Commentary on Genesis, Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
Ver. 1. SArai bare him no Child.] Still the fulfilling of God's Promiſe was deferred; for the greater trial of Abram's Faith. Which now had held out ten Years, (Verſe 3.) without ſeeing any Fruit of it.
She had an handmaid, an Egyptian.] An Egyptian by Nation; but a Proſelyte to the true Religion. St. Chryſoſtom thinks Pharaoh beſtowed her upon Sarai, when he took her into his Houſe, or when he ſent her away, XII. 15, 20. Which he learnt from the Jews, who ſay the ſame; as may be ſeen in Pirke Elieſer, c. 26. who ſays alſo, as R. Solomon Jarchi doth, that ſhe was Pharaoh's Daughter, by his Concubine. But it is more likely ſhe was ſuch a Servant to Sarai as Eliezer was to Abram; born in his Houſe of an Egyptian, as he was of a Syrian Woman.
Ver. 2. And Sarai ſaid unto Abram, &c.] It is likely he having acquainted her with the Promiſe, ſhe grew impatient to have it fulfilled, ſome way or other.
Go in unto my Maid.] i. e. Take her to Wife, Verſe 3.
It may be I may obtain Children by her.] Being born of her Bond-ſlave, they would be Sarai's Children; according to the Cuſtom of thoſe Times, XXX. 3. Exod. XXI. 4.
And Abram hearkned to the Voice of Sarai.] Thinking, perhaps, that God might fulfil his Promiſe this way; becauſe he had only told him he ſhould have Seed, but had not, as yet, ſaid by Sarai.
Ver. 3. Gave her to her Husband Abram to be his Wife.] A ſecondary Wife, (which was a Liberty they took in thoſe days) who was not to be Miſtreſs of the Houſe; but only to bear Children, for the increaſe of the Family. Now I can ſee no good Reaſon, why Sarai her ſelf ſhould perſuade her Husband (contrary to the Inclination of all Women) to take another Wife, which ſhe her ſelf alſo gave him; but only the eager deſire ſhe was poſſeſſed withal of having the promiſed Seed. Which gives a good Account alſo, of Jacob's Wives contending ſo earneſtly, as they did, for his Company.
Ver. 4. Her Miſtreſs was deſpiſed in her Eyes.] Hagar began to take upon her, as if ſhe had been Miſtreſs of the Houſe; at leaſt much more favoured by God, who had made her Fruitful: Which was accounted a great Bleſſing, and Honour in thoſe days; eſpecially in a Family that had no Heir.
Ver. 5. My wrong be upon thee.] Thou art the cauſe of this Injury (or theſe Affronts) which I ſuffer, by being too indulgent to my Maid, and not repreſſing her Inſolence. Or, it is incumbent on thee, to ſee me redreſſed of the Wrong that is done me. See Lud. de Dieu.
The Lord judge between me and thee.] Sometimes this Phraſe ſignifies an Appeal to God, as the Avenger of Wrongs: But here it ſeems only to denote her committing the Equity of her Cauſe to the Judgment of God.
Ver. 6. Behold, thy Maid is in thy hand.] Is ſubject unto thee.
Do with her as pleaſes thee.] Uſe her as thy Maid, and not as my Wife.
And when Sarai dealt hardly with her.] Beat her perhaps; or, impoſed on her, too much, or too ſervile Labour.
She fled from her Face.] Run away, to avoid her cruel uſage.
Ver. 7. And the Angel of the LORD, &c.] This is the firſt time that we read of the appearance of an Angel. By whom Maimonides will ſcarce allow us to underſtand more, than a Meſſenger, (More Nevoch. P. II. c. 42.) But ſome Chriſtians go ſo far into the other extream, as to underſtand hereby, the Eternal ΛΟΓΟΣ, or Son of God. It ſeems to me more reaſonable, to think, that though the Schechinah, or Divine Majeſty, did not appear to her; as it had often done to Abram: Yet one of the heavenly Miniſters, who were Attendants upon it, and made a part of its Glory, was ſent to ſtop her Proceedings. And a great Favour it was, that the LORD would diſpatch ſuch a Meſſenger after her: Who was ſufficient to do the buſineſs.
In the way to Shur.] She was flying into Egypt, her own Country, (upon which the Wilderneſs of Shur bordered) and only reſted a while at this Fountain, to refreſh her ſelf.
