The Role of Hagar in Genesis: Mount Mercy College Cedar Iowa
The Role of Hagar in Genesis: Mount Mercy College Cedar Iowa
The Role of Hagar in Genesis: Mount Mercy College Cedar Iowa
Genesis 16:l-16
Genesis 16:l
Besides continuingthe offspringtheme of chapter 15,the biblical writer places
the characters of the story in their proper roles through the use of Hebrew
syntax. By beginning his narrative with Sarai as the subject, the author
emphasizes the sigrufcance of Abram's wife. Sarai will continue to act as the
main subject throughout the initial episode of this chapter (w. 1-6). In
addition, v. 1begins with the name of Sani and ends with the name of Hagar.
In this way, the biblical writer polarizes the two women. Sarai, as the subject
of this verse and as the main character of this initial episode, symbolizes
authority &d domination. Hagar, the object of the verb and possession of
Sarai, represents subservienceand subordination:"Power belongs to Sarai,the
subject of action; powerlessness marks Hagar, the object."l
In this context, the biblical writer deemphasizesthe role of Abram. The
patriarch is mentioned only in a genitive clause appendedto the name of Sarai
("wife ofAbramn). Genesis 16:1highlightsAbram's lack of an heir from Sarai's
point of view. The reader is told of her barrenness, not of Abram's lack of an
heir. Abram, who had been the main character in the previous chapters, will
remain passively in the background throughout this story. In spite of this
secondary role, however, Abram will prove to be extremely important to
understanding chapter 16and the role of Hagar. The mere presence of Abram
in this story and the association of the women with this mighty patriarch will
determine the events which transpire in this chapter.
Hagar's Identity
Genesis does not disclose much about Hagar's identity. Most of the
information is found in v. 1, where she is introduced by name. The name
"Hagarn possesses several extrabiblical cognates, primarily originating from
ancient Arabia. Female names include hgr palrnyrene and Safaitic) and h g m
(Nabataean). A male name, Higir (Arabic, Minaean, and Nabat-) is also
attested, but should not be connected to the female name.6 Although more
modern Arabian languages have hajara, "to emigrate," this fortuitous
connection to the biblical figure is doubtful.' Another possible connection
comes from the Sabean and Ethiopic in the term hagar, meaning "town, city,"
but originally meaning "the splendid" or "the nourishing."'
Other nonbiblical sources provide further evidence for the use of the
name of Hagar. A cuneiform inscription from Bahrain, dating to the latter
half of the second millennium B-c., reports about "the palace of Rimum,
servant of (the god) Inzak,the one of A-gar-mm."9Another mention of the
word "Hagar" comes from an Egyptian hieroglyphic inscriptionfound at the
Persian city of Susa10This remark by Darius I (521-486 B.c.) may allude to a
country and/or a people. Hgnu, a probable variant spelling of Hagar, was
associated with a hagrean wearing a headpiece distinctive of central Arabian
bedouins. The association between h p and hagrean may hint that the
"Hagar" of Darius I should be located in eastern Arabia and not the central
portion.11From the third century B.c., a king of Hagar i d coinage while
concurrently trading with the Minaeans and the Nabataeans. Finally,
throughout the Middle Ages, Christian and Muslim writers alike employed
"Hagar" to denote eastern Arabia''
The biblical figure of Hagar has additionally been associated with the
Hagrtes, who were a small Syrian and north Arabian tribe dating to the
Persian and Hellenistic periods (6.1 C h o n 5:19).This connection,however,
is improbable due to the representation of Ishmael as a large north Arabian
tribe dating to the eighth and seventh centuries B.c."
Although its cognates point to an Arabic origin, the exact origin and
meaning of the name of Hagar is unknown. The biblical text, however,
further describes Hagar as an Egyptian (nwn). Scholars have argued for the
''See also Gen 256; 35:22; 36:12;Jude 8:31; 19:1,2,9, 10,24,25,27,29; 20:4-6; 2 Sam
3:7; 5:13; 15:16; 16:21, 22; 19:5(6);20:3; 21:ll; 1 Kgs 11:3; 1 Chron 1:32; 2:46,48; 3:9; 7:14;
2 Chron 11:21; Est 2:14; and Ezek 23:20.
"See Gen 16:2,3,8.
