TRV
Translation
King James Version
¶ And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
Complete Jewish Bible
Avram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she conceived. But when she became aware that she was pregnant, she looked on her mistress with contempt.
Berean Standard Bible
And he slept with Hagar, and she conceived. But when Hagar realized that she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress.
American Standard Version
And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
World English Bible Messianic
He went in to Hagar, and she conceived. When she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And he went in vnto Hagar, and she conceiued. and when she sawe that she had conceiued, her dame was despised in her eyes.
Young's Literal Translation
and he goeth in unto Hagar, and she conceiveth, and she seeth that she hath conceived, and her mistress is lightly esteemed in her eyes.
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In the KJVVerse 386 of 31,102
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Commentary on Genesis 16 verses 4–6
4 ¶ And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
5 And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.
6 But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.
We have here the immediate bad consequences of Abram's unhappy marriage to Hagar. A great deal of mischief it made quickly. When we do not well both sin and trouble lie at the door; and we may thank ourselves for the guilt and grief that follow us when we go out of the way of our duty. See it in this story.
I. Sarai is despised, and thereby provoked and put into a passion, Gen 16:4. Hagar no sooner perceives herself with child by her master than she looks scornfully upon her mistress, upbraids her perhaps with her barrenness, insults over her, to make her to fret (as Sa1 1:6), and boasts of the prospect she had of bringing an heir to Abram, to that good land, and to the promise. Now she thinks herself a better woman than Sarai, more favoured by Heaven, and likely to be better beloved by Abram; and therefore she will not submit as she has done. Note, 1. Mean and servile spirits, when favoured and advanced either by God or man, are apt to grow haughty and insolent, and to forget their place and origin. See Pro 29:21; Pro 30:21-23. It is a hard thing to bear honour aright. 2. We justly suffer by those whom we have sinfully indulged, and it is a righteous thing with God to make those instruments of our trouble whom we have made instruments of our sin, and to ensnare us in our own evil counsels: this stone will return upon him that rolleth it.
II. Abram is clamoured upon, and cannot be easy while Sarai is out of humour; she upbraids him vehemently, and very unjustly charges him with the injury (Gen 16:5): My wrong be upon thee, with a most unreasonable jealousy suspecting that he countenanced Hagar's insolence; and, as one not willing to hear what Abram had to say for the rectifying of the mistake and the clearing of himself, she rashly appeals to God in the case: The Lord judge between me and thee; as if Abram had refused to right her. Thus does Sarai, in her passion, speak as one of the foolish women speaketh. Note, 1. It is an absurdity which passionate people are often guilty of to quarrel with others for that of which they themselves must bear the blame. Sarai could not but own that she had given her maid to Abram, and yet she cries out, My wrong be upon thee, when she should have said, What a fool was I to do so! That is never said wisely which pride and anger have the inditing of; when passion is upon the throne, reason is out of doors, and is neither heard nor spoken. 2. Those are not always in the right who are most loud and forward in appealing to God. Rash and bold imprecations are commonly evidences of guilt and a bad cause.
III. Hagar is afflicted, and driven from the house, Gen 16:6. Observe, 1. Abram's meekness resigns the matter of the maid-servant to Sarai, whose proper province it was to rule that part of the family: Thy maid is in thy hand. Though she was his wife, he would not countenance nor protect her in any thing that was disrespectful to Sarai, for whom he still retained the same affection that ever he had. Note, Those who would keep up peace and love must return soft answers to hard accusations. Husbands and wives particularly should agree, and endeavour not to be both angry together. Yielding pacifies great offenses. See Pro 15:1. 2. Sarai's passion will be revenged upon Hagar: She dealt hardly with her, not only confining her to her usual place and work as a servant, but probably making her to serve with rigour. Note, God takes notice of, and is displeased with, the hardships which harsh masters unreasonably put upon their servants. They ought to forbear threatening, with Job's thought, Did not he that made me make him? Job 31:15. 3. Hagar's pride cannot bear it, her high spirit having become impatient of rebuke: She fled from her face. She not only avoided her wrath for the present, as David did Saul's, but she totally deserted her service, and ran away from the house, forgetting, (1.) What wrong she hereby did to her mistress, whose servant she was, and to her master, whose wife she was. Note, Pride will hardly be restrained by any bonds of duty, no, not by many. (2.) That she herself had first given the provocation, by despising her mistress. Note, Those that suffer for their faults ought to bear their sufferings patiently, Pe1 2:20.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 4–6. Public domain.
