genesis 16:13, Hagar calls the Lord “Thou God seest me,” recognizing His awareness of her plight. This is the only recorded instance in Scripture where a person gives God a name in response to a personal encounter. The well is named Beer-lahai-roi, meaning “Well of the Living One who sees me” (Genesis 16:14).

This moment resonates with Psalm 34:15, “The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry,” affirming God’s intimate involvement in human affairs.

Ishmael’s Birth

Genesis 16:15-16 records that Hagar bears Abram a son, and Abram names him Ishmael, in obedience to the angel’s command. Abram is eighty-six years old at Ishmael’s birth. This detail sets the stage for the next chapter, where God clarifies that the covenant promise will not be fulfilled through Ishmael but through a son yet to come from Sarah.

This chapter highlights the tension between God’s sovereign promise and human attempts to bring it about, a theme echoed in Galatians 4:22-23, where Paul contrasts the son of the bondwoman with the son of the freewoman as symbols of law and promise.