22F.Brown, S. R. Driver, and C. A. Briggs, A Hebrew Lexicon of the Old Testament
(Oxford:Clarendon, 1951): 1046.
"5. Skinner,A Critical and Exegetd Commentary on Gemis (Edmburgh: T. & T. Clark,
1969)'258.
186 SEMINARYSmm 40 ( A m 2002)
instances of the title in the book of Genesis indicate a special family and social
status that was held by the jtfhah. The better way to understand Hagar's social
status and her relationship with Sarai in Gen 16:l is to translate the word as
"maidservant," understanding that a sexual component is inherent in the
word. As Sarai's jtfiah, Hagar's sexual services are controlled by her mistress.
We may safely assume that Hagar had borne no children until this command
by Sarai. Only through Sarai's machination does Hagar conceive.
Genesis 16:Z-6
In v. 1, the biblical writer portrays the polarity between Sarai and Hagar.
Sarai is from the family of Abram, while Hagar is from Egypt. Sarai is the
wife of Abram, while Hagar is the maidservant of Sarai. The biblical
writer inserts Abram between these two women. Following this
introduction, Sarai immediately commands action from both Hagar and
Abram. She says: "Behold, God has kept me from bearing. Go to my
maidservant. Perhaps I can be built up from her" (Gen 16:2a)." Similar to
Gen 16:1, Sarai is the subject and, for the first time, the speaker. These are
Sarai's frrst words in the Abrahamic narrative.
Two issues regarding Sarai's words must be understood.First, the biblical
writer implies that Sarai's concern for an heir is selfish. Sarai, not Abram,
worries over her own barrenness. On the surface, her distress seems to echo
Abram's worry over a lack of a son in Gen 15:2. The childlessness in chapter
16, however, does not pertain to her husband or to God and the newly sealed
covenant. Sarai says: "God has kept me from bearing." Indeed, Sarai's want of
an heir is self-motivated. Her desire for an heir is juxtaposed against God's
covenant promise to Abram of countless heirs.
Sarai's selfishness is further extended to the result of the union. She
gives the reason for her plan as "so I can be built up from her." Thus, the
union between Hagar and Abram and the intent of Sarai's words are not
to provide an heir for her husband, thereby fulfilling the covenant in
chapter 15. Instead, it is to provide herself with an heir. She intends to
fulfill her needs regardless of God's plan.
The second issue is the gender of the child. The only fact mentioned
in the story is that Sarai wanted an offspring. In the covenantal-contextof
chapters 15 and 17, one would suspect that a child should be mentioned
and that the said child would be a male to fulfill the covenant. However,
only Sarai's concern for a descendant is voiced and that it be resolved
through Hagar. The word "child" is not even mentioned. By these two
issues, the biblical writer hints that this child conceived through the union
of Hagar and Abram will have nothing to do with the covenants
*"Unlessotherwise noted, all verses of the Hebrew Bible are translations of the author.
mentioned in chapters 15 and 17. The child is planned by Sarai (not God)
and will be conceived through Hagar (not Sarai).
Sarai's concern about her lack of an heir and her use of Hagar as a
surrogate mother are not unique in Genesis or elsewhere in the Hebrew
Bible. Rachel possesses a similar concern and solution in Gen 30:3. Rachel
voices her distress to Jacob: "Give me children or I shall die!" To avert
this crisis, she provides Bilhah, her iiflab, to Jacob so that, in Rachel's
words, "Ican be built up from her." Not to be outdone, Leah grants
Zilpah, her &)%ah,to Jacob in order to obtain more offspring. Outside of
the OT, the introductory clause of law 146from the Code of Hammurabi
(1728-1686 B.c.)provides for such behavior.29
The reason why a wife would be so concernedabout bearing children lies
in the inheritance of the wife's possessions: "In biblical times children were
heirs of their (social) mother's estate apart from that of their father's.""
Genesis 21:lO hints at this familial structure when Sarah states: "The son of
this slave will never inherit together with my son Isaac." Similarly,Rachel and
Leah say to Jacob: "Are we still likely to inherit anything from our father's
estate? . . .All the wealth that God has reclaimed from our father belonged to
us and our children in any case" (Gen 31:14, 16).
