Christian Standard Bible
Genesis 16:5
5Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for my suffering! I put my slave in your arms, and when she saw that she was pregnant, I became contemptible to her. May the Lord judge between me and you.”
Genesis 16:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)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.
- New International Version (NIV)Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)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!"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Sarai said to Abram, “My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The Lord judge between you and me.”
Context of Genesis 16:5
3So Abram’s wife, Sarai, took Hagar, her Egyptian slave, and gave her to her husband, Abram, as a wife for him. This happened after Abram had lived in the land of Canaan ten years. 4He slept with Hagar, and she became pregnant. When she saw that she was pregnant, her mistress became contemptible to her. Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for my suffering! I put my slave in your arms, and when she saw that she was pregnant, I became contemptible to her. May the Lord judge between me and you.” 6Abram replied to Sarai, “Here, your slave is in your power; do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai mistreated her so much that she ran away from her. 7The angel of the Lord found her by a spring in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur.
Read all of Genesis 16Genesis 16:5 word by word
וַתֹּ֨אמֶר שָׂרַ֣י אֶל־אַבְרָם֮ חֲמָסִ֣י עָלֶיךָ֒ אָנֹכִ֗י נָתַ֤תִּי שִׁפְחָתִי֙ בְּחֵיקֶ֔ךָ וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙ כִּ֣י הָרָ֔תָה וָאֵקַ֖ל בְּעֵינֶ֑יהָ יִשְׁפֹּ֥ט יְהוָ֖ה בֵּינִ֥י וּבֵינֶֽיׄךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Saraiשָׂרַיώâray · SaraiH8297
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto Abramאַבְרָם'abrâm · AbramH87
- My wrongחָמָסchâmâs · violenceH2555
- upon thee: I have givenנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
- my maidשִׁפְחָהshiphchâh · maidservantH8198
- into thy bosomחֵיקchêyq chêq chôq · bosom: embraceH2436
- and when she sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- that she had conceivedהָרָהhârâh · to conceiveH2029
- I was despisedקָלַלqâlal · to lightenH7043
- in her eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- judgeשָׁפַטshâphaţ · to judgeH8199
Cross-references for Genesis 16:5
- Luke 10:40But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.”
- Genesis 31:53The God of Abraham, and the gods of Nahor — the gods of their father — will judge between us.” And Jacob swore by the Fear of his father Isaac.
- Exodus 5:21“May the Lord take note of you and judge,” they said to them, “because you have made us reek to Pharaoh and his officials — putting a sword in their hand to kill us!”
- 1 Samuel 24:12“May the Lord judge between me and you, and may the Lord take vengeance on you for me, but my hand will never be against you.
- 2 Chronicles 24:22King Joash didn’t remember the kindness that Zechariah’s father Jehoiada had extended to him, but killed his son. While he was dying, he said, “May the Lord see and demand an account.”
- Psalms 7:8The Lord judges the peoples; vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness and my integrity.
- Psalms 35:23Wake up and rise to my defense, to my cause, my God and my Lord!
- Psalms 43:1Vindicate me, God, and champion my cause against an unfaithful nation; rescue me from the deceitful and unjust person.
Commentaries on Genesis 16:5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5My wrong be upon thee - This appears to be intended as a reproof to Abram, containing an insinuation that it was his fault that she herself had not been a mother, and that now he carried himself more affectionately towards Hagar than he did to her, in consequence of which conduct the slave became petulant. To remove all suspicion of this kind, Abram delivers up Hagar into her hand, who was certainly under his protection while his concubine or secondary…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-16Verses 1-16 - The Birth of Ishmael 1. הנר hāgār Hagar, “flight.” Hejrah, the flight of Muhammed. 7. מלאך mal'ak “messenger, angel.” A deputy commissioned to discharge a certain duty for the principal whom he represents. As the most usual task is that of bearing messages, commands, or tidings, he is commonly called a “messenger” ̓́ angelos ). The word is therefore a term of office, and does not further distinguish the office-bearer than as an intelligent…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 4-6Verses 4-6 Abram's unhappy marriage to Hagar very soon made a great deal of mischief. We may thank ourselves for the guilt and grief that follow us, when we go out of the way of our duty. See it in this case, Passionate people often quarrel with others, for things of which they themselves must bear the blame. Sarai had given her maid to Abram, yet she cries out, My wrong be upon thee. That is never said wisely, which pride and anger put into our mouths…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-6Hagar might have thought Abram would favor her instead of Sarai (compare Proverbs 30:21–23).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. And Sarai said ... My wrong be upon thee--Bursts of temper, or blows, as the original may bear, took place till at length Hagar, perceiving the hopelessness of maintaining the unequal strife, resolved to escape from what had become to her in reality, as well as in name, a house of bondage.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 16:5
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Genesis 16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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