Genesis 16:16

KJV

And Abram [was] fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.

KJV (with Strong's)

And Abram {H87} was fourscore {H8084}{H8141} and six {H8337} years {H8141} old {H1121}, when Hagar {H1904} bare {H3205} Ishmael {H3458} to Abram {H87}.

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.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Genesis 16:16 meticulously records Abram's age as eighty-six years old at the birth of Ishmael, marking a pivotal moment in the patriarchal narrative. This verse signifies the culmination of Sarai's human-devised plan to secure an heir, born of Hagar, her Egyptian servant, rather than patiently waiting for God's divinely promised son, thereby highlighting the immediate outcome of human intervention in the unfolding of God's perfect timing and covenantal promises.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within the broader narrative of God's covenant with Abram, particularly following the repeated promises of a vast lineage and a specific heir, as articulated in [Genesis 12:2-3](/genesis/12-2-3 "God's Initial Call and Promise to Abram") and emphatically reaffirmed in [Genesis 15:4-5](/genesis/15-4-5 "God's Covenant with Abram and Promise of an Heir"). Despite these divine assurances, a decade had passed since Abram's call, and Sarai remained barren. Driven by cultural pressures and a perceived need to "help" God fulfill His promise, Sarai proposed that Abram take Hagar as a concubine to bear a child on her behalf, as detailed in [Genesis 16:1-3](/genesis/16-1-3 "Sarai's Plan and Hagar's Conception"). The birth of Ishmael, therefore, is the direct consequence of this human initiative, preceding God's explicit clarification that the covenant heir would come through Sarai herself, as later revealed in [Genesis 17:15-19](/genesis/17-15-19 "God Renames Sarai to Sarah and Promises Isaac").
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The practice of a barren wife giving her maidservant to her husband to bear children was a recognized custom in the ancient Near East, particularly evidenced in legal texts like the Nuzi tablets. Children born of such unions were legally considered the offspring of the wife. Sarai's action, while culturally acceptable, reveals a lack of faith in God's supernatural ability to fulfill His promise through her own aged body. The naming of Ishmael, meaning "God hears," reflects Hagar's personal experience of God's attentiveness to her distress, as described in [Genesis 16:11-13](/genesis/16-11-13 "The Angel of the Lord Appears to Hagar"). This cultural backdrop underscores the human attempt to navigate divine promises through conventional means, rather than relying on an unconventional, miraculous intervention.
* **Key Themes:** Genesis 16:16 contributes significantly to several overarching themes within the book of Genesis and the broader biblical narrative. It powerfully illustrates the theme of **human impatience versus divine timing**, showing the consequences of attempting to force God's hand rather than waiting in faith. It highlights the **nature of God's covenant**, emphasizing that His promises are fulfilled according to His sovereign will and method, not human ingenuity. Furthermore, it introduces the theme of **conflict arising from human disobedience**, as Ishmael's birth ultimately leads to significant domestic strife within Abram's household, foreshadowing future tensions between the descendants of Ishmael and Isaac, a theme that reverberates throughout [Genesis 21](/genesis/21 "The Birth of Isaac and Expulsion of Hagar and Ishmael").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
The King James Version text of Genesis 16:16 states, "And Abram [was] fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram." This precise chronological detail is not merely incidental but serves to underscore a critical juncture in the biblical narrative of God's covenant with Abram.

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Abram (Hebrew, _ʼAbrâm'_):** From H87, meaning "high father." This name, later changed to Abraham ("father of a multitude") in [Genesis 17:5](/genesis/17-5 "Abram's Name Changed to Abraham"), signifies his foundational role as the patriarch through whom God's covenant promises would flow. At this point, he is still Abram, emphasizing the early stage of his faith journey and the ongoing development of God's plan.
* **Hagar (Hebrew, _Hâgâr'_):** From H1904, of uncertain (perhaps foreign) derivation; Hagar, the mother of Ishmael. Her identity as an Egyptian servant is crucial, as her origins contrast with the divine promise of an heir through Sarai, the covenant wife. Her role here highlights the human attempt to fulfill divine promises through conventional, rather than miraculous, means.
* **Ishmael (Hebrew, _Yishmâʻêʼl'_):** From H3458, meaning "God will hear." This name, given by the Angel of the Lord in [Genesis 16:11](/genesis/16-11 "The Angel Names Ishmael"), encapsulates a profound theological truth: God hears the cries of the afflicted, even those caught in the consequences of human error. Though not the covenant heir, Ishmael's name affirms God's compassion and future blessing upon him.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And Abram [was] fourscore and six years old,"**: This clause provides the precise age of Abram (86 years old, "fourscore" meaning eighty, plus six) at the time of Ishmael's birth. This chronological marker is highly significant, indicating that eleven years had passed since God first called Abram from Haran when he was seventy-five ([Genesis 12:4](/genesis/12-4 "Abram's Age at Call")). The extended waiting period underscores the growing impatience and doubt that likely led Sarai and Abram to take matters into their own hands, rather than patiently trusting God's timing for a miraculous birth.
* **"when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram."**: This phrase describes the pivotal event of Ishmael's birth. The verb "bare" (Hebrew: _yâlad_) indicates the act of giving birth, emphasizing Hagar's role as the biological mother. The phrase "to Abram" confirms Ishmael's legal paternity and his status as Abram's son, recognized within the cultural customs of the time. However, the subsequent narrative will clarify that despite this legitimate birth, Ishmael was not the "son of promise" through whom the Abrahamic covenant would be fully established.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs **Chronological Precision**, providing Abram's exact age, which serves to ground the narrative in a specific timeline and highlight the passage of time since God's initial promise. This precision also sets up a **Contrast** with Abram's age when Isaac, the true son of promise, would be born fourteen years later, at 100 years old ([Genesis 21:5](/genesis/21-5 "Abram's Age at Isaac's Birth")). Furthermore, the event itself functions as a form of **Foreshadowing**, hinting at the future domestic strife and the complex relationship between the descendants of Ishmael and Isaac, which would have long-lasting implications for the covenant people.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Genesis 16:16 serves as a stark reminder of the tension between human effort and divine promise. The birth of Ishmael, while a legitimate son in the eyes of the law, represents a detour from God's intended path, born of impatience and a lack of faith in God's supernatural ability to fulfill His word. This narrative underscores that God's covenant promises are not contingent on human ingenuity or striving, but on His sovereign power and perfect timing. Despite this human misstep, God's faithfulness is evident in His subsequent care for Hagar and Ishmael, demonstrating His compassion even outside the direct line of covenantal promise. The distinction between the "son of the flesh" (Ishmael) and the "son of promise" (Isaac) becomes a foundational theological concept, illustrating the difference between works-based attempts to secure blessing and grace-based reception of God's unmerited favor.