The inheritance and wealth mentioned in these verses relate to the
dowry of the wife. In the ancient Near East, a father must either find a
husband for his daughters or give them away as slaves.)' Upon finding a
suitable mate for his daughter, the father provides her with a dowry (her
inheritance)when she leaves his house. The daughter-now-wife brings this
property into the household of her husband, but it remains her own,
separate from the other property owned by the household. Laws 138,
142, and 149 of the Hammurabi Code suggest this separation:
(138)If a seignior wishes to divorce his wife who did not bear him children,
he shall give her money to the fullamount of her marriagepriceand he shall
also make good to her & w b s g h t h w f a t h w ' s h o u s e a n d
then he may divorce her (emphasissupplied).
(142)If a woman so hated her husband that she has declared, 'You may not
have me,' her record shall be investigated at her city council,and if she was
carefuland was not at fault,even though her husband has been going out and
dqaraging her greatly,that woman,without incurringany blame at aU,m q
rake her dowry and go off to her father's house (emphasis supplied).
(149) If that woman has refused to live in her husband's house, he shall
"T. J. Meek, "TheCode of Harnrnurabi" in Ancient Near Eastern Tsm R&g to the Old
Testament,ed. J. B.Pritchard (Prmceton, NJ:Princeton University Press, 1969), 172.
"Meek, 173.
to @us) fate, the children shall not divide according to mothers; they shall
take the dowries of their (respective)mothers and then divide equally the
goods of the paternal estate?'
Thus with the beginning of Gen 16, there is a reversal of sorts.
Chapter 15 dealt with Abram's concern over a lack of an heir and God's
promise in the covenant to remedy the situation. In chapter 16, however,
we have Sarai's concern at her lack of motherhood and her plan to resolve
it. Her self-motivated and self-centered interests concerning her
inheritance led her to decide that through Hagar she will become a
mother. On account of this decision, Hagar plays an important role in
this story, for she is the ifi&, the maidservant, of Sarai. Her life and her
sexual service are controlled by Sarai. The biblical writer has Hagar play
the surrogate mother. Indeed, all of Hagar's actions and reactions are
initiated and dominated by Sarai, the main character in Gen 16. As has
been shown, the reason for the use of Hagar as a surrogate mother is not
to fulfill the covenant between God and Abram sealed in Gen 15. Rather,
Sarai's reason is "so I may be built up from her." Thus, Hagar's initial role
is to provide an heirfor Sarai and notfor Abram. The character of Hagar
takes on a more significant religious role in the following verses.
Genesis 16:2b-4a
The story of Hagar continues with Abram's approval of his wife's plan
and the conception of an heir for Sarai (Gen 16:2b-4a). These verses again
hint at Sarai's dominance in chapter 16. Just as before, the biblical writer
portrays Sarai as the instigator of the main action-she brings Hagar to
Abram. Abram, the great patriarch, acquiesces silently and obeys her
demand. Hagar, the obedient servant, similarly complies to the command
and wish of her mistress. Thus, Abram and Hagar conceived.
Sarai's usage of Hagar is not unusual in the context of the ancient
Near East. The Code of Hammurabi (146) provided for such a possibility.
Genesis 16:4b-6
Throughout w. 2b-4a, Hagar continues to be controlled by Sarai's desire
for an offspring and to play the submissive maidservant. But this role of
subservience quickly changes in w. 4b-6.
For the first time in the story, the biblical writer allows Hagar to
react to the situation. Her attitude toward Sarai is altered when she
realizes her pregnancy. Instead of maintainingproper social respect for her
mistress, Hagar now possesses a disparate view of Sarai and acts
190 SEMINARY STUDIES 40 (AUTUMN2002)
Teubal, 77,78.
from the children of Hagar, Sani may have found the solution to her
dilemma As this law requires the father (Abram) to grant freedom to the
slave, Sarai asks Abram to do so. But Abram seems to refuse by turning the
decision back to Sarai, telling her to do with Hagar as she saw fit. Sarai's hands
were tied, and thus she mistreated Hagar.
