Genesis 16:1-18:15

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

Joseph Exell

Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary - Genesis 16:1-3

CRITICAL NOTES.—Genesis 16:1. Handmaid.] This term is used in the LXX. and N.T. in the sense of a female slave. Hagar was a bondwoman, and according to ancient usage was entirely at the disposal of her mistress. (Galatians 4:22.) An Egyptian. She probably entered the family of the patriarch during his sojourn in Egypt, and may have been one of the “maid-servants” presented to him by Pharaoh. (Genesis 12:20.) Hagar. Flight, or a fugitive. The Arabs term the flight of Mohammed Hegira—a word... read more

Chuck Smith

Chuck Smith Bible Commentary - Genesis 16:1-16

Chapter 16Now 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 unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai ( Genesis 16:1-2 ).It's a mistake. Not always is it a mistake to hearken unto the voice of your wife but this is the second time it speaks of a man hearkening to the voice of his wife and... read more

Joseph Sutcliffe

Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments - Genesis 16:1-16

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 considering the painful consequences likely to ensue. Genesis 16:2. I may obtain children by her. It being a customary law that a patriarch must have children, a dotal maid was often given with the bride, that in case of failure of issue, the maid might bear children for her mistress. Pharaoh, it is... read more

Joseph Exell

The Biblical Illustrator - Genesis 16:1-3

Genesis 16:1-3And 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 wifeForestalling God’s appointed timeI.THIS MAY BE THE TEMPTATION OF THOSE WHO YET HAVE FAITH IN GOD. II. SUCH A COURSE APPEARS TO HAVE A RATIONAL WARRANT. 1. There was no human hope that the promise would be accomplished in that form in which they first understood it. 2. They were conforming to the common custom of the... read more

John Trapp

John Trapp Complete Commentary - Genesis 16:1

Gen 16:1 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 his favours to us by withholding them, Cito data cito vilescunt ; we account it scarce worth taking, that is not twice worth asking. A handmaid, an Egyptian. ] One of those maids, belike,... read more

Samuel Bagster

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge - Genesis 16:1

am 2092, bc 1912 bare: Genesis 15:2, Genesis 15:3, Genesis 21:10, Genesis 21:12, Genesis 25:21, Judges 13:2, Luke 1:7, Luke 1:36 Egyptian: Genesis 12:16, Genesis 21:9, Genesis 21:21 name: Galatians 4:24, Agar Reciprocal: Genesis 11:30 - barren Genesis 16:8 - Sarai's maid Genesis 20:1 - Kadesh Genesis 29:24 - Zilpah Genesis 29:31 - he opened 1 Samuel 1:2 - but Romans 4:10 - not in circumcision read more

John Wesley

Wesley's Explanatory Notes - Genesis 16:1

Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.We have here the marriage of Abram to Hagar, who was his secondary wife. Herein, though he may be excused, he cannot be justified; for from the beginning it was not so: and when it was so, it seems to have proceeded from an irregular desire to build up their families, for the speedier peopling of the world. But now we must not do so? Christ has reduced this matter to the first institution,... read more

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