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Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Genesis 16:11

thou shalt call his name Ishmael That is, God heareth. The name is to be given by the mother. Cf. note on Genesis 4:1; Genesis 4:25. The name "Ishmael" may mean either "God hears," or "may God hear." See also Genesis 21:17. The reason for the name is explained by the words, "because the Lord hath heard (shâma-) thy affliction."

heard thy affliction See note on Genesis 16:6. The expression means that Jehovah has either heard of the persecution Hagar has received, or, more probably, has heard the prayer uttered by her in her affliction (Genesis 16:6). Cf. Exodus 2:24; Exodus 4:31.

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See also Genesis 16:11 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Genesis 16:11. _AND SHALT CALL HIS NAME ISHMAEL_] ישמאעל _Yishmael_, from שמע _shama_, he heard, and אל _El_, God; for, says the Angel, THE LORD HATH HEARD thy _affliction_. Thus the name of th...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    - The Birth of Ishmael 1. הנר _hāgār_, Hagar, “flight.” Hejrah, the flight of Muhammed. 7. מלאך _mal'ak_ “messenger, angel.” A deputy commissioned to discharge a certain duty for the principal whom...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 16 ABRAHAM AND HAGAR _ 1. Sarai's suggestion (Genesis 16:1)_ 2. Abram's action (Genesis 16:4) 3. Sarai and Hagar (Genesis 16:5) 4. Hagar in the wilderness ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    Sarah has no children, so she hits on a plan of which we have other examples (Genesis 30:3; Genesis 30:9). She hands over Hagar to Abraham, that the maid may compensate for the deficiency of her mistr...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PART TWENTY-NINE THE STORY OF ABRAHAM: THE SON OF THE BONDWOMAN (Genesis 16:1-16) 1. _The Biblical Account._ 1 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bare him no children; and she had a handmaid, an Egyptian, who...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _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 n...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    16:11 Ishmael, (a-24) _ El_ hears....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE CIRCUMSTANCES CONNECTED WITH THE BIRTH OF ISHMAEL 1, 2. Abraham was now eighty-five years old, Sarah was seventy-five, and the promise of an heir seemed no nearer fulfilment. Despairing of offspr...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    ISHMAEL] 'E1 (God) hears.'...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    ‘Ishmael’ means ‘God heard’....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    GOD’S ANCIENT PEOPLE GENESIS _ALUN OWEN_ CHAPTER 16 SARAI AND HER MAID HAGAR V1 Sarai, who was Abram’s wife, had no children. She had an Egyptian maid, whose name was Hagar. V2 Sarai said to Abr...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    ISHMAEL. — That is, _God heareth._ Like Samuel, Ishmael received his name from the events of his mother’s life, and not from anything in his own. There was, however, no rule in this matter, and the na...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה הִנָּ֥ךְ...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    BIRTH OF ISHMAEL Genesis 16:1 IN this unpretending chapter we have laid bare to us the origin of one of the most striking facts in the history of religion: namely, that from the one person of Abram h...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    ABRAM'S SON ISHMAEL Genesis 16:1 Poor Hagar! What contrasts met in her life! Bought in an Egyptian slave-mart, but destined to be the mother of a great people! She is not the last to suffer from the...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    The previous story makes it evident that the principle of faith is the true philosophy of life. It builds on God and is satisfied with Him. It thus becomes the source of all righteousness. Faith, ther...

  • Gary Hampton Commentaries

    PLANNING FOR GOD Like so many after her, Sarai ran out of patience. She thought of a plan to achieve the end God had in mind. In the land of the Chaldees, a woman who could not bear children could gi...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Ismael, means "God hath heard" the groans and distress of Agar. (Calmet)_...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    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. The name Ishmael signifies, Go...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    We have had hitherto God's account of that which He had made; then the trial and utter ruin of the creature, with the revelation of divine mercy in Christ the Lord. We have had in fine the judgment of...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    11._And shalt bear a son_. The angel explains what he had briefly said respecting her seed; namely, that it should not be capable of being numbered on account of its multitude; and he commences with I...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Abram seeking, at Sarah's instigation, to anticipate the will of God and the accomplishment of the promise in its time, we have the covenant of the law in Hagar, the source of distress and disquietude...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD SAID UNTO HER,.... Continued his discourse with her, informing her she should have a son, and what his name should be, and what his character, and the place of his habitation...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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 chil...