Finally, we do not know from the biblical text how Hagar was
mistreated by Sarai. A law of the Ur-Nammu Code (2112-2095 B.c.) may
provide for a similar situation:
If a man's slavewoman,comparing herself to her mistress, speaksinsolently
to her (or him), her mouth shall be scoured with 1 quart of salt.%
Although Hagar is not the possession of Abram, this law does illustrate verbal
contention between the slave woman and her mistress and its result. Law 146
of the Code of Hammurabi is also consistent with biblical data:
When a seignior married a hierodule and she gave a female slave to her
husband and she has then borne children, if later that female slave has
claimed equality with her mistress because she bore children, her
mistress may not sell her; she may mark her with the slave-mark and
count her among the slaves.47
This law provides a precedent for Sarai's action. Thus, Sarai possibly
removed Hagar from the role of maidservant with all the benefits of thar
position and reduced her social standing to the status of a female slave. This
may not have been immediately implemented, as the biblical writer still
described Hagar as "maidservant"in v. 8. In Gen 21, however, Hagar is called
'amah after her return from the wilderness. Although there are several
instances in which hfhal and =amah are interchangeable, this change in title
may hint at a familial, social-status change.
Genesis 16:7-14
The account of Hagar continues in Gen 16:7-14 with her flight into the
wilderness. Several of these verses, along with Gen 21:1418, have been
assigned to a number of sources, including the so-called story of the
Desert Matriarch." This may not be the case for two reasons. First, there
is no consensus for crediting these verses to the different author^.'^
Second, Gen 16:7-14 logically follows the action of the previous verses,
just as Gen 21:1418 logically fits into that respective plot. Thus, we will
46J.J. Finkelstein, T h e Laws of Ur-Nammu,"in Ancimt N w Edstern T a R$mug to the
Old Testament,d J. B. Pritchard (Princeton,NJ:Princeton University Press, 1969), 525.
"Meek, 172.
"Cf.Teubal, 141-176.
49See,e.g., Dozeman; and Teubal, 142,143.
assume that the Hagar narrative belongs intact as presented in Gen 16.
Genesis 16:7-14 describe Hagar's visit by the angel of God:
And the angel of God found her near a spring of water in the wilderness
near the spring beside the road of Shur. And he said, "Hagar,
maidservant of Sarai, from where did you come and where are you
going?" And she answered, "From the face of Sarai my mistress I am
fleeing." And the angel of God said to her, "Go back to your mistress
and submit under her hands." And the angel of God said to her, "I will
greatly increase your descendant so he will not be counted because of
the size." And the angel of God said to her, "Behold, you (are) with child
and you will bear a son and you will call his name Ishmael, for God
heard of your affliction. And he will be a wild donkey of man and his
hand against everyone and the hand of everyone against him, and against
the faces of all of his brothers he will dwell." And she called the name
of God who had spoken to her "You are God of sight," for she said,
"Have I now seen the one who sees me?" For this the well is called Beer
Lahai Roi, behold, between Kadesh and Bered.
With Hagar's flight from Sarai, the wilderness portion of Hagar's
story opens. The biblical text informs us that Hagar arrived at a water
spring near another spring on the road to Shur. The exact location of Shur
is unknown. Hagar probably rested by a spring located in the eastern part
of the wildernes~.~~
After Hagar fled into the wilderness to escape her affliction, the angel
of God immediately found and addressed her. The angel, without
identifying himself, asked her two questions regarding where she came
from and where she was going. Through these two questions, the angel
challenged Hagar's past and future-her very existence. Hagar answered
the first query by telling him that she was fleeing from her mistress.
Without giving Hagar a chance to answer the second question, the angel
provided an answer for her. The angel of God commanded Hagar to "go
backnand "submitnto her mistress. Hagar, attempting to free herself from
bondage, must return not only to the cause of her affliction, but submit
to it. While Sarai acted out of self-pity, God overturned the actions of
Sarai and Abram without dishonoring either of them.
