Genesis 16

Genesis 16:1

Now

This word is used in English to introduce a new part of the story and background information about Sarai.

female servant

"slave-girl." This type of slave would serve the woman of the household.

Genesis 16:2

See now, Yahweh

"Please listen carefully: Yahweh"

Please go to my servant

"Please have sexual relations with my servant" or "Please lie with my servant"

I will have children by her

"I will build my family through her"

Genesis 16:4

she looked with contempt on her mistress

"she despised her mistress" or "she thought that she was more valuable than her mistress"

her mistress

"her owner" or "Sarai"

Genesis 16:5

This wrong on me

"This injustice against me"

is because of you

"is your responsibility" or "is your fault"

I gave my servant woman into your embrace

"I gave you my servant so that you would sleep with her"

I was despised in her eyes

"she hated me" or "she began to hate me" or "she thought she was better than me"

Let Yahweh judge between me and you

"I want Yahweh to say whether this is my fault or your fault" or "I want Yahweh to decide which one of us is right." The phrase "to judge between" means to decide which person is right in a dispute between them.

Genesis 16:6

See here

"Listen to me" or "Pay attention"

in your power

"under your authority"

Sarai dealt harshly with her

"Sarai treated Hagar very badly"

she fled from her

"Hagar fled from Sarai"

Genesis 16:7

The angel of Yahweh

Possible meanings are 1) Yahweh made himself look like an angel or 2) this was one of Yahweh's angels or 3) this was a special messenger from God (some scholars think it was Jesus). Since the phrase is not well understood, it is best to simply translate it as "the angel of Yahweh" using the normal word that you use for "angel."

wilderness

The wilderness area she went to was a desert. Alternate translation: "desert"

Shur

This was the name of a place south of Canaan and east of Egypt.

Genesis 16:8

my mistress

"my owner"

Genesis 16:10

the angel of Yahweh said to her, "I

When he said "I," he was referring to Yahweh. When translating what is in the quote, do it as the angel of Yahweh did and use the word "I" when referring to Yahweh.

I will greatly multiply your descendants

"I will give you very many descendants"

too numerous to count

"so many that no one will be able to count them"

Genesis 16:11

Behold

"Look" or "Listen" or "Pay attention"

bear a son

"give birth to a son"

you will call his name

"you will name him." The word "you" refers to Hagar.

affliction

She has been afflicted by distress and suffering.

Genesis 16:12

He will be a wild donkey of a man

"He will be like a wild donkey among men"

He will be hostile against every man

"He will be every man's enemy"

every man will be hostile to him

"everyone will be his enemy"

his brothers

"his relatives" or "the other members of his family"

Genesis 16:13

Do I really continue to see, ... me?

"I am surprised that I am still alive, ... me."

Genesis 16:14

Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi

Translators may add a footnote that says "Beer Lahai Roi means 'the well of the living one who sees me.'"

Genesis 16:15

named his son, whom Hagar bore

"named his son by Hagar" or "named his and Hagar's son"

Genesis 16:16

bore Ishmael to Abram

This means "gave birth to Abram's son, Ishmael." The focus is on Abram having a son.