Genesis 16:3

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

Complete Jewish Bible:

It was after Avram had lived ten years in the land of Kena'an that Sarai Avram's wife took Hagar the Egyptian, her slave-girl, and gave her to Avram her husband to be his wife.

Berean Standard Bible:

So after he had lived in Canaan for ten years, his wife Sarai took her Egyptian maidservant Hagar and gave her to Abram to be his wife.

American Standard Version:

And Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

And Sarai^{H8297} Abram's^{H87} wife^{H802} took^{H3947} Hagar^{H1904} her maid^{H8198} the Egyptian^{H4713}, after^{H7093} Abram^{H87} had dwelt^{H3427} ten^{H6235} years^{H8141} in the land^{H776} of Canaan^{H3667}, and gave^{H5414} her to her husband^{H376} Abram^{H87} to be his wife^{H802}.

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Commentary for Genesis 16:3

Genesis 16:3 is a verse set within the broader narrative of the patriarchal accounts in the Book of Genesis. This verse specifically addresses the cultural practice of surrogate motherhood within the context of the ancient Near East. The historical context is the life of Abram (later named Abraham), who is a key figure in the Abrahamic religions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Abram and his wife Sarai (later Sarah) are central characters in this narrative, and they are struggling with infertility, which is a significant issue in their culture as offspring are seen as a blessing and a continuation of one's legacy.

The verse highlights several themes:

1. **Fertility and Inheritance**: In the ancient world, childlessness was often seen as a curse, and the inability to bear children, especially a male heir, was a source of deep anguish. Sarai's action is driven by the cultural imperative to produce an heir to inherit Abram's wealth and carry on his lineage.

2. **Social Customs**: The practice of a barren wife giving her servant to her husband as a surrogate was an accepted social custom in the region. This was a means for a woman like Sarai to secure offspring through an alternative maternal figure, with the child being considered legally hers.

3. **The Role of Women**: The verse reflects the patriarchal nature of society at the time, where women like Hagar, an Egyptian servant, had little autonomy and could be given in marriage or used as a surrogate at the behest of their mistresses.

4. **Divine Promises**: Although not explicit in this verse, the broader narrative of Genesis includes the promise God made to Abram that he would be the father of many nations. Sarai's decision to offer Hagar to Abram is partly influenced by her desire to see this divine promise fulfilled, albeit through human manipulation rather than divine intervention.

5. **The Beginnings of a Dynasty**: The resulting child, Ishmael, born to Hagar and Abram, becomes the progenitor of a great nation, as promised by God. This event sets the stage for the complex family dynamics that will continue throughout the biblical narrative, including the birth of Isaac to Sarai (as Sarah) in her old age.

In summary, Genesis 16:3 captures a moment of human initiative in response to divine promises, reflecting the social norms and personal struggles of the time. It sets the foundation for the development of the Abrahamic family line and the unfolding of God's covenant with Abraham and his descendants.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H8297
   There are 13 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שָׂרַי
   Transliteration: Sâray
   Pronunciation: saw-rah'-ee
   Description: from שַׂר; dominative; Sarai, the wife of Abraham; Sarai.
   
2. 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.
   
3. Strong's Number: H802
   There are 729 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: אִשָּׁה
   Transliteration: ʼishshâh
   Pronunciation: ish-shaw'
   Description: feminine of אִישׁ or אֱנוֹשׁ; irregular plural, נָשִׁים;(used in the same wide sense as אֱנוֹשׁ); a woman; (adulter) ess, each, every, female, [idiom] many, [phrase] none, one, [phrase] together, wife, woman. Often unexpressed in English.
   
4. Strong's Number: H3947
   There are 909 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: לָקַח
   Transliteration: lâqach
   Pronunciation: law-kakh'
   Description: a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications); accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.
   
5. 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.
   
6. Strong's Number: H8198
   There are 58 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: שִׁפְחָה
   Transliteration: shiphchâh
   Pronunciation: shif-khaw'
   Description: feminine from an unused root meaning to spread out (as a family; see מִשְׁפָּחָה); a female slave (as a member of the household); (bond-, hand-) maid(-en, -servant), wench, bondwoman, womanservant.
   
7. Strong's Number: H4713
   There are 25 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: מִצְרִי
   Transliteration: Mitsrîy
   Pronunciation: mits-ree'
   Description: from מִצְרַיִם; a Mitsrite, or inhabitant of Mitsrajim; Egyptian, of Egypt.
   
8. Strong's Number: H7093
   There are 62 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: קֵץ
   Transliteration: qêts
   Pronunciation: kates
   Description: contracted from קָצַץ; an extremity; adverbially (with prepositional prefix) after; [phrase] after, (utmost) border, end, (in-) finite, [idiom] process.
   
9. Strong's Number: H3427
   There are 980 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָשַׁב
   Transliteration: yâshab
   Pronunciation: yaw-shab'
   Description: a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry; (make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, [idiom] fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, [idiom] marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(-tle), (down-) sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry.
   
10. Strong's Number: H6235
    There are 157 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: עֶשֶׂר
    Transliteration: ʻeser
    Pronunciation: eh'ser
    Description: masculine of term עֲשָׂרָה; from עָשַׂר; ten (as an accumulation to the extent of the digits); ten, (fif-, seven-) teen.
    
11. 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).
    
12. Strong's Number: H776
    There are 2739 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אֶרֶץ
    Transliteration: ʼerets
    Pronunciation: eh'-rets
    Description: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land); [idiom] common, country, earth, field, ground, land, [idiom] natins, way, [phrase] wilderness, world.
    
13. Strong's Number: H3667
    There are 91 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: כְּנַעַן
    Transliteration: Kᵉnaʻan
    Pronunciation: ken-ah'-an
    Description: from כָּנַע; humiliated; Kenaan, a son a Ham; also the country inhabited by him; Canaan, merchant, traffick.
    
14. Strong's Number: H5414
    There are 1816 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: נָתַן
    Transliteration: nâthan
    Pronunciation: naw-than'
    Description: a primitive root; to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.); add, apply, appoint, ascribe, assign, [idiom] avenge, [idiom] be (healed), bestow, bring (forth, hither), cast, cause, charge, come, commit, consider, count, [phrase] cry, deliver (up), direct, distribute, do, [idiom] doubtless, [idiom] without fail, fasten, frame, [idiom] get, give (forth, over, up), grant, hang (up), [idiom] have, [idiom] indeed, lay (unto charge, up), (give) leave, lend, let (out), [phrase] lie, lift up, make, [phrase] O that, occupy, offer, ordain, pay, perform, place, pour, print, [idiom] pull, put (forth), recompense, render, requite, restore, send (out), set (forth), shew, shoot forth (up), [phrase] sing, [phrase] slander, strike, (sub-) mit, suffer, [idiom] surely, [idiom] take, thrust, trade, turn, utter, [phrase] weep, [phrase] willingly, [phrase] withdraw, [phrase] would (to) God, yield.
    
15. Strong's Number: H376
    There are 1507 instances of this translation in the Bible
    Lemma: אִישׁ
    Transliteration: ʼîysh
    Pronunciation: eesh
    Description: contracted for אֱנוֹשׁ (or perhaps rather from an unused root meaning to be extant); a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation); also, another, any (man), a certain, [phrase] champion, consent, each, every (one), fellow, (foot-, husband-) man, (good-, great, mighty) man, he, high (degree), him (that is), husband, man(-kind), [phrase] none, one, people, person, [phrase] steward, what (man) soever, whoso(-ever), worthy. Compare אִשָּׁה.