A Message For Hagar

Hagar, like all women today, was born in Egypt [Babylon]; she did not know the Creator or His eternal, unchanging and set-apart ways. But unlike most women today, Hagar was born as a daughter of Pharaoh through one of his concubines.

Yasher 15:30 Now therefore here is thy woman, take her and go from our land lest we all die on her account. And Pharaoh took more cattle, men servants and maid servants, and silver and gold, to give to Abram, and he returned unto him Sarai his woman. 31 And the king took a maiden whom he begat by his concubines, and he gave her to Sarai for a handmaid.

Hagar Is Given To Abram By Pharaoh

I am sure that having her status changed from a mistress in Pharaoh’s house to a handmaid in the house of the Hebrew Abram was quite a shock. But Hagar’s father, the Pharaoh, comforted Hagar with these words as she pleaded with him to let her stay.

Yasher 15:32 And the king said to his daughter, “It is better for thee, my daughter, to be a handmaid in this man’s house than to be mistress in my house, after we have beheld the evil that befell us on account of this woman [Sarai].”

No truer words were ever spoken to Hagar; and during the course of the next ten years she learned how to become a woman of worth in the house of Abram.

Now Sarai, Abram’s woman, had not borne for him. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. (Gen 16:1)

Yasher 16:23 And Sarai, the daughter of Haran, Abram’s woman, was still barren in those days; she did not bear to Abram either son or daughter. 24 And when she saw that she bare no children she took her handmaid Hagar, whom Pharaoh had given her, and she gave her to Abram, her man, to be a woman for him. 25 For Hagar learned all the ways of Sarai as Sarai taught her, she was not in any way deficient in following her good ways.

Sarai blamed Yehovah for her inability to give Abram a son as He had promised him; but sometimes His timing is just not ours. In order to bring Yehovah’s plan to a quicker resolution Sarai decided to bring Yehovah’s word to pass in her flesh. After-all, who really needs His help?

To expedite Yehovah’s will in their lives Sarai decided to take advantage of one of the traditions of the Canaanites. If a women could not bear, another woman was often brought in to do so for her. This second woman would then give birth while sitting on the former woman’s lap and the child would pass through her legs as well.

Did Hagar have a choice in this matter? Did Sarai have a choice when Abram took her?

So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, Yehovah has restrained me from bearing. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall build by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. (Gen 16:2)

Jasher 16:26 And Sarai said to Abram, Behold here is my handmaid Hagar, go to her that she may bring forth upon my knees, that I may also obtain a son through her.
27 And at the end of ten years of Abram’s dwelling in the land of Canaan, which is the eighty-fifth year of Abram’s life, Sarai gave Hagar unto him.
28 And Abram hearkened to the voice of his woman Sarai, and he took his handmaid Hagar and Abram came to her and she conceived.

Ishmael was born a year later for Sarai and by Hagar. But even women of worth can “cop an attitude” and in this case they both did. Sarai was jealous because of her inability to bear a son for Abram.

Yasher 16:30 And when Sarai saw that Hagar had conceived by Abram, Sarai was jealous of her handmaid, and Sarai said within herself, this is surely nothing else but that she must be better than I am.

And Hagar looked down on Sarai believing that her worth was greater before Yehovah. For she was able to do, in less than a year, what Sarai had not done in over 35 years; give Abram a son.

Yasher 16:29 And when Hagar saw that she had conceived she rejoiced greatly, and her mistress was despised in her eyes, and she said within herself, This can only be that I am better before Elohim than Sarai, my mistress, for all the days that my mistress has been with my lord, she did not conceive, but me Yehovah has caused, in so short a time, to conceive by him.

Then Sarai complains to Abram and blames him for what “he has done,”

So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as thou please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence. (Gen 16:6)

Yasher 16:32 And when I speak to Hagar in thy presence, she despises my words, because she has conceived. And thou wilt say nothing to her? May Yehovah judge between me and thee for what thou hast done to me.
33 And Abram said to Sarai, “Behold thy handmaid is in thy hand, do unto her as it may seem good in thy eyes; “Thus Sarai afflicted her, and Hagar fled from her to the wilderness.

I’m guessing that what Hagar received from Sarai was emotional, verbal and physical abuse just like many a woman today receives from their man, their covering. Could Hagar have avoided this confrontation with Sarai by maintaining a better attitude?

The Messenger Finds Hagar

Hagar left and found herself, pregnant and alone, in the wilderness and on her way back to Egypt. Augh! Oh, this breaks my heart and I am weeping as I write this. Yehovah cares about women of worth and does not want them to be alone in the wilderness. He cared so much for Hagar that He sent an angel, a messenger, a sent one (probably a man just like me) to find her in the wilderness. This precious messenger of Yehovah only had a one short message for her. She could receive it, act on it, and remain in Yehovah’s will or she could continue on her road back to Egypt; and ultimate destruction.

Now Yehovah’s messenger found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur [this is the road back to Egypt]. 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.” The angel [ the messenger] of Yehovah said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand.” (Gen 16:7-9)

Jasher 16:34 And Yehovah’s messenger found her in the place where she had fled, by a well, and he said to her, Do not fear, for I will multiply thy seed, for thou shalt bear a son and thou shalt call his name Ishmael; now then return to Sarai thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.

Fortunately Hagar was not only a woman of worth but also a wise woman who recognized the words of Yehovah and returned to her master, her covering.

Yasher 16:36 And Hagar at that time returned to her master’s house, and at the end of days Hagar bare a son to Abram, and Abram called his name Ishmael; and Abram was eighty-six years old when he begat him.

Because Hagar heard the message of Yehovah; He continued to bless her during her next 19 years in Abram’s house and even after that time when they left Abram’s house and was released into her son’s care.

The goal for every woman is to become A Woman of Worth, and that can not happen without a man (father, husband, uncle, cousin, son and even a master) in your life, whom you can learn to serve.

Here is my video teaching on Genesis 16 and the story of Hagar. I hope you enjoy it.