The Birth of Ishmael

16:1 Now Sarai,1 Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children,2 but she had an Egyptian servant3 named Hagar.4 16:2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Since5 the Lord has prevented me from having children, have sexual relations with6 my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.”7 Abram did what8 Sarai told him.

16:3 So after Abram had lived9 in Canaan for ten years, Sarai, Abram’s wife, gave Hagar, her Egyptian servant,10 to her husband to be his wife.11 16:4 He had sexual relations with12 Hagar, and she became pregnant.13 Once Hagar realized she was pregnant, she despised Sarai.14 16:5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You have brought this wrong on me!15 I allowed my servant to have sexual relations with you,16 but when she realized17 that she was pregnant, she despised me.18 May the Lord judge between you and me!”19

16:6 Abram said to Sarai, “Since your20 servant is under your authority,21 do to her whatever you think best.”22 Then Sarai treated Hagar23 harshly,24 so she ran away from Sarai.25

16:7 The Lord’s angel26 found Hagar near a spring of water in the desert—the spring that is along the road to Shur.27 16:8 He said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She replied, “I’m running away from28 my mistress, Sarai.”

16:9 Then the Lord’s angel said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit29 to her authority. 16:10 I will greatly multiply your descendants,” the Lord’s angel added,30 “so that they will be too numerous to count.”31 16:11 Then the Lord’s angel said to her,

“You are now32 pregnant

and are about to give birth33 to a son.

You are to name him Ishmael,34

for the Lord has heard your painful groans.35

16:12 He will be a wild donkey36 of a man.

He will be hostile to everyone,37

and everyone will be hostile to him.38

He will live away from39 his brothers.”

16:13 So Hagar named the Lord who spoke to her, “You are the God who sees me,”40 for she said, “Here I have seen one who sees me!”41 16:14 That is why the well was called42 Beer Lahai Roi.43 (It is located44 between Kadesh and Bered.)

16:15 So Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son, whom Abram named Ishmael.45 16:16 (Now46 Abram was 86 years old47 when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael.)48