So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Hagar doesn't just name God as "the God who sees me"; she names Him "a God of seeing" or "a God of vision." This subtle distinction emphasizes not just God's attentiveness but His active revelation of Himself, seen in the wonder of her question: "Have I truly seen the one who sees me?"
So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Having fled from Sarai's harsh treatment, Hagar is found by the Angel of the Lord by a spring in the desert. After being instructed to return and submit to her mistress, she receives a promise of an exceedingly numerous offspring, leading her to name the place and acknowledge God's watchful care over her in her affliction.
Hagar is lost, alone, and fleeing. Yet, in her deepest despair, God finds her. This isn't just a chance meeting; it's a divine intervention designed to reveal His character.
Hagar's situation in Genesis 16 is dire. She's run away from Sarai's harsh treatment and is alone in the desert. It's a place of despair, far from comfort and security.
The Angel of Presence
But in this desolate place, the Angel of the LORD appears. This isn't a distant, impersonal force. The text identifies Him as 'the LORD who spoke to her.' This shows that God is intimately aware of Hagar's plight, even when she feels utterly abandoned.
Divine Providence at Work
Even though Hagar acted poorly, running away from her mistress, God doesn't abandon her. He meets her precisely where she is, in her brokenness and fear. This encounter highlights God's profound care and His ability to bring hope and purpose into the most difficult circumstances.
Hagar doesn't just see God; she names Him based on her experience. What does this new name reveal about who God is and what He does?
Hagar's declaration, 'Thou art a God of seeing' (El Roi), is a profound theological statement born from personal encounter. It's not just that God sees her; it's that He sees her, with all her flaws and circumstances, and still intervenes.
A God Who Notices
The name 'El Roi' signifies more than just omniscience. It speaks to God's active, attentive care. Hagar realizes that God saw her distress, her pain, and her desperate flight, and He responded.
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Seeing and Being Seen
Her follow-up thought, 'Have I also here looked after him who looks after me?' reveals a deeper wonder. It's not only that God sees her, but that He allows her to 'see' Him, to have a glimpse of His divine nature and care, even in her wilderness.
This is a testament to God's grace – He isn't distant but involved, His gaze not one of judgment but of profound compassion and active concern.
Understand the original words
El Ro'i · Hebrew Proper Noun/Title
A descriptive designation given to God by Hagar, meaning "God of sight" or "the God who sees me," emphasizing God’s omniscience and His personal care for the individual, even in exile or distress.
Hagar's experience highlights that God sees us even in our most desperate, self-inflicted situations. Her recognition of His providence in the wilderness profoundly shapes her understanding of God, moving from despair to a deep sense of being known and cared for.
c. 2000-1800 BC
Abram and Sarai settle in Canaan
Abram and Sarai, following God's call, move to the land of Canaan, where they will later experience significant trials and promises related to their lineage.
c. 2000-1800 BC
Sarai gives Hagar to Abram
Due to Sarai's barrenness, she gives her Egyptian servant Hagar to Abram to bear a child, an action that introduces significant conflict into the household.
c. 2000-1800 BC
Hagar conceives and flees
After conceiving, Hagar despises Sarai, leading to harsh treatment. Hagar flees into the wilderness of Shur, feeling abandoned and distressed.
c. 2000-1800 BC— this verse
Angel finds Hagar by the spring
The Angel of the LORD finds Hagar by a spring of water in the desert and speaks to her, revealing God's awareness of her affliction.
c. 2000-1800 BC
Hagar names the well Beer-lahai-roi
After the encounter, Hagar names the place Beer-lahai-roi, meaning 'the well of the Living One who sees me,' in recognition of God's providence.
c. 2000-1800 BC
Ishmael is born
Hagar bears Abram a son, Ishmael, fulfilling the angel's prophecy and marking the beginning of a lineage that would become a great nation.
This verse speaks to the common ancient understanding that seeing God's face meant immediate death, which makes Hagar's survival and her subsequent encounter with God even more astonishing.
Judges 6:22Similar to Hagar's experience, Gideon's encounter with an angel leads him to fear for his life, highlighting the awe and terror associated with divine appearances.
Psalm 139:1-12This psalm beautifully echoes Hagar's realization of God's omnipresence, affirming that God sees and knows us no matter where we are or what we are doing.
1 Samuel 2:3This verse from Hannah's prayer reflects a similar deep trust in God's knowledge and awareness of our circumstances, even in difficult times.
Isaiah 40:28-31This passage speaks to God's unending strength and His attentive care for those who are weary, mirroring Hagar's experience of being seen and sustained in her distress.
gillGenesis 16:13: "And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?"
And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her,.... Either she called on the name of the Lord, and prayed unto him, that he would forgive her sin and give her some fresh tokens of his love; and also gave him thanks for his gracious regards unto her, that he should look upon, and look after so mean a creature, and such a backslider a…
clarkeGenesis 16:13: "And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?"
And she called the name of the Lord - She invoked (ותקרא vattikra) the name of Jehovah who spake unto her, thus: Thou God seest me! She found that the eye of a merciful God had been upon her in all her wanderings and afflictions; and her words seem to intimate that she had been seeking the Divine help and protection, for she says, Have I al…
Hagar doesn't just name God as "the God who sees me"; she names Him "a God of seeing" or "a God of vision." This subtle distinction emphasizes not just God's attentiveness but His active revelation of Himself, seen in the wonder of her question: "Have I truly seen the one who sees me?"
Having fled from Sarai's harsh treatment, Hagar is found by the Angel of the Lord by a spring in the desert. After being instructed to return and submit to her mistress, she receives a promise of an exceedingly numerous offspring, leading her to name the place and acknowledge God's watchful care over her in her affliction.
Having fled from Sarai's harsh treatment, Hagar is found by the Angel of the Lord by a spring in the desert. After being instructed to return and submit to her mistress, she receives a promise of an exceedingly numerous offspring, leading her to name the place and acknowledge God's watchful care over her in her affliction.
"So she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God of seeing,” for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”" — Hagar doesn't just name God as "the God who sees me"; she names Him "a God of seeing" or "a God of vision." This subtle distinction emphasizes not just God's attentiveness but His active revelation o…
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Last reviewed October 2026