MThewilderness of Shur is also mentioned in Gen 20:l;25:18; Exod 1522; and 1 Sam 157;
27:s. Gen 20:l statesthat Abraham settled between Kadesh and Shur after leaving the Negeb. Gen
25:18 says that Ishmael lived in a territory which stretched from Havilah-by-Shur,just outside of
Egypt on the way to Assyna. 1 Sam 15:7reports that Saul began his conquest of the Amalekites at
Havilah in the directionof Shur,locatingthe wilderness east of Egypt. 1Sarn27:Shas Davidraiding
the Geshurites, Girzites, and Amalekites in the direction of Shur as far as Egypt. These verses
suggest that the wilderness of Shur should be located just east of Egypt in the northern Sinai
Peninsula. The location of Hagar's destination in the wilderness may also be gleaned from later
verses. Gen 16:14says that the spring is situatedbetween Kadesh andBered.Althoughthe location
of Bered is still unknown, Kadesh is identifiedwith the site of Kadesh-Barnea.
Not all hope was lost for Hagar after listening to the angel of God.
Compensation followed submission. The angel foretold to Hagar that her
descendants would be greatly increased. His words (Gen 16:lO) echo the
covenant in Gen 155. Here, God promises Abram innumerabledescendants,
countless as the stars. Ironically, what Sarai had attempted to do for herself
through Hagar (ensure her own progeny) happens to Hagar.
This promise of descendants seems to be slightly out of place with Hagar
in the wilderness sitting by a well. Why does the angel promise such
descendantsto this Egyptian maidservant?Becausethis child's father is Abram.
In Gen 15, God promises Abram countless descendants. As Hagar is the
(second) wife of Abram (Gen 16:3) and Ishmael will be his son, God will
uphold his covenant with Abram by making Ishmael into a great nation. The
biblical writer, in the words of the angel to Hagar, is showing how ardently
God is heeding this covenant. No matter that he did not instigate Hagar's
conception (Sarai did). No matter that Hagar is not even Hebrew (but
Egyptian). A son of Abram is, nevertheless, a son of Abrarn, and, therefore,
part of the covenant. The biblid writer is illustratingthat by the covenant of
Gen 15 God is willing to bless any descendant of Abram.
The importance of Abram's bearing on this episode is further enhanced
by the fact that Hagar is the only woman in the Hebrew Bible to receive such
a promise of descendants.ll But this promise must not be viewed in terms of
Hagar, the Egyptian maidservant of Sarai, but in terms of Hagar, the wife of
Abram. It is only because of this association with Abram that this promise is
necessary. The biblical writer makes this clear in the second covenant episode
where, in Gen 17:20, God reaffiims Ishmael's heritage only because Abram
requested it. Although this promise lacks the ritual sealing action of a
covenant, it is immediately followed by a birth announcement.
Hagar is the fm female of the Bible to receive such an announcement.
Why? The answer may be twofold. On one hand, this announcement seems
to add legitimacy to the promise of countlessdescendants.As has been pointed
out, the content of the promise is similar to covenants between God and the
patriarchs." This promise, however, 'lacks the covenant context that is so
crucial to the founding fathers."" On the other hand, the announcement of
Ishmael's birth through the messenger's declaration may serve as a sealing of
this Although Hagar already knows that she is pregnant, the
announcement affiims it. In her new son, however, Hagar sees both joy and
Genesis 16:15-16
Genesis 16 closes abruptly: 'And Hagar bore to Abram a son and Abram
called the name of his son whom Hagar bore Ishmael. And Abram was 86
years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram."
This conclusion continues to undermine the character and person of
Hagar,17 as well as to build up the patriarch. First, in keeping with the
story, the author silences Hagar in these verses and mentions her by name
without an epithet. Second, the biblical writer removes the focus from
Hagar and her child (and from Sarai too) by stressing the fatherhood of
Abram. This is not strange seeing that Abram is the reason for the
importance of Ishmael. Third, Abram names the child. According to the
birth announcement, this privilege rested with Hagar, but the biblical
Conclusion
Genesis 16 functions as an example of the far-reaching effect of the covenant
between God and Abram in chapter 15. The covenant episode in Gen 15
states that Abram will have countless descendants. This covenant is fulfilled
in Gen 16 through Hagar. Although Hagar is a lowly Egyptian maidservant
and Ishmael was originally conceived to be the heir of Sarai, Ishmael is still a
son of Abram and, therefore, part of the covenant. Thus, the biblical writer
used Hagar's role to demonstratethat God seriously upheld the covenant of
Gen 15 regardless of who the mother of the child was or why the child was
conceived Abram is the father and, by virtue of the covenant, he will be
blessed with countless descendants-including those of Ishmael.