Knowing The Word in Genesis 16:1-6, Hagar and Sarai the Horrible

1 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had borne him no children. [This is the main issue for Sarai, who is expected to be part of God’s promise of numerous descendants of Abram.] She had a female Egyptian [acquired there/Israel’s archenemy] servant [the companion of a rich woman] whose name was Hagar [Semitic for “flight” which is foreshadowing]. 2 And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children [a half-truth]. Go in to [have intercourse with] my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” [Childlessness presented problems for men and women. For men it denied them an heir and a continuation of their family line that fed into their belief in eternal life. For a woman it was ignominious failure for success meant a great brood of children. Childless wealthy wives preferred surrogate motherhood through their servants rather than their husbands resorting to polygamy. That way they had more control of them and the child.] And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. [Abram puts up no resistance. Of whom does this remind you? If you look up Genesis 3:17, you will see that it is Adam listening to Eve.] 3 So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife [see Gen 3:6]. [Abram accepts Sarai’s sinful offer without a thought. Notice there is a twist of the account of God giving Eve to Adam as a wife. Now Sarai repeats this action with Hagar as Sarai plays the role of God and/or father, which by nature is not hers to play.] 4 And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress [the consequence of sinful plans that backfire]. 5 And Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the Lord judge between you and me!” [Sarai blames Abram with a curse—remind you of another instance of blame in Gen 3?] 6 But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.” [Hagar was now Abram’s wife, but he denies his authority over and protection of her and returns them to placate Sarai.] Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her. [The first scene of this story ends in total disaster. Hagar has lost her home, Sarai her servant, and Abram his second wife with child.]