And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Sarai's words reveal a deep-seated cultural understanding: children were seen as the way a household was "built up," giving a family continuity and legacy. Abram's agreement shows how societal norms and the desperate desire for a promised heir, even without direct divine instruction, could lead them to bypass God's intended path.
And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
English Standard Version (ESV)
After years of waiting for God to fulfill His promise of descendants, Sarai, now advanced in age and still barren, takes matters into her own hands. She proposes to Abram that he should have a child with her Egyptian servant, Hagar, believing the child would be legally hers. Abram, driven by their shared desire for an heir and perhaps not yet understanding the specific promise about Sarai bearing the child, agrees to his wife's plan.
Why did Sarai use the phrase 'obtain children by her'?
Sarai's proposal to Abram reveals a deep cultural and theological understanding of family.
More Than Just Offspring
The Hebrew word for 'obtain' or 'build up' in this context points to more than just having children. It signifies the establishment and continuation of a family lineage, a legacy. In ancient Near Eastern cultures, having children, especially sons, was seen as literally 'building' a house or family. These children would carry on the family name, honor, and property.
The Promise and the Pressure
Sarai and Abram were under immense pressure to fulfill God's promise of descendants. Their inability to have children naturally, especially after ten years in Canaan, created a desperate situation. Sarai's proposal, therefore, wasn't just about satisfying a personal desire for a child, but about securing the fulfillment of God's covenant through any means available.
Did Sarai and Abram truly lack faith, or was it something else?
This passage highlights a critical moment where good intentions and faith in God's promise led to a morally compromised action.
Faith vs. Human Ingenuity
Both Sarai and Abram believed in God's promise of descendants. However, their faith faltered when it came to trusting God's timing and method. Sarai, despairing of her own ability to bear children, decided to take matters into her own hands. Abram, instead of consulting God, simply 'listened to the voice of Sarai.' This wasn't outright unbelief, but a dangerous detour where human reason and cultural norms supplanted divine guidance.
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The Temptation of the 'Easy' Way
Their decision to use Hagar was influenced by common practices of the time. While not inherently evil in their society, it was a deviation from the path God seemed to be laying out. This shows how easily we can fall into sin, not out of malice, but out of a desire to 'help' God fulfill His promises according to our own understanding and timeline. The consequence was immediate strife and a complicated legacy that would plague their family for generations.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the covenant-keeping God of Israel. It denotes His self-existence, eternal nature, and faithful presence with His people.
bo' · Hebrew Verb
A common euphemism in Hebrew for sexual intercourse. When used in a marital or concubinal context, it implies the consummation of a relationship intended to produce offspring.
This event occurs within the context of Abram and Sarai's long wait for the promised offspring, highlighting the cultural practices and personal desperation that led them to take matters into their own hands, with significant consequences.
c. 2090 BC
Abram leaves Ur
Abram, his father Terah, and nephew Lot leave their ancestral home in Ur of the Chaldeans, following God's call to Canaan.
c. 2070 BC
Abram enters Canaan
Abram and his family settle in Canaan, though they will later sojourn in Egypt and Gerar due to famine.
c. 2065 BC
Abram is promised a son
God makes a covenant with Abram, promising him numerous descendants who will inherit the land of Canaan.
c. 2065 BC
Abram and Sarai wait in Canaan
Abram and Sarai live in Canaan for ten years, but Sarai remains unable to conceive, prompting her to take drastic action.
c. 2055 BC— this verse
Sarai gives Hagar to Abram
Sarai, unable to bear children, gives her Egyptian servant Hagar to Abram as a concubine, following common cultural practice.
c. 2055 BC
Birth of Ishmael
Hagar conceives and bears Ishmael, Abram's firstborn son. This event introduces conflict into Abram's household.
This passage shows a similar cultural practice where barrenness led a wife to offer her maidservant to her husband, explicitly stating the children born would be considered her own, mirroring Sarai's reasoning.
Galatians 4:21-31The Apostle Paul uses Sarai, Hagar, and their children as an allegory for the Old and New Covenants, highlighting the contrast between a child born of human effort (Ishmael) and a child born of God's promise (Isaac).
Psalm 127:1-3This psalm speaks of children as a gift from the Lord and the blessing of a full household, underscoring the deep desire for offspring that Sarai and Abram felt, but also implying that true fulfillment comes from God's provision.
Ruth 4:11-12This passage describes the desire for a woman to 'build up' her husband's house through bearing children, directly connecting to the Hebrew idiom Sarai used ('be built up by her') and emphasizing the societal importance of lineage.
1 Samuel 1:1-20Hannah's story provides another example of intense longing for a child due to barrenness, her prayer, and eventual fulfillment, illustrating the emotional weight and societal pressure associated with not being able to bear children.
gillGenesis 16:2: "And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai."
And Sarai said unto Abram, behold now, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing,.... Or, "hath shut me up" (d); that is, her womb, as were the wombs of the house of Abimelech, Genesis 20:18 ; so that she could not conceive and bear children; she now at this age despaired of having…
ellicottGenesis 16:2: "And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai."
(2) That I may obtain children by her. —Heb., that I may be builded by her. The words, ben= a son, bath (originally banth ) = a daughter, baith ( banith ) =a house, and bânâh= to build, all belong to the same root in Hebrew, the idea being that the children build the house, and gi…
Sarai's words reveal a deep-seated cultural understanding: children were seen as the way a household was "built up," giving a family continuity and legacy. Abram's agreement shows how societal norms and the desperate desire for a promised heir, even without direct divine instruction, could lead them to bypass God's intended path.
After years of waiting for God to fulfill His promise of descendants, Sarai, now advanced in age and still barren, takes matters into her own hands. She proposes to Abram that he should have a child with her Egyptian servant, Hagar, believing the child would be legally hers. Abram, driven by their shared desire for an heir and perhaps not yet understanding the specific promise about Sarai bearing the child, agrees to his wife's plan.
After years of waiting for God to fulfill His promise of descendants, Sarai, now advanced in age and still barren, takes matters into her own hands. She proposes to Abram that he should have a child with her Egyptian servant, Hagar, believing the child would be legally hers. Abram, driven by their shared desire for an heir and perhaps not yet understanding the specific promise about Sarai bearing the child, agrees to his wife's plan.
"And Sarai said to Abram, “Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai." — Sarai's words reveal a deep-seated cultural understanding: children were seen as the way a household was "built up," giving a family continuity and legacy. Abram's agreement shows how societal norms…
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Last reviewed October 2026