Genesis 16:2
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)
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Sarai refers to her inability to bear children as God "shutting her up," highlighting her belief that this was a divine decree, not merely a natural occurrence. The phrase "I may obtain children by her" carries a deeper meaning rooted in Hebrew: "I may be built up by her," emphasizing the desire for lineage and legacy through children, as they were seen as literally building a family and future.
Sarai, now advanced in years and still childless after a decade in Canaan, takes matters into her own hands, believing God has purposefully withheld children from her. She proposes to Abram that he father a child with her Egyptian servant, Hagar, reasoning that any child born would be considered her own, thus fulfilling the promise of offspring and securing an heir. Abram, also likely impatient and perhaps convinced by his wife's reasoning, agrees to this plan.
Sarai and Abram are facing a promise from God that seems impossible to fulfill. How does this desperate situation lead them to a human solution?
God had promised Abram that he would have descendants as numerous as the stars. But years passed, and Sarai remained barren. This verse shows their intense desire for this promised future, so strong that it led them to try and force God's hand.
Desperation Drives Decision
A Human Plan
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Abram is presented with a choice: follow his wife's plan or seek God's counsel. What does his decision reveal about his faith at this point?
Abram's response, 'And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai,' is pivotal. It wasn't a moment of outright rebellion against God, but a yielding to human reasoning and his wife's strong suggestion.
The Allure of the Flesh
The Cost of Human Plans
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 extended journey and their deepening but sometimes challenging relationship with God's promises. Their frustration with childlessness leads them to adopt a cultural practice, demonstrating human impatience and flawed attempts to fulfill divine plans.
c. 2100 BC
Abram and Sarai Leave Ur
Abram and his family, including Sarai, depart from Ur in Mesopotamia, beginning a nomadic journey under God's call. This marks the start of their covenant relationship with God.
c. 2090 BC
Abram in Canaan
Abram arrives in the land of Canaan, a land promised to his descendants by God. He lives as a sojourner, establishing altars and seeking God's guidance.
c. 2080 BC
Arrival of Hagar
Hagar, an Egyptian servant, becomes associated with Abram and Sarai, likely acquired during their time in Egypt or through other travels. She would later play a crucial role in the unfolding of God's promises.
c. 2080 BC— this verse
Sarai's Proposal to Abram
Experiencing prolonged barrenness and nearing old age, Sarai, unable to bear children, suggests Abram take Hagar as a concubine to produce an heir, a common practice at the time. Abram agrees and follows Sarai's counsel.
c. 2079 BC
Birth of Ishmael
Hagar conceives and gives birth to Ishmael. This event introduces a significant complication and tension within Abram's household and complicates the fulfillment of God's promise of a specific heir.
This passage parallels Genesis 16 by showing another instance where a barren wife, Rachel, gives her maid to her husband to bear children, highlighting the cultural practice and the desire for lineage.
Galatians 4:21-31The Apostle Paul uses the story of Sarah, Hagar, and their children as an allegory for the New Covenant (through Sarah and Isaac) versus the Old Covenant (through Hagar and Ishmael), showing how this narrative has profound spiritual implications beyond its historical context.
Ruth 4:13-17This passage shows God's intervention to bless a formerly barren woman, Naomi, through a kinsman-redeemer and marriage, contrasting with the human-driven solution in Genesis 16 and emphasizing God's ultimate sovereignty in providing offspring.
1 Samuel 1:1-20Hannah's fervent prayer for a child, despite her barrenness and the mockery of her rival, mirrors the deep desire for children seen in Genesis 16, but her approach to God in prayer contrasts with Sarai's human-centered solution.
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 refers to her inability to bear children as God "shutting her up," highlighting her belief that this was a divine decree, not merely a natural occurrence. The phrase "I may obtain children by her" carries a deeper meaning rooted in Hebrew: "I may be built up by her," emphasizing the desire for lineage and legacy through children, as they were seen as literally building a family and future.
Sarai, now advanced in years and still childless after a decade in Canaan, takes matters into her own hands, believing God has purposefully withheld children from her. She proposes to Abram that he father a child with her Egyptian servant, Hagar, reasoning that any child born would be considered her own, thus fulfilling the promise of offspring and securing an heir. Abram, also likely impatient and perhaps convinced by his wife's reasoning, agrees to this plan.
Sarai, now advanced in years and still childless after a decade in Canaan, takes matters into her own hands, believing God has purposefully withheld children from her. She proposes to Abram that he father a child with her Egyptian servant, Hagar, reasoning that any child born would be considered her own, thus fulfilling the promise of offspring and securing an heir. Abram, also likely impatient and perhaps convinced by his wife's reasoning, agrees to this 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 refers to her inability to bear children as God "shutting her up," highlighting her belief that this was a divine decree, not merely a natural occurrence. The phrase "I may obtain children by h…
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