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 offspring herself, Sarah persuades Abraham to take her Egyptian maid Hagar as a secondary wife, intending,... [ Continue Reading ]
HAGAR] The Arabs claim descent from Hagar through Ishmael. Her name, which means 'flight,' is akin to the word Hegira, used of the flight of Mohammed from Medina to Mecca (622 a.d.), an event from which the Mohammedans date their era. HER MISTRESS WAS DESPISED IN HER EYES] because she was fruitful... [ Continue Reading ]
MY WRONG BE UPON THEE] i.e. May the blame for the wrong done to me (by Hagar's conduct) fall on thee.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ANGEL OF THE LORD] see on Exodus 3:2. Shur] The word means 'wall' and was probably applied to the chain of fortresses on the NE. frontier of Egypt. The Desert of Shur was the wilderness bordering on these fortresses which were built to keep out Asiatic invaders. 7, 8. Hagar might flee from the... [ Continue Reading ]
A promise fulfilled in the Arab race: see on Genesis 16:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
ISHMAEL] 'E1 (God) hears.'... [ Continue Reading ]
A WILD MAN] RV '_as_ a wild-ass among men.' The wild ass is of an untameable nature, ever roving: cp. Job 39:5. Such was Ishmael, and such are his Arab descendants. HE SHALL DWELL IN THE PRESENCE OF ALL HIS BRETHREN] i.e. shall preserve his independenee, though close to them; a true forecast of the... [ Continue Reading ]
HAVE I ALSO HERE, etc.] Hagar realises that she still lives though God has looked upon her.... [ Continue Reading ]
BEER-LAHAI-ROI] 'the well of the living one who hath seen' God: see on Genesis 21 for St. Paul's references to Hagar.... [ Continue Reading ]