Menneskelig problemløsning
1Abrams kone, Saraj, kunne stadig ingen børn få, men hun havde en egyptisk slavepige, der hed Hagar. 2-3En dag sagde hun til Abram: „Herren har hindret mig i at få børn. Prøv du at gå ind til Hagar. Måske hun så får en søn, som jeg kan regne for min egen.”
Abram gik ind på forslaget, og Saraj gav ham egypterpigen Hagar som hans anden kone. Dette skete ti år efter, at Abram var kommet til Kana’ans land. 4Men da Hagar blev gravid, viste hun foragt for Saraj.
5Saraj beklagede sig til Abram: „Hvorfor tillader du Hagar at være nedladende overfor mig? Jeg gav dig min slavepige, for at jeg kunne få en søn, men nu hvor hun er gravid, har hun ingen respekt for mig. Må Herren selv dømme om du eller jeg har ret!”
6„Siden hun er din slavepige, kan du gøre med hende, hvad du vil,” svarede Abram. Fra da af var Saraj så hård imod Hagar, at hun til sidst løb sin vej.
7Herrens engel fandt hende ved en kilde langs den øde vej til Shur. 8Englen sagde til hende: „Hagar, Sarajs slavepige, hvor kommer du fra, og hvor er du på vej hen?” „Jeg er løbet væk fra min frue,” svarede hun. 9„Vend tilbage til din frue og adlyd hende,” fortsatte englen. 10„Jeg vil give dig flere efterkommere, end man kan tælle. 11Du skal føde en søn, som du skal give navnet Ishmael.16,11 Det betyder: „Gud hører”. Herren har nemlig hørt din bøn om hjælp. 12Men din søn bliver en mand med et hidsigt temperament og stædig som et æsel. Han vil være i oprør mod alle, og alle vil være imod ham. Selv sine nærmeste slægtninge vil han strides med.”
13Efter den oplevelse omtalte Hagar altid Herren, der havde talt til hende, som „den Gud, der ser mig”, for—som hun sagde: „Jeg har set den Gud, som ser mig.” 14Senere blev stedet kaldt Be’er-Lahaj-Roi.16,14 Det betyder: „Brønden, hvor den Levende (Gud) ser mig”. Den findes stadig mellem Kadesh og Bered.
15Så fødte Hagar en søn, og Abram kaldte ham Ishmael. 16På det tidspunkt var Abram 86 år gammel.
1Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 2And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.16.2 obtain…: Heb. be built by her 3And 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.
4¶ And 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 have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee. 6But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.16.6 as…: Heb. that which is good in thine eyes16.6 dealt…: Heb. afflicted her
7¶ And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. 8And 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. 9And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.
10And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. 11And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.16.11 Ishmael: that is, God shall hear 12And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. 13And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? 14Wherefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.16.14 Beer-lahai-roi: that is, The well of him that liveth and seeth me
15¶ And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael. 16And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.