  • Jonathan Edwards' Notes On The Scriptures

    Gen. 16:10-12. "I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude - And shall call his name Ishmael, because the Lord hath heard thy affliction. And he will be a wild m...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Ishmael_ That is, _God will hear;_ and the reason is, because the Lord _hath heard_ He _hath_, and therefore he _will._ The experience we have had of God's seasonable kindness in distress should enco...

  • KJV Original Language Details

    1 Sarai, being barren, giueth Hagar to Abram. 4 Hagar being afflicted for despising her mistresse, runneth away. 7 An Angel sendeth her backe to submit her selfe, 11 and telleth her of her child....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The Return of Hagar and the Birth of Ishmael...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    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....

  • Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures

    FIFTH SECTION _Abram’s Concession to Sarai’s Impatience. Abram and Hagar. Hagar’s Flight. The Angel of the Lord. Hagar’s Return, and Ishmael’s Birth_ GENESIS 16:1-16 1Now Sarai, Abram’s wife [in the...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    HUMAN EFFORT TO ACCOMPLISH GOD'S PROMISE Though Abram was a man of faith, Sarai his wife had not borne children, and she weakened his faith by making a mere fleshly suggestion that he should use Sarai...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    ISHMAEL: that is, God shall hear...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    7-16 Hagar was out of her place, and out of the way of her duty, and going further astray, when the Angel found her. It is a great mercy to be stopped in a sinful way, either by conscience or by prov...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Hath heard thy cry in thy affliction....

  • Notes on the Pentateuch by Charles Henry Mackintosh

    Here we find unbelief casting its dark shadow across the spirit of Abraham, and again turning him aside, for a season, from the path of simple, happy confidence in God. "And Sarai said unto Abram, Beh...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Genesis 16:11 Angel H4397 LORD H3068 said H559 (H8799) Behold H2009 child H2030 bear H3205 (H8802) son...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And the angel of Yahweh said to her, “Behold you are with child and will bear a son. And you shall call his name Ishmael, because Yahweh has heard your affliction. And he will be like a wild ass amon...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    ANGEL (_ See Scofield) - (Hebrews 1:4). _ ISHMAEL That is, God shall hear....

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Birth of Ishmael. CHARACTERS: Sarah, Abram, Hagar, Angel, Ishmael. CONCLUSION: The moment the believer takes his eyes away from God's promises he is ready for mean devices of unbelief whic...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Genesis 16:1. God had promised Abraham a son, but had not said that he should be born of Sarah. Hence his wife having no hope in herself, almost compelled him to receive Hagar to his bed, not consider...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou?_ PROVIDENCE AND THE OUTCAST I. PROVIDENCE FINDS THE OUTCAST AND MISERABLE. 1. There are occasions in human life when the providence of God specially manife...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 16:11 ISHMAEL means “God hears.” God has observed Hagar’s suffering. The angel promises Hagar that her son will not need to serve others. However, he will live a life of hostil...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    GENESIS—NOTE ON GENESIS 16:1 Sarai seeks to resolve the problem of her barrenness by having her maidservant, Hagar, bear a child on her behalf. ⇐...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    CRITICAL NOTES.— Genesis 16:6. Dealt hardly.] _Heb._ Afflicted her. The word is too strong to indicate merely the employment of sharp and reproachful expressions; acts of oppression are intended. GEN...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION GENESIS 16:7 AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD. _Maleach Jehovah_, elsewhere styled _Maleach Elohim _(Genesis 21:17; Genesis 31:11); supposed but wrongly to be

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: she had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    shalt. Genesis 17:19 Genesis 29:32 Isaiah 7:14 Matthew 1:21 Luke 1:13

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Ishmael, that is, God will hear; and the reason is, because the Lord hath heard: he hath, and therefore he will. The experience we have had of God's seasonable kindness in distress should encourage us...

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