_NOW SARAI ABRAM'S WIFE BARE HIM NO CHILDREN: AND SHE HAD AN HANDMAID, AN EGYPTIAN, WHOSE NAME WAS HAGAR._ Now Sarai ... had an handmaid - [Hebrew, _ SHIPCHAAH_ (H8198)]. This word, which defines her position in Abram's family, designates a maid-servant who is devoted to the special service (Genesi... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ The Lord hath restrained me from bearing. Eastern women in general have always displayed a pass... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ Sarai ... took Hagar ... and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. Wife is here used to describe an inferior, though not degrad... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND HE WENT IN UNTO HAGAR, AND SHE CONCEIVED: AND WHEN SHE SAW THAT SHE HAD CONCEIVED, HER MISTRESS WAS DESPISED IN HER EYES._ Her mistress was despised in her eyes. Sarai was the first to reap the bitter fruits of her device. Hagar having the prospect of becoming a mother, gave herself airs which... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ My wrong be upon thee - i:e., the wrong done to me (cf. Judges 9:24; Joel 4:19; Obadiah 1:10; Hab. 11:... [ Continue Reading ]
_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 said ... Behold, thy maid is in thy hand. Abram being a man of peace, as well as affectionately disposed toward his wife, left her to sett... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD FOUND HER BY A FOUNTAIN OF WATER IN THE WILDERNESS, BY THE FOUNTAIN IN THE WAY TO SHUR._ And the angel ... found her by a fountain. This well (see the note at Genesis 16:14), pointed out by tradition, lay on the side of the caravan road, in the midst of Shur (now Difar),... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ Hagar, Sarai's maid. This mode of address, indicating a minute acquaintance with her name and history, was designed to impress the fugitive with a full convicti... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD SAID UNTO HER, RETURN TO THY MISTRESS, AND SUBMIT THYSELF UNDER HER HANDS._ Return to thy mistress, and, submit thyself under her hands. The counsel was given in kindness as well as wisdom; for, by continuing to penetrate further into the wilderness, she must inevitably h... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD SAID UNTO HER, I WILL MULTIPLY THY SEED EXCEEDINGLY, THAT IT SHALL NOT BE NUMBERED FOR MULTITUDE._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ Ishmael. Like other Hebrew names, this had a signification, and it is made up of two words-`God hears.' The reason is explained.... [ Continue Reading ]
_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._ A wild man - literally, a wild ass man, expressing how the disposition of Ishmael and his descendants resembles that of the wild donkey. HIS H... [ Continue Reading ]
_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?_ Called the name - common in ancient times to name places from circumstances; and the name given to this well was a grateful recognition of God's gracious appe... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHEREFORE THE WELL WAS CALLED BEER-LAHAI-ROI; BEHOLD, IT IS BETWEEN KADESH AND BERED._ Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi - well of life of vision; i:e., of life after seeing God. Attempts have been made by Rationalist writers to give an entirely different explanation of this name. By a... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND HAGAR BARE ABRAM A SON: AND ABRAM CALLED HIS SON'S NAME, WHICH HAGAR BARE, ISHMAEL._ Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael - (see the note at Genesis 16:11.) The names given to children in ancient times were generally significant, having a reference to some peculiarity in the... [ Continue Reading ]