New English Translation
Genesis 16:5
5Then Sarai said to Abram, “You have brought this wrong on me! I allowed my servant to have sexual relations with you, but when she realized that she was pregnant, she despised me. May the Lord judge between you and me!”
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 after Abram had lived in Canaan for ten years, Sarai, Abram’s wife, gave Hagar, her Egyptian servant, to her husband to be his wife. 4He had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. Once Hagar realized she was pregnant, she despised Sarai. Then Sarai said to Abram, “You have brought this wrong on me! I allowed my servant to have sexual relations with you, but when she realized that she was pregnant, she despised me. May the Lord judge between you and me!” 6Abram said to Sarai, “Since your servant is under your authority, do to her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai treated Hagar harshly, so she ran away from Sarai. 7The Lord’s angel found Hagar near a spring of water in the desert – the spring that is along the road 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 with all the preparations she had to make, so she came up to him and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do all the work alone? Tell her to help me.”
- Genesis 31:53May the God of Abraham and the god of Nahor, the gods of their father, judge between us.” Jacob took an oath by the God whom his father Isaac feared.
- Exodus 5:21and they said to them, “May the Lord look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the opinion of Pharaoh and his servants, so that you have given them an excuse to kill us!”
- 1 Samuel 24:12May the Lord judge between the two of us, and may the Lord vindicate me over you, but my hand will not be against you.
- 2 Chronicles 24:22King Joash disregarded the loyalty his father Jehoiada had shown him and killed Jehoiada’s son. As Zechariah was dying, he said, “May the Lord take notice and seek vengeance!”
- Psalms 7:8The Lord judges the nations. Vindicate me, Lord, because I am innocent, because I am blameless, O Exalted One!
- Psalms 35:23Rouse yourself, wake up and vindicate me! My God and Lord, defend my just cause!
- Psalms 43:1Vindicate me, O God! Fight for me against an ungodly nation! Deliver me from deceitful and evil men!
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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