Chapter 16

Sarai giveth her hand-maid Agar as a wife to Abram: ℣.4 who conceiving despiseth her mistress, is therefore afflicted, and flyeth away. ℣.7 But is warned by an Angel to return and humble her self, ℣.15 which she doth, and beareth Ismael

1. 1

   Sarai therefore the wife of Abram had brought forth no children; but having an handmaid, an Ægyptian named Agar,

2. 2

   she said to her husband: Behold, our Lord hath closed me, that I might not bear; Go in unto my handmaid, if happily of her at the least I may have children. And when he agreed to her in this request,

3. 3

   she took Agar the Ægyptian her handmaid ten years after that they first dwelled in the land of Chanaan, and gave her unto her husband to wife.

4. 4

   Who did company with her, but she perceiving that she was with child, despised her mistress.

5. 5

   And Sarai said to Abram: Thou doest unjustly against me: I gave my handmaid into thy bosom, who perceiving her self to be with child, despiseth me. Our Lord judge between me and thee.

6. 6

   To whom Abram making answer: Behold, saith he, thy handmaid is in thine own hand, use her as it pleaseth thee. When Sarai therefore did afflict her, she ran away.

7. 7

   And an Angel of our Lord having found her beside a fountain of water in the wilderness, which is in the way to Sur in the desert,

8. 8

   he said to her: Agar, the handmaid of Sarai, whence comest thou? And whither goest thou? Who answered: From the face of Sarai my mistress do I fly.

9. 9

   And the Angel of our Lord said to her: Return to thy mistress, and humble thy self under her hand.

10. 10

    And again: Multiplying, saith he, will I multiply thy seed, and it shall not be numbered for the multitude thereof.

11. 11

    And again after that: Behold, saith he, thou art with child, and thou shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Ismael, because the Lord hath heard thine affliction.

12. 12

    He shall be a wild man: his hand shall be against all men, and all men's hands against him; and over against all his brethren shall he pitch his tents.

13. 13

    And she called the name of our Lord that spake unto her: Thou the God which hast seen me. For she said: verily here have I seen the back parts of him that hast seen me.

14. 14

    Therefore she called that well, the well of him that liveth and seeth me. The same is between Cadesse and Barad.

15. 15

    And Agar brought forth a son to Abram: Who called his name Ismael.

16. 16

    Eighty and six years old was Abram when Agar brought him forth Ismael.