seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Genesis 16:1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.”
Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3 So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.
Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3 So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she conceived.
Studylight.org offers these words.
Hagar was almost certainly part of what Abram received during his time in Egypt (Genesis 12:16).
Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her: Sarai encouraged Abram to take part in what was essentially a surrogate mother arrangement in that day. According to custom, the child would be considered to be the child of Abram and Sarai, not Abram and Hagar.
Sarai did something that goes against the nature of wives - to give another woman to her husband. She probably did this because she knew the promise of God (that Abram would be the father of many nations), yet she thought she was the problem with Gods promise being fulfilled. So in an effort to help God fulfill His own promise she allowed her husband make the servant girl pregnant.
Ginzberg quotes a Jewish tradition saying that before they came to live in the Promised Land, Abram and Sarai regarded their childlessness as punishment for not living in the land. But now they were in the land for ten years, and they still had no children. Sarai probably felt it was time to do something. Perhaps she though along the lines of old (unbiblical) proverb, God helps those who help themselves.
Even though this early form of surrogate motherhood was common and accepted in that day, it doesnt mean it was right. God was clearly not leading Abram and Sarai.
Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her: Sarai encouraged Abram to take part in what was essentially a surrogate mother arrangement in that day. According to custom, the child would be considered to be the child of Abram and Sarai, not Abram and Hagar.
Sarai did something that goes against the nature of wives - to give another woman to her husband. She probably did this because she knew the promise of God (that Abram would be the father of many nations), yet she thought she was the problem with Gods promise being fulfilled. So in an effort to help God fulfill His own promise she allowed her husband make the servant girl pregnant.
Ginzberg quotes a Jewish tradition saying that before they came to live in the Promised Land, Abram and Sarai regarded their childlessness as punishment for not living in the land. But now they were in the land for ten years, and they still had no children. Sarai probably felt it was time to do something. Perhaps she though along the lines of old (unbiblical) proverb, God helps those who help themselves.
Even though this early form of surrogate motherhood was common and accepted in that day, it doesnt mean it was right. God was clearly not leading Abram and Sarai.
This comes from the easy English commentary.
People considered that it was very important to have children. So, wives without children thought that they had failed. At that time, it was common for a maid to have children for her female boss. Therefore Sarai suggested that Hagar should have Abram’s child. It may seem as if she was right to do that.
However, we think that she was wrong. God had promised a son to Abram and Sarai. So they could have trusted God to carry out his promise. He knew the best time for it, and he would do it then.
Abram listened to his wife. So, Sarai took Hagar and she gave Hagar to Abram, Sarai’s husband. At that time, people did not think that a man should have only one wife.
These events happened 10 years after they came to Canaan. So God had shown that he had carried out his promise to give them a country. But still God had not yet carried out his promise to give descendants. (Look at Genesis 15:2.)
However, we think that she was wrong. God had promised a son to Abram and Sarai. So they could have trusted God to carry out his promise. He knew the best time for it, and he would do it then.
Abram listened to his wife. So, Sarai took Hagar and she gave Hagar to Abram, Sarai’s husband. At that time, people did not think that a man should have only one wife.
These events happened 10 years after they came to Canaan. So God had shown that he had carried out his promise to give them a country. But still God had not yet carried out his promise to give descendants. (Look at Genesis 15:2.)
This reminds me of the story of the guy who was sitting on the house floating down the river. A rowboat came by and the man in the rowboat told the man to get in. The guy on the roof said "I'll wait, God will save me". Well the house sank and the guy drowned. When he got to heaven, the guy asked God why didn't he save him... and God said "What? I sent you a boat!"
Sarai didn't want Abram to go childless. So she offered Abram the boat of the day.
