New English Translation
Genesis 16:8
8He said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She replied, “I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai.”
Genesis 16:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
- New International Version (NIV)And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?" She said, "I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”
Context of Genesis 16:8
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. He said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She replied, “I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai.” 9Then the Lord’s angel said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her authority. 10I will greatly multiply your descendants,” the Lord’s angel added, “so that they will be too numerous to count.”
Read all of Genesis 16Genesis 16:8 word by word
וַיֹּאמַ֗ר הָגָ֞ר שִׁפְחַ֥ת שָׂרַ֛י אֵֽי־מִזֶּ֥ה בָ֖את וְאָ֣נָה תֵלֵ֑כִי וַתֹּ֕אמֶר מִפְּנֵי֙ שָׂרַ֣י גְּבִרְתִּ֔י אָנֹכִ֖י בֹּרַֽחַת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Hagarהָגָרhâgâr · HagarH1904
- Sarai’sשָׂרַיώâray · SaraiH8297
- maidשִׁפְחָהshiphchâh · maidservantH8198
- whenceאַי'ay · where?H335
- camest thouבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- and whither wilt thou goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- I fleeבָּרַחbârach · to fleeH1272
- from the faceפָּנֶהpânîym · face ofH6440
- of my mistressגְּבֶ֫רֶתgebereth · ladyH1404
Cross-references for Genesis 16:8
- Genesis 16:1Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not given birth to any children, but she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar.
- Ephesians 6:5Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart as to Christ,
- 1 Timothy 6:1Those who are under the yoke as slaves must regard their own masters as deserving of full respect. This will prevent the name of God and Christian teaching from being discredited.
- Genesis 3:9But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”
- Genesis 4:10But the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground!
- Ecclesiastes 10:4If the anger of the ruler flares up against you, do not resign from your position, for a calm response can undo great offenses.
- Jeremiah 2:17You have brought all this on yourself, Israel, by deserting the Lord your God when he was leading you along the right path.
- 1 Samuel 26:19So let my lord the king now listen to the words of his servant. If the Lord has incited you against me, may he take delight in an offering. But if men have instigated this, may they be cursed before the Lord! For they have driven me away this day from being united with the Lord’s inheritance, saying, ‘Go on, serve other gods!’
Commentaries on Genesis 16:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Hagar, Sarai's maid - This mode of address is used to show her that she was known, and to remind her that she was the property of another.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. 8-12The angel asked Hagar questions that helped her speak openly to God. When she did, God told her to return and submit to Sarai (16:9). He also promised that her son would have many descendants, so many that they could not be counted. The angel of the Lord did not call Hagar Abram’s wife. Instead, he called her Sarai’s servant. Hagar would bear Abram’s child, but Ishmael was not part of God’s covenant with Abram.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 16:8
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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