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Genesis · around about 2080 BC

Hagar and Ishmael

Hagar and Ishmael is recorded in Genesis and falls around about 2080 BC. Below is what happened, where it fits, and the full text.

about 2080 BCmedium

What happened

Sarai gives her servant Hagar to Abram, and Hagar bears Ishmael after an angel meets her in the wilderness.

Where it fits on the timeline

Hagar bears Ishmael before God gives the covenant of circumcision and before Isaac is born (Genesis 16:1-16; Genesis 17:1-27; Genesis 21:1-7).

The passage

Genesis 16:1-16

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, bore him no children. She had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my servant. It may be that I will obtain children by her.” Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife. He went in to Hagar, and she conceived. When she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. Sarai said to Abram, “This wrong is your fault. I gave my servant into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, she despised me. May the LORD judge between me and you.” But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes.” Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face. The LORD’s angel found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain on the way to Shur. He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where did you come from? Where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.” The LORD’s angel said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hands.” The LORD’s angel said to her, “I will greatly multiply your offspring, that they will not be counted for multitude.” The LORD’s angel said to her, “Behold, you are with child, and will bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has heard your affliction. He will be like a wild donkey among men. His hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. He will live opposed to all of his brothers.” She called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees,” for she said, “Have I even stayed alive after seeing him?” Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi. Behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. Hagar bore a son for Abram. Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

Genesis 21:9

Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, mocking.

Galatians 4:22-23

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the servant, and one by the free woman. However, the son by the servant was born according to the flesh, but the son by the free woman was born through promise.

Scripture references

Genesis 16:1-16; Genesis 21:9; Galatians 4:22-23

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