GENESIS 16

HAGAR GIVES BIRTH TO ISHMAEL 

Sarai, Abram’s wife, is tired of waiting and wants to take things into her own hands. Sarai tells Hagar, her Egyptian servant, to sleep with Abram and conceive. 

Although it was Sarai’s idea, when Hagar becomes pregnant, Sarai resents Hagar and treats her terribly. Hagar becomes scared for her life and runs away. An angel the Lord comes to Hagar and convinces her to return and tells her that God will be with her. 

Hagar gives birth to a son named Ishmael and he is described as a wild donkey of a man. Ishmael means “God will hear” or “heard by God” and is named this because Hagar felt seen and heard by God.