Hagar and Ishmael
May 23, 2024
Commentary
In this passage, we find a couple who refuse to take God at His word and decide they need to help Him out (vv. 1-3). The result was tragic, and we are still reaping the consequences today. Human efforts to assist in the fulfilling of divine promises always complicate matters. Under the strict laws of monogamy (Gen. 2:4), the conduct of Abraham and Sarah was forbidden; but according to the legal custom of the day, a barren woman could give her maid to her husband as a wife. The bottom line is that this solution to their barrenness was an effort of the flesh and not of God.
Hagar, in all probability, was one of the legacies that Abraham carried with him from Egypt. It was far easier for God to get Abraham out of Egypt than it was to get Egypt out of Abraham. This is a byproduct of worldliness; it often affects our decisions down the road. Sarah’s plan, with Abraham’s approval turned sour once the Egyptian slave girl, Hagar, became pregnant (v. 4). It is sad to see how Abraham surrendered his headship to Sarah both in taking Hagar as his wife and then in her treatment of Hagar (vv. 5-6). Abraham failed as the head of his home – the harmony of his home was gone. Hagar ran away and talked to an angel of the Lord who told her to return to her mistress where her son would be born (vv. 7-11). Because of this union, Ishmael, who is the ancestor of the Arabs, was born. God prophesied that he would become “a wild man” (vv. 12-14).” Today, the Arabs control the oil reserves of the world and threaten global peace. Their hostility toward Israel keeps the world in turmoil. Abraham was 86 when Ishmael was born (vv. 15-16).
Application
As God’s servant, I must trust His Word and wait for its fulfillment.
Genesis 16:1– 16 (NET)
1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children, but she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “Since the Lord has prevented me from having children, please sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.” Abram did what Sarai told him.
3 So after Abram had lived in Canaan for ten years, Sarai, Abram’s wife, gave Hagar, her Egyptian servant, to her husband to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. Once Hagar realized she was pregnant, she despised Sarai. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You have brought this wrong on me! I gave my servant into your embrace, but when she realized that she was pregnant, she despised me. May the Lord judge between you and me!”
6 Abram said to Sarai, “Since your servant is under your authority, do to her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai treated Hagar harshly, so she ran away from Sarai.
7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring of water in the wilderness—the spring that is along the road to Shur. 8 He said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She replied, “I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai.”
9 Then the angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her authority. 10 I will greatly multiply your descendants,” the angel of the Lord added, “so that they will be too numerous to count.” 11 Then the angel of the Lord said to her, “You are now pregnant and are about to give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael, for the Lord has heard your painful groans.
12 He will be a wild donkey of a man. He will be hostile to everyone, and everyone will be hostile to him. He will live away from his brothers.”
13 So Hagar named the Lord who spoke to her, “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “Here I have seen one who sees me!” 14 That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi. (It is located between Kadesh and Bered.)
15 So Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son, whom Abram named Ishmael. 16 (Now Abram was 86 years old when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael.)