* [Genesis 17:19](/genesis/17-19 "God's Promise of Isaac Through Sarah")
* [Romans 9:7-9](/romans/9-7-9 "Paul Explains the Sons of Promise")
* [Galatians 4:22-29](/galatians/4-22-29 "Allegory of Hagar and Sarah")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Genesis 16:16 offers profound lessons for believers navigating life's uncertainties and the sometimes-long waits for God's promises to materialize. The impatience of Abram and Sarai, leading to the birth of Ishmael, serves as a cautionary tale: when we attempt to "help" God or force His hand through our own wisdom and efforts, we often create complications and unintended consequences that can reverberate for generations. This verse calls us to cultivate a deeper trust in God's perfect timing and His ability to accomplish His will in ways that defy human logic. It challenges us to surrender our timelines and methods to His sovereign plan, remembering that His ways are higher than our ways. True faith is not merely believing God *can* do something, but trusting that He *will* do it in His perfect way and time, even when circumstances seem to contradict His promises. Our spiritual growth is often forged in the crucible of waiting, as we learn to rest in God's faithfulness rather than relying on our own striving.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of your life are you tempted to "help" God fulfill His promises, rather than patiently waiting on Him?**
* **How does the story of Ishmael's birth challenge your understanding of God's timing versus your own?**
* **What practical steps can you take to cultivate greater patience and trust in God's sovereign plan, even when circumstances seem to contradict His promises?**

### FAQ
**Why is Abram's age precisely noted in this verse?**

Answer: The precise mention of Abram's age, 86 years, is highly significant. It underscores the substantial passage of time—eleven years—since God first called Abram and promised him a son when he was 75 ([Genesis 12:4](/genesis/12-4 "Abram's Age Upon Leaving Haran")). This long wait highlights the growing impatience and human reasoning that led Sarai and Abram to devise their own solution through Hagar. The exact age emphasizes the historical accuracy of the narrative and sets up a profound contrast with Abram's age (100) when Isaac, the true son of promise, was miraculously born ([Genesis 21:5](/genesis/21-5 "Abram's Age at Isaac's Birth")), fourteen years later.

**Was Ishmael the son God promised to Abram?**

Answer: No, Ishmael was not the promised son through whom God's covenant would be established. While Ishmael was indeed Abram's biological son and legitimate in the cultural context, God later clarified that the covenant heir would come specifically through Sarai, and his name would be Isaac ([Genesis 17:19](/genesis/17-19 "God's Promise of Isaac Through Sarah")). Ishmael's birth was a result of human initiative and a lack of faith in God's timing, though God did graciously bless Ishmael and promise to make him the father of a great nation ([Genesis 21:13](/genesis/21-13 "God's Promise to Hagar Concerning Ishmael")).

**What does "fourscore and six years old" mean?**

Answer: "Fourscore and six years old" is an archaic English phrase from the King James Version. "Fourscore" means four times twenty, or eighty. Therefore, "fourscore and six years old" means 86 years old. This precise detail contributes to the chronological and historical grounding of the biblical narrative, emphasizing the specific moment in Abram's life when this pivotal event occurred.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The narrative of Ishmael's birth in [Genesis 16:16](/genesis/16-16 "Abram's Age at Ishmael's Birth"), born of human striving and impatience, serves as a profound Old Testament type that foreshadows the New Testament distinction between salvation by works and salvation by grace through faith. Just as Ishmael was born "according to the flesh" ([Galatians 4:23](/galatians/4-23 "Ishmael Born According to the Flesh")), a product of human effort to secure a promised blessing, so too does humanity often attempt to achieve righteousness or favor with God through self-effort and adherence to law. However, the true "son of promise," Isaac, born miraculously when human ability had ceased, points directly to Jesus Christ. Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham, the "Seed" through whom all nations would be blessed ([Galatians 3:16](/galatians/3-16 "The Seed is Christ")). Our spiritual inheritance and adoption into God's family are not achieved by our own works or lineage, but by God's sovereign, unmerited grace through faith in Christ, the one who brings life from spiritual barrenness ([Ephesians 2:8-9](/ephesians/2-8-9 "Salvation by Grace Through Faith")). In Christ, God's promises are perfectly fulfilled, not through human striving, but through the divine provision of the perfect Son, who offers eternal life and true spiritual freedom to all who believe ([John 3:16](/john/3-16 "God So Loved the World")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.