King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And Abram [was] fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.
Complete Jewish Bible:
Avram was 86 years old when Hagar bore Yishma'el to Avram.
Berean Standard Bible:
Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him.
American Standard Version:
And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And Abram{H87} was fourscore{H8084}{H8141} and six{H8337} years{H8141} old{H1121}, when Hagar{H1904} bare{H3205} Ishmael{H3458} to Abram{H87}.
Cross-References (KJV):
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Commentary for Genesis 16:16
1. Themes:
- The Promise of Descendants: The birth of Ishmael to Abram (later Abraham) and Hagar underscores the theme of God's promise to make Abram a father of many nations, although the promise is ultimately fulfilled through Isaac, born to Abram's wife Sarai (later Sarah).
- Patience and Faith: Abram's advanced age of 86 at the birth of Ishmael illustrates the theme of patience and enduring faith in God's timing and promises.
- Human Solutions vs. Divine Plan: The narrative reflects the recurring theme of human attempts to fulfill divine promises through their own means (in this case, through the surrogate Hagar) rather than waiting for God's intervention.
2. Historical Context:
- The verse is set in the context of the patriarchal narratives, which depict the lives of the ancestors of Israel.
- Abram, a key figure in the Abrahamic religions, lived in the ancient Near East, likely during the early second millennium BCE.
- The custom of the time allowed for a barren wife to provide her maidservant as a surrogate to bear children on her behalf.
- The birth of Ishmael occurs before the covenant of circumcision and before God changes Abram's name to Abraham, signifying a new phase in the fulfillment of the divine promise.
- This event precedes the birth of Isaac, whom God designated as the true heir to the covenant promise, leading to complex family dynamics and the eventual expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael.
In summary, Genesis 16:16 captures a moment in the unfolding narrative of God's covenant with Abram, highlighting themes of divine promises, human actions, and the testing of faith within the cultural and historical context of the ancient Near East.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H87
There are 17014 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אַבְרָם
Transliteration: ʼAbrâm
Pronunciation: ab-rawm'
Description: contracted from אֲבִירָם; high father; Abram, the original name of Abraham; Abram. - Strong's Number: H8084
There are 37 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שְׁמֹנִים
Transliteration: shᵉmônîym
Pronunciation: shem-o-neem'
Description: or שְׁמוֹנִים; multiple from שְׁמֹנֶה; eighty, also eightieth; eighty(-ieth), fourscore. - Strong's Number: H8141
There are 647 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁנֶה
Transliteration: shâneh
Pronunciation: shaw-neh'
Description: (in plural or (feminine) שָׁנָה; from שָׁנָה; a year (as a revolution of time); [phrase] whole age, [idiom] long, [phrase] old, year([idiom] -ly). - Strong's Number: H8337
There are 203 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שֵׁשׁ
Transliteration: shêsh
Pronunciation: shaysh
Description: masculine שִׁשָּׁה; a primitive number; compare שׂוּשׂ; six (as an overplus beyond five or the fingers of the hand); as ord. sixth; six(-teen, -teenth), sixth. - Strong's Number: H1121
There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּן
Transliteration: bên
Pronunciation: bane
Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth. - Strong's Number: H1904
There are 10 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: הָגָר
Transliteration: Hâgâr
Pronunciation: haw-gawr'
Description: of uncertain (perhaps foreign) derivation; Hagar, the mother of Ishmael; Hagar. - Strong's Number: H3205
There are 403 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יָלַד
Transliteration: yâlad
Pronunciation: yaw-lad'
Description: a primitive root; to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage; bear, beget, birth(-day), born, (make to) bring forth (children, young), bring up, calve, child, come, be delivered (of a child), time of delivery, gender, hatch, labour, (do the office of a) midwife, declare pedigrees, be the son of, (woman in, woman that) travail(-eth, -ing woman). - Strong's Number: H3458
There are 44 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יִשְׁמָעֵאל
Transliteration: Yishmâʻêʼl
Pronunciation: yish-maw-ale'
Description: from שָׁמַע and אֵל; God will hear; Jishmael, the name of Abraham's oldest son, and of five Israelites; Ishmael.