Bible Commentaries
Genesis 16

Verse 1

handmaid. Not necessarily a slave. Compare 1 Samuel 25:4 ).

Hagar = Hebrew. Flight. See Genesis 16:3 .

Verse 3

ten. These 10 years to be taken into account in any calculations.

wife. This was strictly in accordance with the enactment of Khammurahi (146) which Abram had brought from Ur. See App-15 .

Verse 5

thee. Should be "her". See App-31 .

Verse 6

dealt hardly. Hebrew afflicted her. The Code of Khammurabi (119) forbade her being sold. Sarah could only lay tasks on her. See App-15 .

Verse 7

angel of the LORD. First occurance. = messenger = 2nd Person, as being sent . Elohim = as being commissioned by oath.

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

Shur = wall. The nearest way to her native land. Shur was the name of the great fortified wall shutting Egypt off from Palestine, with its Migdol or Fort.

Verse 8

face = presence. Figure of speech Pleonasm. See App-6 .

Verse 12

against. True to-day and for over 3,000 years. Compare Genesis 21:20 . Isaiah 21:13 .Jeremiah 3:2 .Ezra 8:31 .Psalms 10:8 , Psalms 10:9 .

presence = face, i.e. on the face of the same country.

brethren. Esp. with the Midianites (Genesis 37:28 ), Midian being his half-brother, by Keturah (compare Judges 8:22 , Judges 8:24 ). Compare the fulfillment in Genesis 25:18 .

Verse 13

GOD. Hebrew. 'el . See App-4 .

said. Translate: "Do I see, here, even after the Vision? "i.e. "Do I live, after seeing God? "

looked = Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), implying living as well as looking Compare Genesis 32:30 . Judges 13:22 .

Verse 14

Beer-lahai-roi = the well of living after seeing.

Verse 15

Hagar bare. Through infirmity of Sarah's faith. So the Law (parenthetically) "because of transgression" (Galatians 1:3 , Galatians 1:19 ). Levitical Law given, as Ishmael was, until Christ the antitype of Isaac should be born (Galatians 1:1-5 , Galatians 1:19 , Gal 1:31 ).