Ver. 8. And he ſaid, Hagar, Sarai's Maid.] He takes notice of her being Sarai's Maid, rather than Abram's Wife; to put her in mind of her Duty; and that ſhe could not honeſtly leave her Miſtreſs without her Conſent: For ſo it follows in the next Verſe.
Ver. 9. Return to thy Miſtreſs, and ſubmit, &c.] It is the ſame word here tranſlated ſubmit, with that Verſe 6. where it is rendred dealt hardly: Signifying that ſhe ſhould be Patient, and indure the Hardſhip of which ſhe complained, (or, ſuffer her ſelf to be afflicted by her.)
Ver. 10. I will multiply, &c.] I will make thee partaker of the Promiſe, I have made to Abram, XV. 5. The Angel delivers this Meſſage to her, in the Name of God, who ſent him.
Ver. 11. Behold, thou art with Child, &c.] Do not doubt of what I ſay; for thou art with Child of a Son, who ſhall be the Father of a great People. This Promiſe was renewed to Abram in the next Chapter, XVII. 20. and we find was performed, XXV. 12.
Shalt call his Name Iſhmael.] Some of the Jews take notice of the Honour which was here done him, in calling him by his Name before he was born: There being but Six they ſay, who were thus diſtinguiſhed from others; the two firſt were the Sons of Abram, (Iſhmael, and Iſaac,) and the laſt was the Meſſias.
The LORD hath heard thy affliction.] Thy Complaint under the Affliction thou haſt endured from thy Miſtreſs, and here in the Wilderneſs. This Paſſage ſhows it was an Angel which appeared and ſpake to her from the LORD, and not the LORD himſelf.
Ver. 12. A wild Man.] The Hebrew word Phere here joyned with Man, ſignifies a wild Aſs: And ſo is well tranſlated by Bochart, tam ferus quam onager, as wild as a wild Aſs. Which loves to ramble in Deſarts; and is not eaſily tamed, to live in ſociety.
His Hand ſhall be againſt every Man, &c.] He ſhall be very Warlike: And both infeſt all his Neighbours, and be infeſted by them.
He ſhall dwell in the preſence of his Brethren.] Be a Nation by himſelf; near to all his Brethren, whether deſcended from Iſaac, or from the reſt of Abram's Sons by Keturah: Who, though annoyed by him, ſhall not be able to diſpoſſeſs him. This is ſuch an exact Deſcription of the Poſterity of Iſhmael, throughout all Generations, that none but a Prophetick Spirit could have made it; as Doctor Jackson truly obſerves, (Book I. on the Creed, c. XXV.) wildneſs being ſo incorporated into their Nature, that no change of Times hath made them grow tame.
Ver. 13. She called the Name of the LORD that ſpake to her.] By his Angel, for ſhe look'd upon the Preſence of the Angel, as a Token of the Divine Preſence; though ſhe ſaw it not in its full Glory.
Thou God ſeeſt me.] Takeſt Care of me, whereſoever I am.
For ſhe ſaid, Have I alſo here looked after him that ſeeth me?] There are various Interpretations of theſe words: The plaineſt is that of De Dieu: Who obſerves that the word Halom always ſignifies Place, not Time; or, that which is done in any Place; and ſo we tranſlate it by the word here. But there he makes a ſtop, after that word, by way of admiration; in this manner: And even here alſo! Or, even thus far! It had been leſs wonder, if God had taken Care of me in my Maſter's Houſe; but doth he follow me with his Favour, even hither? This is wonderful. And then the next words, (have I looked after him that ſeeth me) carried this ſence, Have I beheld God, who taketh Care of me? What a Favour is this that he would ſo far Condeſcend to me? It ought never to be forgotten; therefore ſhe called his Name, Thou God ſeeſt me.
Ver. 14. Beer-lahai-roi.] Some would have this referr, both to Hagar, and to God; in this manner: The Well of her that liveth, and of him that ſeeth, (i. e. who preſerves me in Life.) So it was an acknowledgment that ſhe owed her Life and Safety to God.
Ver. 15. Abram called his Son's Name, &c.] Hagar having told him at her return the foregoing Story, he gave his Son this Name; in Obedience to the Angel's Command, Verſe 11.
Ver. 16. Fourſcore and ſix Years old.] He was ſeventy five Years old when he came into Canaan, XII. 4. and had been ten Years there when he took Hagar to Wife, (Verſe 3. of this Chapter) and therefore was then eighty five Years old; and conſequently eighty ſix the next Year, when Iſhmael was born.