Genesis 16:3

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

2 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.

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.

5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.

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 after he had lived in Canaan for ten years, his wife Sarai took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to Abram to be his wife.
KJV
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.
WEB
Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife.
ASV
And Sarai, Abram`s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife.
DARBY
And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar, the Egyptian, her maidservant, at the end of ten years that Abram had dwelt in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram, as his wife.
BLB
And Sarai, wife of Abram, took Hagar the Egyptianess, her maidservant, after ten years [of] Abram dwelling in the land of Canaan, and she gave her to Abram, her husband, for a wife.
ÅB
Så tok Sarai, Abrams hustru, og lot Abram, sin mann, få egypterkvinnen Hagar, som var hennes slavekvinne, til hustru; da var det ti år siden Abram hadde bosatt seg i Kana'ans land.
OTB
Etter at Abram hadde bodd ti år i Kanaan, tok Sarai, Abrams kone, sin egyptiske slave Hagar og ga henne til sin mann Abram for å være hans kone.
B1930
Så tok Sarai, Abrams hustru, og lot Abram, sin mann, få egypterkvinnen Hagar, som var hennes trælkvinne, til hustru; da var det ti år siden Abram hadde bosatt sig i Kana'ans land.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Genesis 16:5

    And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.

    Read in context
  • Genesis 12:4–5

    So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 5:13

    And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron: and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.

    Read in context
  • Genesis 25:6

    But unto the sons of the concubines, which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son, while he yet lived, eastward, unto the east country.

    Read in context
  • Genesis 30:9

    When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.

    Read in context
  • Genesis 28:9

    Then went Esau unto Ishmael, and took unto the wives which he had Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife.

    Read in context
  • Genesis 35:22

    And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine: and Israel heard it. Now the sons of Jacob were twelve:

    Read in context
  • Galatians 4:25

    For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

    Read in context