Genesis 16:2

¹ Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

³ And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

⁴ And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: So Sarai said to Abram, “Look now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
KJV: And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
WEB: 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.
ASV: And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, Jehovah hath restrained me from bearing; go in, I pray thee, unto my handmaid; it may be that I shall obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
DARBY: And Sarai said to Abram, Behold now, Jehovah has shut me up, that I do not bear. Go in, I pray thee, to my maidservant: it may be that I shall be built up by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
BLB: And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, YHWH has restrained me from bearing [children]. Go in, please, to my maidservant; perhaps I shall be built up from her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

ÅB: Og Sarai sa til Abram: Se, Herren har nektet meg barn; gå derfor inn til min slavekvinne! Kanskje jeg kunne få et barn ved henne. Og Abram lød Sarais råd.
OTB: Sarai sa til Abram: "Herren har hindret meg fra å få barn. Vær så snill å ha omgang med min slave; kanskje jeg kan bygge en familie gjennom henne." Abram lyttet til Sarai.
B1930: Og Sarai sa til Abram: Se, Herren har nektet mig barn; gå derfor inn til min trælkvinne! Kanskje jeg kunde få et barn ved henne. Og Abram lød Sarais råd.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Genesis 18:10
And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.
Read in context
Genesis 3:17
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Read in context
Exodus 21:4
If his master have given him a wife, and she have born him sons or daughters; the wife and her children shall be her master’s, and he shall go out by himself.
Read in context
Genesis 25:21
And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Read in context
Genesis 20:18
For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham’s wife.
Read in context
Genesis 3:1–6
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
Read in context
Genesis 30:22
And God remembered Rachel, and God hearkened to her, and opened her womb.
Read in context
Genesis 30:9–10
When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.
Read in context