Genesis 16:11 kjv

And 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.

Genesis 16:11 nkjv

And the Angel of the LORD said to her: "Behold, you are with child, And you shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has heard your affliction.

Genesis 16:11 niv

The angel of the LORD also said to her: "You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard of your misery.

Genesis 16:11 esv

And the angel of the LORD said to her, "Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because the LORD has listened to your affliction.

Genesis 16:11 nlt

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 verses

Genesis 16 11 Meaning

Genesis 16:11 records a profound divine revelation to Hagar, a distressed Egyptian slave who has fled into the wilderness. The verse announces her current pregnancy, prophesies the forthcoming birth of a son, and divinely commissions her to name him Ishmael. This name, meaning "God hears" or "God will hear," is explicitly explained as a direct consequence of the Lord having intently listened to Hagar's affliction. This encounter highlights God's compassionate attentiveness to those in despair and His sovereign knowledge and active involvement in the lives of individuals, even those considered outsiders.

Genesis 16 11 Context

Genesis chapter 16 describes a period of impatience and human intervention regarding God's promise of an heir to Abram. Sarai, Abram's wife, barren for many years, attempts to facilitate God's promise through a customary, though fraught, practice of the time: giving her Egyptian slave, Hagar, to Abram to bear a child on her behalf. Upon conceiving, Hagar, now pregnant, begins to despise her mistress Sarai. Sarai retaliates by afflicting Hagar, leading Hagar to flee into the desolate wilderness. It is in this vulnerable and solitary state that the Angel of the Lord directly intercepts Hagar. Genesis 16:11 is the pivotal moment of this divine encounter, providing Hagar with comfort, direction to return to her mistress, and prophetic insights into the future of her unborn son. It underscores that even in human failings and subsequent suffering, God remains observant and compassionate, engaging with those whom others might discard.

Genesis 16 11 Word analysis

• "And the angel of the Lord" (וַיֹּאמֶר מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה - vayyōʾmer malʾaḵ YHWH): This phrase often refers to a divine messenger who is sometimes identified with Yahweh Himself (a theophany or Christophany), as this Angel often speaks with divine authority ("I will multiply your offspring") and receives worship. This encounter marks God's direct, personal intervention in Hagar's life, showing His universal reach and compassion.
• "said to her" (אֵלֶיהָ - ʾēleyhā): Denotes direct and personal communication, emphasizing that God speaks intimately to an individual who is a marginalized, non-covenant, and fleeing servant.
• "Behold" (הִנֵּה - hinnēh): An imperative particle used to draw immediate attention, signifying the importance and divine origin of the subsequent revelation.
• "you are pregnant" (הָרָה אַתְּ - hārāh ʾat): A factual confirmation by God, showing His full awareness of Hagar's physical state and the immediate cause of her current predicament and flight. God truly sees her.
• "and shall bear a son" (וְיֹלַדְתְּ בֵּן - vəyōladt ben): A prophetic declaration that not only confirms the pregnancy but also foretells the gender, asserting God's sovereign knowledge and control over future events and individual lives.
• "You shall call his name" (וְקָרָאת שְׁמוֹ - vəqārāʾt šmō): A divine command, highlighting the biblical significance of names as conveyors of identity, destiny, or character. This divine naming elevates the child's purpose and God's design for his future.
• "Ishmael" (יִשְׁמָעֵאל - Yishmaʿʾēl): Derived from the Hebrew yishmaʿ (to hear) and ʾēl (God), meaning "God hears" or "God will hear." The name itself is a profound theological statement, embodying God's responsive and attentive character.
• "because" (כִּי - kî): A causal conjunction that explicitly provides the divine reason for the child's name, directly linking God's action to Hagar's circumstances.
• "the Lord" (יְהוָה - YHWH): God's covenant name, emphasized here to show that it is the personal, relational God of Abraham who is acting and hearing, reinforcing His faithfulness to His attributes.
• "has listened" (שָׁמַע - šamaʿ): The verb šamaʿ implies an active and attentive hearing that often leads to understanding, compassion, and action. It indicates that God has not passively perceived, but actively engaged with Hagar's distress. The qal perfect tense suggests a completed action with lasting impact.
• "to your affliction" (אֶל עָנְיֵךְ - ʾel ʿonyēḵ): ʿOny (עָנִי) signifies suffering, oppression, misery, humility, or being downtrodden. This comprehensive term captures Hagar's physical distress from fleeing, emotional anguish from rejection, and social humiliation as a slave. This particular emphasis reveals God's deep empathy for the suffering of the oppressed.

Words-group analysis

• "The angel of the Lord said to her... You shall call his name Ishmael": This sequence highlights divine initiative and authoritative command. It underscores God's sovereign role in ordering life, destiny, and the prophetic significance of names. This stands in stark contrast to human efforts, like Sarai's scheme, and shows God's plan unfolding despite human failings.
• "because the Lord has listened to your affliction": This powerful explanatory phrase directly links Ishmael's identity and future purpose to God's compassionate nature. It illustrates a core biblical theme: God is one who attentively hears the cries of the suffering, especially the vulnerable and the outcast. This sets a precedent for God's redemptive work throughout history, emphasizing His responsiveness to distress.

Genesis 16 11 Bonus section

The appearance of "the Angel of the Lord" to Hagar is often interpreted as a Christophany, a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ, reinforcing the deep personal engagement of God with humanity. This is one of the earliest explicit instances in the Bible where the name of an individual is divinely mandated and intrinsically tied to God's attributes, establishing a pattern seen with Noah, Moses, and most significantly, Jesus. Hagar's subsequent response in Gen 16:13, where she names the Lord "You are a God of seeing" (El Roi), further underscores her profound theological understanding stemming from this encounter – not only does God hear, but He also truly sees and acknowledges. This event reminds believers that God's sovereignty includes comforting those who suffer due to human actions or difficult circumstances, ensuring that no cry for help goes unheard.

Genesis 16 11 Commentary

Genesis 16:11 unveils a core aspect of God's character: His profound compassion and unwavering attentiveness to human suffering. The Angel of the Lord's direct intervention in Hagar's desperate flight signifies that no individual, regardless of their status or origin, is outside the purview of God's watchful care. By confirming Hagar's pregnancy and prophetically naming her son Ishmael ("God hears") as a direct response to her "affliction," God reveals Himself as One who not only sees distress but actively listens and intervenes. This passage illustrates that God's grace extends beyond specific covenant lines, reaching out to the marginalized and validating their suffering. It is a powerful testament to God's empathy, demonstrating that even when human relationships break down, divine mercy provides hope and a future.