God’s Word Translation
Genesis 16:12
12He will be as free and wild as an untamed donkey. He will fight with everyone, and everyone will fight with him. He will have conflicts with all his relatives.”
Genesis 16:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.
- New International Version (NIV)He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen."
- New King James Version (NKJV)He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.”
Context of Genesis 16:12
10The Messenger of the Lord also said to her, “I will give you many descendants. No one will be able to count them because there will be so many.” 11Then the Messenger of the Lord said to her, “You are pregnant, and you will give birth to a son. You will name him Ishmael [God Hears], because the Lord has heard your cry of distress. He will be as free and wild as an untamed donkey. He will fight with everyone, and everyone will fight with him. He will have conflicts with all his relatives.” 13Hagar named the Lord, who had been speaking to her, “You Are the God Who Watches Over Me.” She said, “This is the place where I watched ⌞the one⌟ who watches over me.” 14This is why the well is named Beer Lahai Roi [Well of the Living One Who Watches Over Me]. It is still there between Kadesh and Bered.
Read all of Genesis 16Genesis 16:12 word by word
וְה֤וּא יִהְיֶה֙ פֶּ֣רֶא אָדָ֔ם יָד֣וֹ בַכֹּ֔ל וְיַ֥ד כֹּ֖ל בּ֑וֹ וְעַל־פְּנֵ֥י כָל־אֶחָ֖יו יִשְׁכֹּֽן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Genesis 16:12
- Genesis 21:20God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became a skilled archer.
- Job 11:12But an empty-headed person will gain understanding when a wild donkey is born tame.
- Job 39:5“Who lets the wild donkey go free? Who unties the ropes of the wild donkey?
- Genesis 27:40You will use your sword to live, and you will serve your brother. But eventually you will gain your freedom and break his yoke off your neck.”
- Genesis 25:18His descendants lived as nomads from the region of Havilah to Shur, which is near Egypt, in the direction of Assyria. They all fought with each other.
Commentaries on Genesis 16:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12He will be a wild man - אדם פרא pere adam . As the root of this word does not appear in the Hebrew Bible, it is probably found in the Arabic farra, to run away, to run wild; and hence the wild ass, from its fleetness and its untamable nature. What is said of the wild ass, Job 39:5-8, affords the very best description that can be given of the Ishmaelites, (the Bedouins and wandering Arabs), the descendants of Ishmael: "Who hath sent out the wild ass (פרא…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. 7-16Verses 7-16 Hagar was out of her place, and out of the way of her duty, and going further astray, when the Angel found her. It is a great mercy to be stopped in a sinful way, either by conscience or by providence. Whence comest thou? Consider that thou art running from duty, and the privileges thou wast blest with in Abram's tent. It is good to live in a religious family, which those ought to consider who have this advantage. Whither wilt thou go? Thou…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10-12Hagar’s son would become the father of a large nation. This nation would be strong but often hostile, living in the Arabian Desert and frequently in conflict with Israel (compare 25:18). God blessed Ishmael as Abram's descendant. But God did not choose Ishmael to continue the covenant. God kept that blessing for Abram's heir based on God's promise.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. he will be a wild man--literally, "a wild ass man," expressing how the wildness of Ishmael and his descendants resembles that of the wild ass. his hand will be against every man--descriptive of the rude, turbulent, and plundering character of the Arabs. dwell in the presence of all his brethren--dwell, that is, pitch tents; and the meaning is that they maintain their independence in spite of all attempts to extirpate or subdue them.Read the comment
Topics related to Genesis 16:12
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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