Hagar was an Egyptian maidservant to Sarah, the wife of Abraham. Her account begins in Genesis 16 when Sarah, unable to conceive, suggested that Abraham have a child through Hagar. Genesis 16:2 records Sarah’s proposal:
“So Sarai said to Abram, ‘See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.’ And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai.”
Hagar became pregnant and gave birth to Ishmael, but this decision, driven by impatience and lack of faith, led to conflict. When Hagar conceived, tension grew between her and Sarah, resulting in mistreatment and Hagar fleeing into the wilderness. There, the Angel of the Lord appeared to her, bringing comfort and a promise. Genesis 16:10 says:
“Then the Angel of the Lord said to her, ‘I will multiply your descendants exceedingly, so that they shall not be counted for multitude.’”
This encounter is significant because Hagar became the first person in Scripture to receive a direct promise from God and the first to give Him a name. She called Him El Roi, meaning “the God who sees” (Genesis 16:13), acknowledging that God had seen her distress.
Hagar’s story illustrates two major truths. First, human attempts to fulfill God’s promises in our own strength lead to strife and suffering. Second, God cares for the outcast and hears the cry of the afflicted. Later, in Genesis 21, God again intervened when Hagar and Ishmael were sent away, providing water in the wilderness and reaffirming His promise that Ishmael would become a great nation.
Hagar’s account reminds us that God’s plans are accomplished by His power, not by human schemes, and that His eyes are always on those who call upon Him in need.
