Sarai and Hagar

“Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. “

THE SCRIPTURE

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had not been able to bear children for him. But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “The Lord has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her.” And Abram agreed with Sarai’s proposal. So Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant and gave her to Abram as a wife. (Genesis 16:1-3 NLT)

So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar, and she became pregnant. But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress, Sarai, with contempt. Then Sarai said to Abram, “This is all your fault! I put my servant into your arms, but now that she’s pregnant she treats me with contempt. The Lord will show who’s wrong—you or me!” Abram replied, “Look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away. (Genesis 16: 4-6 NLT)

The angel of the Lord found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur.  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. The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.” Then he added, “I will give you more descendants than you can count.” And the angel also said, “You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You are to name him Ishmael (which means ‘God hears’), for the Lord has heard your cry of distress.(Genesis 16: 7-11 NLT)

So Hagar gave Abram a son, and Abram named him Ishmael.  Abram was eighty-six years old when Ishmael was born. (Genesis 16:15-16 NLT)

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.” (Genesis 17:1-2 NLT)

Then God said to Abraham, “Regarding Sarai, your wife—her name will no longer be Sarai. From now on her name will be Sarah. And I will bless her and give you a son from her! Yes, I will bless her richly, and she will become the mother of many nations. Kings of nations will be among her descendants.” (Genesis 17:15-16 NLT)

But God replied, “No—Sarah, your wife, will give birth to a son for you. You will name him Isaac, and I will confirm my covenant with him and his descendants as an everlasting covenant. (Genesis 17:19 NLT)

The Lord kept his word and did for Sarah exactly what he had promised. She became pregnant, and she gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age. This happened at just the time God had said it would. And Abraham named their son Isaac. Eight days after Isaac was born, Abraham circumcised him as God had commanded.  Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born. (Genesis 21:1-5 NLT)

 When Isaac grew up and was about to be weaned, Abraham prepared a huge feast to celebrate the occasion.  But Sarah saw Ishmael—the son of Abraham and her Egyptian servant Hagar—making fun of her son, Isaac.  So she turned to Abraham and demanded, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son. He is not going to share the inheritance with my son, Isaac. I won’t have it!”  (Genesis 21:8-10 NLT)

THEIR STORY

Sarai and Hagar are connected through servitude. Hagar is an Egyptian slave, she belonged to Sarai. She did household work for Sarai. Sarai was married to Abram, a wealthy man.

Study Question #1: Does the social status between women naturally influence their relationship?

But Sarai has not yet been able to get pregnant so she commands Hagar to sleep with her husband, Abram, “Sarai gave Hagar to Abram as a wife”. Sarai was following customs and practices in giving Hagar to Abram. [The assignment of a female slave as a surrogate for a childless woman was a normal practice.]

Study Question #2: How can we avoid letting social norms influence the situations we put women in that we supervise or otherwise have influence over?

When Hagar gets pregnant she treats Sara with contempt, rather than empathy. Hagar no longer regards the servant-master relationship between herself and Sarai, Sarai “became despised in her eyes”.

Study Question #3: How would an empathetic Hagar have treated Sarai in this situation?

Abram reminds Sarai that Hagar is her slave to do with as she so pleases. so, in response to Hagar’s disrespect, Sarai treats Hagar so harshly that Hagar runs away. The Lord finds Hagar at a stream in the wilderness and tells her to return to Sarai and submit to her authority.

Study Question #4: How could Sarai have handled this situation better?

Study Question #5: How do we treat other women in response to their negativity towards you, whether or not you provoked the attitude or not? What would “Jesus have you do”?

Study Question #6: What advice can we give women who finds themselves employed by or have to associate with women they don’t get along with?

Fourteen years later, at the age of 90, Sarah gives birth to Isaac. Hagar is still Sarah’s slave and Ishmael is now seventeen. During a celebration for his young, half-brother, Ishmael makes fun of Isaac. Sarah becomes angry and tells Abraham to send Hagar and Ishmael away.

Study Question #7: Do you think the relationship between Hagar and Sarah influenced the way Ishmael treated Isaac? How is this a warning about how we spread negativity and the repercussions of doing so?