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Ambrose of MilanAD 397
On Abraham
It was not because he was ablaze with the heat of some unbridled passion, not because he was overcome by the charm of seductive beauty that Abraham gave preference to a relationship with a slave girl over the conjugal bed, but through a desire to procure a posterity and to enlarge his progeny. After the flood the human race was still numerically sparse. Hence it was also a matter of moral obligation that no one be seen to have failed to render the debt to nature. For this reason, even the children of holy Lot were inspired by this motive to procure a posterity for themselves so that the human race would not become extinct. Thus the merit of having done one’s duty to society excused individual guilt. And it is not without significance that the wife is presented as the instigator of the deed. In [a] sense [this] exculpates her husband, so that no one could believe that he was carried away by some mad perversion. At the same time … women might learn to love their husbands, not to allow themselves to be tormented by empty suspicions of infidelity and not to dislike their stepchildren, when they themselves have been childless. That wonderful wife desired only that her husband forgive her sterility, and, wishing to avoid being herself the reason for her husband’s not having children, she persuades him to go in to the slave girl. Later on, Leah and Rachel did the same thing. Learn, O woman, to put aside jealousy, which often drives women to madness.
Didymus the BlindAD 398
ON GENESIS 236-37
As we said above, it is a most authentic proof of moderation (sophrosyne) that Sarah gives in offering her slave girl to Abraham without a hint of jealousy, after she had observed that in ten months’ time she had not conceived. And we have acknowledged too the passionlessness (apatheia) of the wise man, in that his clear purpose in yielding to his wife’s request was to have children.The anagogical [mystical] sense has already been expounded. It is in accordance with its goal that virtue asks us to first make use of the introductory sciences so as to first have children by them. This does not prevent the works of preparatory education from being themselves children of virtue, since they are engaged for the sake of virtue. By employing these, it was not long before the wise man effected a conception, for progress is spontaneous for the wise man.
Didymus the BlindAD 398
ON GENESIS 237-38
Virtue’s purpose was, as we have said, that the wise man do training exercises first in preliminary education and shadow so that later, with this training behind him, he might arrive at greater things—which is the proper procedural order. It is likewise illogical that after the knowledge of perfect things one should turn back to petty things. This is in fact what the apostle Paul writes to the Galatians, who, after the gospel had been preached to them, wanted to live with the shadow, which is the law.… They had been taken in by a certain Ebion, who wanted to practice Judaism after having become a Christian and who was so successful in persuading others that the apostles gave him this surname to show his poverty. Ebion, in fact, means “poor,” and he was so called because of the perversion and poverty of his ideas. As for the fact that the Galatians were of pagan origin, Paul writes, “Formerly, when you did not know God, you were in bondage to beings that by nature are not gods, but now you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God.” He reproached them, as I said, in these terms (to produce now the text I announced): “Having begun with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?” Indeed, when once they had given a wholly divine beginning to their edifice, they were looking for figures in an inappropriate manner, for they were searching for them when it was no longer their time. For we must understand why the visible circumcision was given and until what time it was appropriate to practice it. If one has understood this, he has had children from the concubine and is able, after this, to comprehend the circumcision of the heart that is effected by the Spirit. This holy man, upon the advice of virtue, went in to the slave girl whom she had placed at his disposal, as we have explained, and the slave girl conceived. But after this, it is inappropriate to remain with her beyond the time of her favor. Many indeed, having made use of the preparatory exercises in view of the perfect teaching, never go beyond this point, thus giving birth to a progeny of slavery, and in a certain sense dishonor virtue.… One dishonors virtue, then, who gives other things precedence over it. For if one chooses virtue, not for its own sake but for the sake of something else—praise, for example, or glory—then in a certain sense one is dishonoring the good, which in itself is not susceptible to dishonor.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Genesis 16:4 marks a critical turning point in the Abrahamic narrative, detailing the immediate and fraught consequences of Abram's union with Hagar, Sarai's servant, in an attempt to secure an heir. The verse succinctly records Hagar's conception and the swift, detrimental shift in her attitude, leading her to openly disdain Sarai, her mistress. This pivotal moment underscores the relational breakdown and unforeseen complications that arise when human impatience and lack of faith attempt to fulfill divine promises through fleshly means, rather than trusting in God's perfect timing and sovereign method.