Genesis 16:6 kjv

But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thine hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.

Genesis 16:6 nkjv

So Abram said to Sarai, "Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please." And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence.

Genesis 16:6 niv

"Your slave is in your hands," Abram said. "Do with her whatever you think best." Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.

Genesis 16:6 esv

But Abram said to Sarai, "Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please." Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her.

Genesis 16:6 nlt

Abram replied, "Look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit." Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away.

Genesis 16 verses

Genesis 16 6 Meaning

Genesis 16:6 details the consequences of human attempts to fulfill God's promise through unbiblical means. Abram grants Sarai full authority over Hagar after Sarai complains about Hagar's disrespectful attitude. Acting upon this granted power, Sarai subjects Hagar to harsh treatment, leading Hagar to flee into the wilderness to escape the oppression. This verse illustrates the immediate pain, discord, and division that arose from a scheme rooted in impatience and a lack of faith in God's perfect timing. It foreshadows future conflicts within the family and highlights the human tendency towards mistreatment when granted unchecked authority in fraught situations.

Genesis 16 6 Context

Genesis chapter 16 unfolds directly after God's reaffirmed covenant with Abram in chapter 15, where God promised countless descendants, despite Abram's continued childlessness. Sarai, barren and impatient, proposes a culturally permissible, but human-devised, solution: for Abram to have a child with her Egyptian servant, Hagar, thereby providing an heir for Sarai through her servant. This arrangement immediately creates tension, as Hagar, upon conceiving, begins to treat Sarai with contempt. Sarai retaliates by bitterly blaming Abram for this disrespectful behavior, expressing her deep hurt and humiliation. Genesis 16:6 directly follows this bitter complaint, portraying Abram's decisive but flawed response: ceding absolute authority over Hagar to Sarai. The verse then describes Sarai's subsequent harsh mistreatment of Hagar and Hagar's desperate flight into the wilderness. The historical backdrop involves patriarchal family structures, ancient Near Eastern customs surrounding surrogate motherhood through enslaved women, and the legal status of enslaved people and their children, highlighting the prevailing societal expectations surrounding the acquisition of heirs.

Genesis 16 6 Word analysis

• "But Abram said to Sarai,"

  • This opening marks Abram's direct response to Sarai's distress and accusation (Gen 16:5). It highlights his decision to act, but in a way that prioritizes domestic tranquility over personal responsibility for the scheme he participated in. His words here set the course for the escalating conflict.

• "‘Behold, your servant is in your power;’"

  • "Behold,": The Hebrew hinnēh (הִנֵּה) functions as an interjection, drawing immediate attention to the presented reality: Hagar's status and ownership. It effectively says, "Look, consider this truth."
  • "your servant": Refers to Hagar, underscoring her legal status as Sarai's property, despite being pregnant with Abram's child. This re-emphasizes Sarai's original authority over her maid.
  • "in your power": The Hebrew phrase bəyāḍēḵ (בְּיָדֵךְ) literally translates to "in your hand." The "hand" (yad) is a profound biblical idiom for authority, control, legal right, jurisdiction, and capacity to act. By using this phrase, Abram formally delegates complete authority and discretion over Hagar to Sarai, essentially absolving himself of responsibility and passing all control to her.

• "do to her as you please.’"

  • The Hebrew expression ‘aśît-lāh haṭṭôḇ bə‘ênêk (עֲשִׂי לָהּ הַטּוֹב בְּעֵינַיִךְ) literally means "do to her the good in your eyes" or "do what is right in your sight." This grants Sarai unrestricted discretionary power, an almost absolute permission to take whatever action she deems fit, without any specified limitation or supervision. It exposes Abram's passivity and his desire to appease Sarai at Hagar's expense.

• "So Sarai dealt harshly with her,"

  • "dealt harshly with her": The Hebrew verb is wattə‘annayhā (וַתְּעַנֶּהָ) from the root ‘ānâ (עָנָה). This is a very strong and significant word meaning to humble, afflict, oppress, torment, mistreat, or even violate severely. It signifies cruel and deliberate abuse, not merely corrective discipline. Notably, this is the same verb used repeatedly in Exodus to describe the severe oppression of the Israelites by the Egyptians (e.g., Exo 1:11-12). Sarai's actions are portrayed as severe, stemming from deep-seated jealousy, humiliation, and bitter resentment.

• "and she fled from her presence."

  • "fled": The Hebrew wattibraḥ (וַתִּבְרַח) from bāraḥ (ברח) means to escape or run away in urgency and desperation. Hagar's flight highlights the unbearable nature of Sarai's ill-treatment. It indicates a critical crisis, as a pregnant woman chose the perils of the wilderness over continued oppression.
  • "from her presence": Literally "from her face," indicating a complete and immediate departure from Sarai's immediate vicinity, authority, and control.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "But Abram said to Sarai, ‘Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.’": This clause reveals Abram's profound failure of leadership and responsibility. He avoids personal conflict and abdicates his moral duty to protect the vulnerable. His relinquishing of control grants Sarai implicit permission for severe actions, making him complicit in the ensuing abuse, stemming from the initial human scheme to secure an heir.
  • "So Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her presence.": This segment shows the swift and tragic consequences of unbridled authority and unchecked emotions. Sarai's vengeful actions, described with the weighty verb ‘ānâ, result in the immediate distress and flight of Hagar. It portrays the breakdown of the household due to sin and human inadequacy in trusting divine promises, laying the groundwork for a generational conflict within Abram's family.

Genesis 16 6 Bonus section

• The term ‘ānâ is highly significant as it connects Sarai's actions directly to later, major historical events of oppression in the Old Testament, suggesting a pervasive human capacity for cruelty that is condemned by God.
• Abram's character weakness in this episode stands in stark contrast to his obedience in other narratives (Gen 12:1-4) or his advocacy (Gen 18:23-32). It serves as a reminder that even foundational figures of faith are complex and fallible, showcasing the consistent human need for grace.
• This verse indirectly sets up the profound theological statement in Gen 16:13, where Hagar encounters God directly and names Him El Roi, "the God who sees me," highlighting God's immediate and personal attention to the downtrodden and overlooked, even those outside the formal covenant lineage.
• The domestic conflict between Sarai and Hagar, driven by competition for lineage, lays the foundation for ongoing strife between their descendants (Israel and Arab nations), demonstrating how interpersonal dynamics within a family can have far-reaching historical consequences.

Genesis 16 6 Commentary

Genesis 16:6 serves as a potent commentary on the ramifications of human impatience and the misuse of entrusted authority when diverging from God's perfect timing and methods. Abram, despite his high standing of faith, falters significantly here. He demonstrates a regrettable passivity and a willingness to avoid personal discomfort by surrendering his moral and patriarchal oversight. His granting of unlimited authority to Sarai – "do to her as you please" – is not an act of wisdom, but a regrettable abdication. Sarai, consumed by the bitterness of jealousy and humiliation, retaliates not with justice or measured correction, but with an intense, cruel affliction. The biblical narrator's choice of the verb ‘ānâ (to afflict, oppress) for Sarai's actions is particularly striking, foreshadowing its later use to describe Israel's brutal enslavement in Egypt. This severe ill-treatment compels Hagar, pregnant with Abram’s child, to flee into the harsh desert, choosing uncertainty over unbearable suffering. This painful incident highlights how even spiritual individuals can stumble, perpetuating cycles of hurt and discord when human schemes supersede divine trust. It underscores that disobedience or lack of faith, even when stemming from a desire to fulfill a promise, invariably brings about sorrow and unforeseen complications. The divine response, however, soon shows that God's plan transcends human failings and extends compassion even to the afflicted in the wilderness.