2 And Sarai H8297 said H559 unto Abram, H87 Behold now, the LORD H3068 hath restrained me H6113 from bearing: H3205 I pray thee, go in H935 unto my maid; H8198 it may H194 be that I may obtain children H1129 by her. And Abram H87 hearkened H8085 to the voice H6963 of Sarai. H8297
Now the serpent H5175 was H1961 more subtil H6175 than any beast H2416 of the field H7704 which the LORD H3068 God H430 had made. H6213 And he said H559 unto the woman, H802 Yea, H637 hath God H430 said, H559 Ye shall not eat H398 of every tree H6086 of the garden? H1588 And the woman H802 said H559 unto the serpent, H5175 We may eat H398 of the fruit H6529 of the trees H6086 of the garden: H1588 But of the fruit H6529 of the tree H6086 which is in the midst H8432 of the garden, H1588 God H430 hath said, H559 Ye shall not eat H398 of it, neither shall ye touch H5060 it, lest H6435 ye die. H4191 And the serpent H5175 said H559 unto the woman, H802 Ye shall not surely H4191 die: H4191 For God H430 doth know H3045 that in the day H3117 ye eat H398 thereof, then your eyes H5869 shall be opened, H6491 and ye shall be as gods, H430 knowing H3045 good H2896 and evil. H7451 And when the woman H802 saw H7200 that the tree H6086 was good H2896 for food, H3978 and that it H1931 was pleasant H8378 to the eyes, H5869 and a tree H6086 to be desired H2530 to make one wise, H7919 she took H3947 of the fruit thereof, H6529 and did eat, H398 and gave H5414 also H1571 unto her husband H376 with her; and he did eat. H398
And the man H120 said, H559 The woman H802 whom thou gavest H5414 to be with me, H5978 she H1931 gave H5414 me of the tree, H6086 and I did eat. H398
And unto Adam H121 he said, H559 Because thou hast hearkened H8085 unto the voice H6963 of thy wife, H802 and hast eaten H398 of the tree, H6086 of which H834 I commanded thee, H6680 saying, H559 Thou shalt not eat H398 of it: cursed H779 is the ground H127 for thy sake; in sorrow H6093 shalt thou eat H398 of it all H3605 the days H3117 of thy life; H2416
And I will bless H1288 her, and give H5414 thee a son H1121 also of her: yea, I will bless H1288 her, and she shall be a mother of nations; H1471 kings H4428 of people H5971 shall be of her.
And Isaac H3327 intreated H6279 the LORD H3068 for H5227 his wife, H802 because she was barren: H6135 and the LORD H3068 was intreated H6279 of him, and Rebekah H7259 his wife H802 conceived. H2029
And Jacob's H3290 anger H639 was kindled H2734 against Rachel: H7354 and he said, H559 Am I in God's H430 stead, who hath withheld H4513 from thee the fruit H6529 of the womb? H990 And she said, H559 Behold my maid H519 Bilhah, H1090 go in H935 unto her; and she shall bear H3205 upon my knees, H1290 that I may also have children H1129 by her. And she gave H5414 him Bilhah H1090 her handmaid H8198 to wife: H802 and Jacob H3290 went in H935 unto her.
When Leah H3812 saw H7200 that she had left H5975 bearing, H3205 she took H3947 Zilpah H2153 her maid, H8198 and gave H5414 her Jacob H3290 to wife. H802 And Zilpah H2153 Leah's H3812 maid H8198 bare H3205 Jacob H3290 a son. H1121
And all the people H5971 that were in the gate, H8179 and the elders, H2205 said, H559 We are witnesses. H5707 The LORD H3068 make H5414 the woman H802 that is come H935 into thine house H1004 like Rachel H7354 and like Leah, H3812 which two H8147 did build H1129 the house H1004 of Israel: H3478 and do H6213 thou worthily H2428 in Ephratah, H672 and be famous H7121 H8034 in Bethlehem: H1035
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Genesis 16
Commentary on Genesis 16 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 16
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. 12:16). Concerning her, we have four things in this chapter:-
Gen 16:1-3
We 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 seems to have proceeded from an irregular desire to build up families for the speedier peopling of the world and the church. Certainly it must not be so now. Christ has reduced this matter to the first institution, and makes the marriage union to be between one man and one woman only. Now,
Gen 16:4-6
We have here the immediate bad consequences of Abram's unhappy marriage to Hagar. A great deal of mischief it made quickly. When we do not well both sin and trouble lie at the door; and we may thank ourselves for the guilt and grief that follow us when we go out of the way of our duty. See it in this story.
Gen 16:7-9
Here is the first mention we have in scripture of an angel's appearance. Hagar was a type of the law, which was given by the disposition of angels; but the world to come is not put in subjection to them, Heb. 2:5. Observe,
Gen 16:10-14
We may suppose that the angel having given Hagar that good counsel (v. 9) to return to her mistress she immediately promised to do so, and was setting her face homeward; and then the angel went on to encourage her with an assurance of the mercy God had in store for her and her seed: for God will meet those with mercy that are returning to their duty. I said, I will confess, and thou forgavest, Ps. 32:5. Here is,
Gen 16:15-16
It is here taken for granted, though not expressly recorded, that Hagar did as the angel commanded her, returning to here mistress and submitting herself; and then, in the fulness of time, she brought forth her son. Note, Those who obey divine precepts shall have the comfort of divine promises. This was the son of the bond-woman that was born after the flesh (Gal. 4:23), representing the unbelieving Jews, v. 25. Note,