Genesis 16:8

ESV And he said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?" She said, "I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai."

NIV And he said, "Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?" "I’m running away from my mistress Sarai," she answered.

NASB He said, 'Hagar, Sarai’s slave woman, from where have you come, and where are you going?' And she said, 'I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.'

CSB He said, "Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?" She replied, "I’m running away from my mistress Sarai."

NLT The angel said to her, 'Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?' 'I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,' she replied.

KJV And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.

NKJV And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”

What does Genesis 16:8 mean?

Hagar, an Egyptian servant girl pregnant with Abram's first child (Genesis 16:4), is on the run from the mistreatment of Sarai, Abram's first wife (Genesis 16:6). Sarai and Abram have attempted to speed up God's promises by seeking a child through Hagar. Unfortunately, Hagar's new status as Abram's wife and her immediate pregnancy create friction. Specifically, Hagar has become contemptuous towards Sarai, resulting in no small measure of revenge. Sarai begins to "deal harshly" with Hagar.

In running away, Hagar is most likely heading back to her homeland in Egypt (Genesis 12:15–16; 16:1). Along the way, the "angel of the Lord" finds her at a spring beside the road. He immediately identifies that he knows her, addressing her as Hagar, the servant of Sarai. He asks where she has come from and where she is going, things he likely already knows, as well.

Hagar answers honestly. She is fleeing from Sarai. The "angel of Yahweh," which seems to be the Lord Himself (Genesis 16:10, 13), will have some surprising instructions and prophecies for Hagar in the following verses.

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Context Summary
Genesis 16:1–16 demonstrates that God hears and sees and cares, but that He won't be rushed or manipulated into keeping His promises. Sarai and Abram attempt to receive God's promised child through their own scheme. In this case, by marrying Abram to an Egyptian servant girl. The resulting pregnancy, though, leads to harsh conflict and a surprising revelation from the Lord to Hagar. Her son Ishmael will not be the child of the promise, though he will become a great nation, and his people will live in conflict with everyone. Abram and Sarai will continue to wait for the arrival of their own son.

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Chapter Context
Sarai, tired of waiting for a child, convinces Abram to go to plan B. She gives her Egyptian slave girl to Abram as a wife, with the understanding that any children will belong to Sarai. Once Hagar is pregnant, however, conflict sets in. Sarai deals harshly with Hagar, and she flees alone into the wilderness. The Lord finds her there and commands her to return and submit to Sarai. However, the Lord also reveals that Hagar's son will have an uncountable number of offspring and that they will live in conflict with everyone. Hagar praises God as the one who sees, returns to Abram and Sarai, and Ishmael is soon born.

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