Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name [was] Hagar. Ver. 1. Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bare him no children.] God had foretold him of his children's affliction, and yet gave him no child, but holds him still in suspense. He knows how to commend h... [ 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. Ver. 2. _The Lord hath restrained me._] She faults herself, not her husband, as many a cranky dam... [ 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. Ver. 3. _After Abram had dwelt ten years._] The Rabbis tell us of a tradition that the Hebrews grounded from hence, that if a woman had n... [ 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. Ver. 4. _Her mistress was despised in her eyes._] Heb., _Allevata est, sive elevata est_ :and so she was beaten with her own rod, and yet complains. Neither is it any wonder... [ 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. Ver. 5. _My wrong be upon thee._] The greatest wrong doers are the greatest complainers commonly; _as _ E... [ 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. Ver. 6. _But Abram said to Sarai, Behold, &c._] Here that of Solomon is verified, "A soft answer pacifieth wrath". Pro 15:1 Hard to soft cloth n... [ 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. Ver. 7. _In the way to Shur._] Which lay between Canaan and Egypt. So she was fleeing homewards to her own country. Oh that our afflictions might drive us heavenward!... [ 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. Ver. 8. Hagar, Sarai's maid.] This was a good item to her, that she was out of her way, because out of her place. _ Whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou?_]... [ Continue Reading ]
And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. Ver. 9. _Return to thy mistress._] When now she had smarted, she is in case to be counselled. There is great skill in the choice of a fit time for admonition. It is not to give a man a purge in a fe... [ 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. Ver. 10. _I will multiply thy seed._] Thus God contemneth not poor servants; nay, if they be faithful, he will give them "the reward of inheritance," Col 3:24 even a child's p... [ 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. Ver. 11. _Thou art with child._] Lyra rendereth it (but not well), Thou shalt conceive. Burgensis saith, _Lyra hic delirat_; and... [ 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. Ver. 12. _And he will be a wild man._] Heb., A wild ass, which is fierce, untractable, and untameable. And such by nature is every mother's chil... [ 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? Ver. 13. _Thou God seest me._] This shows she had been well trained and tutored in her master Abram's house. Before, she told the angel the plain truth, and lie... [ Continue Reading ]
Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, [it is] between Kadesh and Bered. Ver. 14. _Beer-lahai-roi,_] i.e., "The well of him that liveth and seeth me," that is, of the living God, who hath seen to my safety. So rich men are "charged" to "trust not in uncertain riches, but in God," who b... [ Continue Reading ]
And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael. Ver. 15. _Ishmael._] A good name, had he made good use of it, and a great name still among the Persians.... [ Continue Reading ]