Bereishit (Genesis) 16

1Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar.

2And Sarai said to Abram, “Look, GOD has kept me from bearing. Consort with my maid; perhaps I shall have a child “child” and banah “build up.” through her.” And Abram heeded Sarai’s request.†

3So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took her maid, Hagar the Egyptian—after Abram had dwelt in the land of Canaan ten years—and gave her to her husband Abram as concubine.

4He cohabited with Hagar and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was lowered in her esteem.

5And Sarai said to Abram, “The wrong done me is your fault! I myself put my maid in your bosom; now that she sees that she is pregnant, I am lowered in her esteem. GOD decide between you and me!”

6Abram said to Sarai, “Your maid is in your hands. Deal with her as you think right.” Then Sarai treated her harshly, and she ran away from her.

7An angel of GOD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the road to Shur,†

8and said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” And she said, “I am running away from my mistress Sarai.”

9And the angel of GOD said to her, “Go back to your mistress, and submit to her harsh treatment.”

10And the angel of GOD said to her,“I will greatly increase your offspring,And they shall be too many to count.”

11The angel of GOD said to her further,“Behold, you are pregnantAnd shall bear a son;You shall call him Ishmael, For GOD has paid heed to your suffering.†

12He shall be a wild ass of a person; His hand against everyone,And everyone’s hand against him;He shall dwell alongside all his kin.”†

13And she called GOD who spoke to her, “You Are El-roi,” by which she meant, “Have I not gone on seeing after my being seen!”†

14Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; it is between Kadesh and Bered.—†

15Hagar bore a son to Abram, and Abram gave the son that Hagar bore him the name Ishmael.

16Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.