NET Bible

The Birth of Ishmael

^16:1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children, but she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. ^16:2 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.

^16:3 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. ^16:4 He slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. Once Hagar realized she was pregnant, she despised Sarai. ^16:5 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!”

^16:6 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.

^16:7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring of water in the wilderness—the spring that is along the road to Shur. ^16:8 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.”

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

^16:11 “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. ^16:12 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.”

^16:13 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!” ^16:14 That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi. (It is located between Kadesh and Bered.)

^16:15 So Hagar gave birth to Abram’s son, whom Abram named Ishmael. ^16:16 (Now Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar gave birth to Ishmael.)