Genesis 16 — Overview

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible · Matthew Henry (1662–1714) · Public Domain

Hagar is the person mostly concerned in the story of this chapter, an obscure Egyptian woman, whose name and story we never should have heard of if Providence had not brought her into the family of Abram. Probably she was one of those maid-servants whom the king of Egypt, among other gifts, bestowed upon Abram, ch. xiv. 16. Concerning her, we have four things in this chapter:--I. Her marriage to Abram her master, ver. 1-3. II. Her misbehaviour towards Sarai her mistress, ver. 4-6. III. Her discourse with an angel that met her in her flight, ver. 7-14. IV. Her delivery of a son, ver. 15, 16.

Abram, Sarai, and Hagar. (b. c. 1911.)

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Genesis 16 — OverviewGenesis 16 · Treasury of Scripture KnowledgeGenesis 16:1, Sarai, being barren, gives Hagar to Abram; Genesis 16:4, Hagar, being afflicted for despising her mistress, runs away; Genesis 16:7, An angel commands her to return and submit herself, promises her a…Genesis 16 — OverviewGenesis 16 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThis chapter gives an account of Abram's marrying his maid, at the instance of his wife Sarai, Ge 16:1, who, upon conceiving, despised her mistress; of which complaint is made to Abram, who leaving his maid to his wife,…Genesis 16 — OverviewGenesis 16 · Little Bible — for children and parentsSarai, still childless, gives her servant Hagar to Abram to bear a child for her. When Hagar conceives, she despises Sarai; Sarai treats her harshly and Hagar flees. The Angel of the LORD finds Hagar at a spring in the…Genesis 16:1-3Genesis 16:1-3 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleWe have here the marriage of Abram to Hagar, who was his secondary wife. Herein, though some excuse may be made for him, he cannot be justified, for from the beginning it was not so; and, when it was so, it…Genesis 16:1Genesis 16:1 · The Pulpit CommentaryNow Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children (literally, bare not to him, notwithstanding the promise; the barrenness of Sarai being introduced as the point of departure for the ensuing narrative, and emphasized as the…Genesis 16:1-6Genesis 16:1-6 · The Pulpit CommentaryEXPOSITION