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse effectively employs Juxtaposition by placing the successful conception immediately alongside the relational breakdown it causes. This highlights the ironic outcome of human effort: what was intended to solve a problem (barrenness) immediately creates a new, more complex one (strife). Foreshadowing is also prominent, as Hagar's contempt and the subsequent conflict lay the groundwork for the enduring tension between the descendants of Ishmael and Isaac, a conflict that resonates throughout biblical history and beyond. The phrase "in her eyes" serves as a form of Synecdoche, where "eyes" represent Hagar's entire perception, judgment, and inner attitude. There is also an element of Irony in that Sarai's attempt to gain an heir through Hagar ultimately leads to her own humiliation and distress, rather than the desired fulfillment.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Genesis 16:4 serves as a potent theological lesson on the dangers of human impatience and the futility of attempting to fulfill divine promises through fleshly means. Abram and Sarai's decision to act outside of God's timing, though culturally permissible, immediately introduces discord and suffering into their household. This narrative underscores that God's ways are higher than human ways, and His promises are fulfilled by His sovereign power and perfect timing, not by human schemes. The immediate consequence of Hagar's pride and Sarai's distress highlights the far-reaching impact of choices made in distrust, setting a precedent for future conflicts and demonstrating how sin can corrupt even seemingly well-intentioned actions.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Genesis 16:4 offers a profound cautionary tale for believers today, urging us to exercise patience and unwavering faith in God's perfect timing and sovereign plan. When faced with delayed promises or seemingly insurmountable obstacles, our natural inclination might be to "help God out" or to take matters into our own hands, devising human solutions to divine problems. However, this verse vividly demonstrates that such attempts, born out of impatience or a lack of trust, invariably lead to unforeseen complications, relational strife, and long-term consequences that often far outweigh the initial problem. The discord that immediately erupted in Abram's household serves as a powerful reminder that God's ways are always superior and that true fulfillment comes not from our striving, but from patiently waiting and trusting in His faithfulness, even when His timing seems slow or His methods unclear. This narrative encourages us to surrender our timelines and strategies to the Lord, confident that His perfect plan will unfold in His perfect way.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Sarai suggest Abram take Hagar, and was this common practice?
Answer: Sarai suggested Abram take Hagar because she was barren and believed this was the only way to secure an heir, fulfilling God's promise of descendants to Abram. This practice, known as surrogate motherhood through a servant, was indeed common in the ancient Near East, as evidenced by legal codes like the Code of Hammurabi and Nuzi tablets, where a barren wife might provide a slave-girl to her husband to bear children on her behalf. However, while culturally permissible, the biblical narrative shows that acting outside of God's specific, sovereign timing and method for His promise led to significant strife and long-term consequences, as seen in Genesis 16:5-6.
What does "her mistress was despised in her eyes" specifically mean?
Answer: The phrase "her mistress was despised in her eyes" (Hebrew: va-teqal g'virtah b'eineiha) literally means "her mistress became light or insignificant in her eyes." It conveys a strong sense of contempt, disdain, or a lowering of regard. Hagar, now pregnant with Abram's child, perceived herself as having gained a higher status or importance than Sarai, who remained barren. This led her to look down upon Sarai, no longer affording her the respect due to a mistress, demonstrating a swift and prideful shift from humility to contempt. This change in Hagar's perception and behavior immediately created tension and conflict within the household, directly leading to Sarai's distress and Hagar's subsequent flight, as described in Genesis 16:6.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Genesis 16:4, with its stark depiction of human impatience leading to profound relational strife and a legacy of division, stands in powerful contrast to God's perfect and redemptive plan through Jesus Christ. While Abram and Sarai attempted to bring about God's promise of an heir through fleshly means, resulting in conflict and a "son of the flesh" (Galatians 4:23), Christ is the true "seed" promised to Abraham (Galatians 3:16), born not by human effort or impatience, but by divine intervention and perfect timing (Galatians 4:4). He embodies God's faithfulness, fulfilling all covenant promises through His perfect obedience and sacrificial love, bringing reconciliation and peace where human schemes sow discord (Ephesians 2:14-16). The true heir, the one through whom all nations are blessed (Genesis 12:3), is Christ, demonstrating that God's covenant promises are ultimately fulfilled by His sovereign power and grace, not by flawed human endeavors. He is the ultimate answer to humanity's spiritual barrenness, bringing forth new life not through human striving, but through faith in His finished work (John 1:12-13).