Devine Scripture

Genesis 16:3

What does Genesis 16:3 mean?

A plain-English look at Genesis 16:3 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Genesis 16:3 means

Ten years had passed since Abram and Sarai arrived in Canaan, a decade of waiting that intensified their desire for a child. Sarai's action of giving Hagar to Abram "to be his wife" reflects the legal and social customs of the ancient Near East, where a barren wife could provide a handmaid to bear children on her behalf. However, what was culturally acceptable was not God's chosen way to fulfill His covenant, leading to complications rather than the promised blessing.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

So after Abram had been living for ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai took Hagar, her Egyptian servant, and gave her to Abram for his wife.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And Sarai, Abram's wife, taketh Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, at the end of the tenth year of Abram's dwelling in the land of Canaan, and giveth her to Abram her husband, to him for a wife,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

She took Agar the Egyptian her handmaid, ten years after they first dwelt in the land of Chanaan, and gave her to her husband to wife.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar, the Egyptian, her maidservant, at the end of ten years that Abram had dwelt in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram, as his wife.

Context

This verse provides a crucial time marker, emphasizing the prolonged wait that led to Sarai's impatience. It directly follows Sarai's proposal and Abram's agreement, detailing the actual implementation of their plan. This act of Sarai giving Hagar to Abram sets the stage for Hagar's conception and the subsequent conflict that will arise within the household.

v.2And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, Jehovah hath restrained me from bearing; go in, I pray thee, unto my handmaid; it may be that I shall obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

v.3This passage

v.4And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • 2 Samuel 5:13

    And David took him more concubines and wives out of Jerusalem, after he was come from Hebron; and there were yet sons and daughters born to David.

  • Judges 19:1

    And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite sojourning on the farther side of the hill-country of Ephraim, who took to him a concubine out of Beth-lehem-judah.

  • Genesis 32:22

    And he rose up that night, and took his two wives, and his two handmaids, and his eleven children, and passed over the ford of the Jabbok.

  • Galatians 4:25

    Now this Hagar is mount Sinai in Arabia and answereth to the Jerusalem that now is: for she is in bondage with her children.

  • Genesis 28:9

    and Esau went unto Ishmael, and took, besides the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife.

  • Genesis 12:4

    So Abram went, as Jehovah had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.

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