Chapter 16 - Chapter 16

Now Sarai, the wife of Abram, had brought forthno children: but having a handmaid, an Egyptian, named Agar,2 She said to her husband: Behold, the Lordhath restrained me from bearing: go in unto myhandmaid, it may be I may have children of herat least. And when he agreed to her request,3 She took Agar the Egyptian her handmaid,ten years after they first dwelt in the land ofChanaan, and gave her to her husband to wife.4 And he went in to her. But she perceivingthat she was with child, despised her mistress.5 And Sarai said to Abram: Thou dost unjustly with me: I gave my handmaid into thy bosom, and she perceiving herself to be with child,despiseth me. The Lord judge between me andthee.6 And Abram made answer, and said to her:Behold thy handmaid is in thy own hand, useBook of Genesis 19her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai afflictedher, she ran away.7 And the angel of the Lord having found her,by a fountain of water in the wilderness, whichis in the way to Sur in the desert,8 He said to her: Agar, handmaid of Sarai,whence comest thou? and whither goest thou?And she answered: I flee from the face of Sarai,my mistress.9 And the angel of the Lord said to her: Return to thy mistress, and humble thyself underher hand.10 And again he said: I will multiply thy seedexceedingly, and it shall not be numbered formultitude.11 And again: Behold, said he, thou art withchild, and thou shalt bring forth a son: and thoushalt call his name Ismael, because the Lord hathheard thy affliction.12 He shall be a wild man: his hand will beagainst all men, and all men's hands against him:and he shall pitch his tents over against all hisbrethren.13 And she called the name of the Lord thatspoke unto her: Thou the God who hast seenme. For she said: Verily, here have I seen thehinder parts of him that seeth me.14 Therefore she called that well, the well ofhim that liveth and seeth me. The same is between Cades and Barad.15 And Agar brought forth a son to Abram:who called his name Ismael.16 Abram was four score and six years oldwhen Agar brought him forth Ismael.