The Tanakh · JPS 1917 Translation

Genesis 16

Jewish Publication Society 1917 · Torah

Genesis chapter 16 — part of the Torah in the Jewish Bible. In the classic JPS 1917 translation it opens: “Now Sarai Abram's wife bore him no children; and she had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.” — the complete text of all 16 verses is below, free to read online.

1Now Sarai Abram's wife bore him no children; and she had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

2And Sarai said unto Abram: 'Behold now, HaShem hath restrained me from bearing; go in, I pray thee, unto my handmaid; it may be that I shall be builded up through her.' And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.

3And 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.

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

5And Sarai said unto Abram: 'My wrong be upon thee: I gave my handmaid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: HaShem judge between me and thee.'

6But Abram said unto Sarai: 'Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her that which is good in thine eyes.' And Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face.

7And the angel of HaShem found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.

8And he said: 'Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, whence camest thou? and whither goest thou?' And she said: 'I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.'

9And the angel of HaShem said unto her: 'Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.'

10And the angel of HaShem said unto her: 'I will greatly multiply thy seed, that it shall not be numbered for multitude.

11And the angel of HaShem said unto her: 'Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son; and thou shalt call his name Ishmael, because HaShem hath heard thy affliction.

12And he shall be a wild ass of a man: his hand shall be against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the face of all his brethren.'

13And she called the name of HaShem that spoke unto her, Thou art a G-d of seeing; for she said: 'Have I even here seen Him that seeth Me?'

14Wherefore the well was called 'Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

15And Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.

16And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

16 verses · JPS 1917 (public domain)

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