GENESIS LESSON 25
Genesis 16:1 "Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and
she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name [was] Hagar." Genesis
16:2 "And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD 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."
This scheme that Sarai came up with caused nothing but trouble.
First of all, this would not be Sarai's child. Sarai had lost faith
that she would ever have a child, and decided to help God out. Anytime
you get ahead of God and start figuring out the details yourself, you
wind up with a mess. This was no exception. Even mixing the blood of
Abram with an Egyptian, too, was not pleasing to God. Egypt is a type
of the world. This union between Hagar and Abram could be nothing but
worldly (opposed to God's plan). Any child from this union would have
to be of the flesh. The poor maid was caught in a trap not of her
making. Abram could have said no. He did not have to obey Sarai. In
doing what she said, he got all of them in a mess.
Genesis 16:3 "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."
The only thing to add here, is we should look at the worldly aspect of
this, even the 10 in the number of years (10-world). Abram was allowing
his flesh to rule him.
Genesis 16:4 "And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and
when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her
eyes."
She (Hagar) suddenly felt her importance. Her affair with Abram
had resulted in pregnancy. She was angry and jealous of Sarai. Two
women cannot share one man. In Genesis, when God made Adam and Eve, He
said they two shall become one flesh. Marriage where more than two
people are involved cannot work. It is not compatible with the plan
God made from the beginning. Jealousy between these two women reigned in
this household.
Genesis 16:5 "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: the LORD judge between me and
thee."
At least in this verse, Sarai was admitting that she was wrong.
Just like so many people who do wrong, Sarai did not want to take the
blame. She tried to shift her blame to Abram. With Hebrew women, it
was a disgrace, not to have children, and they were looked down on.
Children were considered a blessing from God. Not having children was
considered a curse. Whether this was what Hagar was feeling for Sarai,
or not, was not evident. Perhaps, Hagar had in her mind to take the
place of Sarai with Abram. Sarai, in the last sentence, was asking God to
decide whether she was at blame, or whether it was Abram's fault that
all of this happened.
Genesis 16:6 "But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid [is] in
thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly
with her, she fled from her face."
Abram just backed away here. This is Sarai's maid. Sarai punished
Hagar some way for her attitude. Whatever the punishment, it was
severe enough that Hagar fled in fear.
Genesis 16:7 "And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain
of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur."
Genesis 16:8 "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."
It seem that Hagar had fled out in a deserted place. She,
probably, knew there was water there, and came to get a drink. She had
run from the only home she had known. She was pregnant, and
nowhere to go. The father of the child had turned his irate wife on
her. The nearest thing she had as a benefactor was Sarai, and she had
misbehaved toward her mistress and had been punished. What would she
do? Where could she go? She was out here all alone feeling sorry for
herself. And then, who appeared but the angel (ministering Spirit of
God). This word that was here translated angel, in other places it is
translated prophet, priest, teacher, ambassador, king or messenger.
This did not say an angel. It said the angel. It seems that God had
seen her predicament and sent help. As if he did not know, he asked
where did you come from, and where are you going? Here was the first
time, since she conceived, that she admitted who Sarai was (her
mistress).
Genesis 16:9 "nd the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to
thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands."
In short he said, go back and apologize for your behavior.
Genesis 16:10 "And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will
multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for
multitude." Genesis 16:11 "And the angel of the LORD said unto her,
Behold, thou [art] with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call
his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction."
God promised Hagar that she, also, would have a multitude of
descendents. She, now, knew that she was to have a boy child. She was to
name him Ishmael, which means (God will hear). His name was this because
God heard Hagar's cries, not Ishmael's. In a way, she was innocent in
this mess.
Genesis 16:12 "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."
This wild man's descendents live in the midst of their Israelite
brethren even today, and truly they do hate each other. They battle
continuously, and it has been going on ever since Genesis in the
Bible.
Genesis 16:13 "And she called the name of the LORD that spake
unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked
after him that seeth me?" Genesis 16:14 "Wherefore the well was called
Beer-lahai-roi; behold, [it is] between Kadesh and Bered."
Hagar realized that God provided the well, and that this was God
(El) who was instructing her to go back to Sarai. I believe this means
she was aware that she did not get God's permission to leave. The name
that was given the well means (well of the living One). Wells are very
valuable in this area and Jewish people of today use the Bible to find
these old wells.
Genesis 16:15 "And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his
son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael."
Remember, Ishmael means (God will hear). This son is of the flesh,
not of the promise.
Genesis 16:16 "And Abram [was] fourscore and six years old, when
Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram."
There is very little to note here, except that Abram was 86 years
old when this son by the servant girl, Hagar, was born.
Notes
Questions 25
1. What was the name of Sarai's servant girl?
2. What nationality was she?
3. Why did Sarai send Abram to Hagar?
4. What happens when we run ahead of God and start figuring things
out for ourselves?
5. What is Egypt a type of?
6. When Abram did what Sarai suggested, what were the results?
7. How many years had Abram dwelt in Canaan when this happened?
8. The minute Hagar discovered she was expecting. how did she feel
about her mistress?
9. What sentence in Genesis lets you know one man cannot peacefully
live with 2 women?
10. With what women was it a disgrace not to bare children?
11. Did Abram take up for Hagar?
12. When Sarai punished Hagar, what happened?
13. Who found Hagar at the well?
14. This well was on the way to where?
15. What 2 questions did he ask Hagar?
16. Who was the nearest thing to a benefactor?
17. What did the angel of the LORD speak to Hagar.
18. What blessing did the angel of the LORD speak to Hagar.
19. What was Hagar to name her son?
20. What does his name mean?
21. What kind of a man would this son be?
22. Where will he live?
23. What did Hagar call the Angel of the LORD?
24. What was the name of the well?
25. What does it mean?
26. Where was it located?
27. Who named the child?
28. How old was Abram, when the child was born?
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