Genesis 16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 16:4

And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived ,.... The formality of the marriage being over, he enjoyed her as his wife, and she immediately conceived by him: and when she saw that she had conceived ; when she perceived that she was with child: her mistress was despised in her eyes ; she thought herself above her, and treated her as her inferior, with contempt, and reproached her for her barrenness, as Peninnah did Hannah, 1 Samuel 1:6 ; and it was the more ungrateful, as it was at... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 16:5

And Sarai said to Abram ,.... Being affronted with the behaviour of her maid to her, she applies to Abram for the redress of her grievance, judging it, perhaps, below her dignity to enter into an altercation with her maid: my wrong be upon thee ; in her passion imprecating evil on him, as a just punishment upon him for suffering wrong to be done her by her maid; or, "is upon thee" F9 חמסי עליך "injuria mea super te est", Cocceius; so Ainsworth. ; pointing at his duty, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 16:6

But Abram said unto Sarai ,.... In a meek, mild and gentle manner: behold, thy maid is in thine hand ; though Hagar was Abram's secondary wife he still considers her as Sarai's maid, and as subject to her, and allows her to exercise authority over her; for he still retained the same love and affection for Sarai, his first and lawful wife, and showed the same respect he ever did, and supported her in her honour and dignity: do to her as it pleaseth thee : not giving her liberty to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 16:7

And the angel of the Lord found her ,.... This is the first time that mention is made of an angel in Scripture, but is not to be understood of a created angel, but of a divine Person, as appears from Genesis 16:10 , the uncreated angel, the Logos or Son of God, called the Angel of God's presence, and the Angel of the covenant, Isaiah 63:9 Malachi 3:1 ; who often appeared in an human form before his incarnation, being sent by his divine Father on one account or another; and hence called... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 16:8

And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid ,.... He calls her by her name, which might surprise her, and describes her by her character and condition, in order to check her pride, and put her in mind of her duty to her mistress; and to suggest to her, that she ought to have been not where she was, but in the house of her mistress, and doing her service: whence camest thou ? this question the angel asked, not as ignorant, for he that could call her by her name, and describe her character and state,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 16:9

And the angel of the Lord said unto her ,.... The same angel; though Jarchi thinks that one angel after another was sent, and that at every speech there was a fresh angel; and because this phrase is repeated again and again, some of the Rabbins have fancied there were four angels F18 Bereshit Rabba, ut supra. (sect. 45. fol. 41. 1.) , and others five, but without any reason: return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands ; go back to her, humble thyself before her,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 16:10

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 herself, for that she had more than this one she now went with, is not certain; but that that seed she had conceived should be exceedingly multiplied, and he should have a numerous posterity, as he had twelve princes sprung from him, the heads of Arab nations: that it shall not be numbered... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 16:11

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: behold, thou art with child ; this she knew, and it is said, not for her information, as to this respect, but to lead on to something else he had to acquaint her with, she did not know. Jarchi indeed would have the sense to be, "thou shall conceive" or "be with child", as was said to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 16:12

And he will be a wild man ,.... Living in a wilderness, delighting in hunting and killing wild beasts, and robbing and plundering all that pass by; and such an one Ishmael was, see Genesis 21:20 ; and such the Saracens, his posterity, were, and such the wild Arabs are to this day, who descended from him; or "the wild ass of a man" F20 פרא אדם "onager hominis", Cocceius, Schmidt. ; or "a wild ass among men", as Onkelos; or "like to a wild ass among men", as the Targum of Jonathan;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Genesis 16:13

And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her ,.... Either she called on the name of the Lord, and prayed unto him, that he would forgive her sin and give her some fresh tokens of his love; and also gave him thanks for his gracious regards unto her, that he should look upon, and look after so mean a creature, and such a backslider as she was, and return her, and make such gracious promises to her; so the Targum of Onkelos,"she prayed in the name of the Lord;'and the Targum of... read more

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