Genesis 16:4

Genesis 16:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
• New International Version (NIV)He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes.

Context of Genesis 16:4

2So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. Please have relations with my slave woman; perhaps I will obtain children through her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. 3And so after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Abram’s wife Sarai took Hagar the Egyptian, her slave woman, and gave her to her husband Abram as his wife. Then he had relations with Hagar, and she conceived; and when Hagar became aware that she had conceived, her mistress was insignificant in her sight. 5So Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be upon you! I put my slave woman into your arms, but when she saw that she had conceived, I was insignificant in her sight. May the Lord judge between you and me.” 6But Abram said to Sarai, “Look, your slave woman is in your power; do to her what is good in your sight.” So Sarai treated her harshly, and she fled from her presence.

Genesis 16:4 word by word

וַיָּבֹ֥א אֶל־הָגָ֖ר וַתַּ֑הַר וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙ כִּ֣י הָרָ֔תָה וַתֵּקַ֥ל גְּבִרְתָּ֖הּ בְּעֵינֶֽיהָ׃Read the interlinear

• Then he hadבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• Hagarהָגָרhâgâr · HagarH1904
• and she conceivedהָרָהhârâh · to conceiveH2029
• becameרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• her mistressגְּבֶ֫רֶתgebereth · ladyH1404
• wasקָלַלqâlal · to lightenH7043
• in her sightעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eye: seeingH5869

Cross-references for Genesis 16:4

• 1 Samuel 1:6Her rival, moreover, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the Lord had closed her womb.
• 2 Samuel 6:16Then it happened, as the ark of the Lord was coming into the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked down through the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she was contemptuous of him in her heart.
• Proverbs 30:20This is the way of an adulterous woman: She eats and wipes her mouth, And says, “I have done no wrong.”
• 1 Corinthians 4:6Now these things, brothers and sisters, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos on your account, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other.
• 1 Corinthians 13:4Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant.

Commentaries on Genesis 16:4

• 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. 1-161. Now, Sarai ... had a handmaid--a female slave--one of those obtained in Egypt.Read the comment

Topics related to Genesis 16:4

• Sarah

In the dictionaries

• Hagar
• Abraham
• Concubine
• Judge
• Marriage
• Submit
• Wrong
• Astronomy
• Atonement, Day of
• Camel

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