Genesis 16:2 NIV

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Genesis 16:2

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. Observe what Sarai saith, that this restraint was of the Lord's appointment; and yet though she had grace to see this, yet she had not grace to act accordingly. Compare Genesis 30:2 with Genesis 33:5 . read more

George Haydock

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary - Genesis 16:2

May have. Hebrew, "may be built up," a metaphorical expression: so God is said to have built up houses for the Egyptian midwives, Exodus i. 21. (Menochius) read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 16:1-3

1-3 Sarai, no longer expecting to have children herself, proposed to Abram to take another wife, whose children she might; her slave, whose children would be her property. This was done without asking counsel of the Lord. Unbelief worked, God's almighty power was forgotten. It was a bad example, and a source of manifold uneasiness. In every relation and situation in life there is some cross for us to bear: much of the exercise of faith consists in patiently submitting, in waiting the Lord's... read more

Frank Binford Hole

F. B. Hole's Old and New Testament Commentary - Genesis 16:1-33

Gen_16:1 Gen_18:33 . Chapter 16 introduces us to the episode in the life of Abram, which has an allegorical significance, as the Apostle Paul shows in Galations 4.0 . Hagar was a bondwoman; she came from Egypt, type of the world; her son was born "after the flesh;" her name is said to mean "Wandering." Law and the flesh and the world and bondage are closely connected all through Scripture, and here first we have them all brought together. In Genesis 12.0 we saw Abram's lapse in going down into... read more

Paul E. Kretzmann

The Popular Commentary by Paul E. Kretzmann - Genesis 16:1-3

Hagar Given to Abraham v. 1. Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bare him no children; and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. v. 2. a. And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath constrained me from bearing; I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. The fact of Sarai's barrenness had been mentioned at the time of their coming to Canaan, Genesis 11:30. It is repeated here for the sake of the emphasis upon the miracle which the Lord... read more

Johann Peter Lange

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Critical, Doctrinal and Homiletical - Genesis 16:1-16

FIFTH SECTIONAbram’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 16:1-161Now Sarai, Abram’s wife [in the face of the previous promise], bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar [flight, fugitive]. 2And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing; I pay thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain [be builded], children by hen... read more

Frederick Brotherton Meyer

F.B. Meyer's 'Through the Bible' Commentary - Genesis 16:1-16

Abram’s Son Ishmael Genesis 16:1-16 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 mistakes and sins of God’s children, but she was abundantly recompensed. Abram did her a great wrong. Human policy will often suggest a course which seems right in our own eyes, but the end is death. How remarkable is the advice given to Hagar by the angel: return and submit! Does not the... read more

G. Campbell Morgan

G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible - Genesis 16:1-16

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, therefore, is the highest activity of reason. All this stands out in even more startling vividness by contrast in the story contained in this chapter. Here we have the account of the second deflection from faith in the conduct of Abram. It is a sad one and the issue of the failure continued through... read more

Peter Pett

Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 16:1-3

‘Now Sarai, Abram’s wife bore him no children, and she had a handmaid, an Egyptian whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, “Look, now, Yahweh has restrained me from bearing. Go in, I beg you, to my handmaid. It may be that I will obtain a child by her”.’ Sarai knows of God’s promises to Abram, the covenant promises. But she has reached the age when it is unlikely she will have a child. As time passes she grieves for the dilemma of her husband. She has an Egyptian handmaid, probably one... read more

Arthur Peake

Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible - Genesis 16:1-16

Genesis 16:1-Nehemiah : . 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 mistress. The maid is the wife’ s peculiar property, and therefore not, like ordinary slaves, at the master’ s disposal. Nor, presumably, would Abraham’ s child by one of his slaves have been a legitimate son. It is through the connexion between mistress and maid that Hagar’... read more