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EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

Genesis 16:10

God intended that Abram would have only one wife, Sarai. He did not tell Abram to take an extra wife, Hagar. (See the comment on verse 3.) So God did not intend that Abram should have *descendants by Hagar. But God loves people. So he looked after those *descendants. And he promised to make them a great nation.

v11 And the *Lord’s *angel said to her, ‘You are *pregnant and a son will be born to you. You shall call him Ishmael, because the *Lord has heard you in your trouble. v12 He shall live like a wild *donkey. He will be every man’s enemy and every man shall be his enemy. He will live in front of all his relatives.’

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See also Genesis 16:10 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Genesis 16:10. _I WILL MULTIPLY THY SEED EXCEEDINGLY_] Who says this? The person who is called the Angel of the Lord; and he certainly speaks with all the authority which is proper to God....

  • 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...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _I will greatly multiply_ The Angel of Jehovah expresses in the 1st person the promise of that which Jehovah will perform; as in Genesis 21:18; Genesis 22:15-18; Genesis 31:13....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Hagar and the Angel at the Well 7. _the angel of the Lord_ The Angel, i.e. messenger, of Jehovah is the personification of Jehovah. Observe that in Genesis 16:10 He identifies Himself with Jehovah, ex...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    I WILL MULTIPLY THY SEED, &C.— The angel here speaks authoritatively, and not as bearing a message from another: _I will multiply._ In the next chapter, Genesis 17:20 the same promise is renewed: "And...

  • 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, I WILL MULTIPLY THY SEED EXCEEDINGLY, THAT IT SHALL NOT BE NUMBERED FOR MULTITUDE._ No JFB commentary on this verse....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    A promise fulfilled in the Arab race: see on Genesis 16:4....

  • 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...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    I WILL MULTIPLY THY SEED. — We have here the purpose of the Divine manifestation. Abram’s son must not be mixed up with and lost among the debased population of Egypt, but must be the father of a free...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    וַ יֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה הַרְבָּ֥ה...

  • 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...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. Reader! I entreat you to remark with me, the peculiarity of the expression....

  • 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

    10._I will multiply thy seed exceedingly _For the purpose of mitigating the offense, and of alleviating what was severe in the precept, by some consolation, he promises a blessing in the child which s...

  • 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,.... The same as before, who, by what follows, appears to be Jehovah himself: I WILL MULTIPLY THY SEED EXCEEDINGLY; not that she should have many children hers...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    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...

  • 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

    _I will multiply thy seed exceedingly_ Hebrews _Multiplying I will multiply it;_ that is, multiply it in every age, so as to perpetuate it. The Hagarenes, Saracens, and various other tribes of Arabs w...

  • 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

    And the Angel of the Lord said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. First the call to duty, then the gracious promise, one which was especially...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

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

  • 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...

  • 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

    No text from Poole on this verse....

  • 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 16:10 Angel H4397 LORD H3068 said H559 (H8799) multiply H7235 (H8686) descendants H2233 exceedingly H7235 ...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    ‘And the angel of Yahweh said to her, “I will greatly multiply your seed so that it will be so great that it cannot be numbered”.' If she returns her future will be most satisfying. She will become t...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    ANGEL (_ See Scofield) - (Hebrews 1:4). _...

  • 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 16:1 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

    the angel. Genesis 22:15 Genesis 31:11 Genesis 32:24 Genesis 48:15...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    I will multiply thy seed exceedingly — Heb. multiplying I will multiply it, that is, multiply it in every age, so as to perpetuate it. 'Tis supposed that the Turks at this day descended from Ishmael,...

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