Biblical Profile: Hagar

Hagar

Hagar was the Egyptian servant of Sarai, Abram’s wife. When God commanded Abram to leave Mesopotamia, he promised him a multitude of descendants who would be given a new land (Gen 12:2, 7). After ten childless years in Canaan, Sarai followed a customary Mesopotamian practice by giving Hagar to Abram as his concubine; any son born of the union of husband and concubine was considered the wife’s child (cp. 30:1-8).

Hagar got pregnant and became disrespectful to Sarai during her pregnancy. Sarai responded by dealing harshly with her, and Hagar fled into the desert (16:4-6). The angel of the Lord appeared to her at a desert well, telling her to return to Abram’s house and submit to Sarai.

Hagar bore a son, Ishmael, when Abram was eighty-six years old (16:1-16).