Genesis

Genesis 16:8–12

⁸“Hagar, servant of Sarai,” he said, “where have you come from, and where are you going?”

“I am running away from my mistress Sarai,” she replied.

⁹So the angel of the LORD told her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her authority.” ¹⁰Then the angel added, “I will greatly multiply your offspring so that they will be too numerous to count.”

¹¹The angel of the LORD proceeded:

“Behold, you have conceived and will bear a son.

And you shall name him Ishmael,^c

for the LORD has heard your cry of affliction.

¹²He will be a wild donkey of a man,

and his hand will be against everyone,

and everyone’s hand against him;

he will live in hostility

toward all his brothers.”

Footnotes

c 16:11 Ishmael means God hears.

Read all of Genesis 16

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Genesis 16:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Hagar	הָגָ֞ר	hā·ḡār	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1904 Hagar
servant	שִׁפְחַ֥ת	šip̄·ḥaṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H8198 maid, maid-servant
of Sarai	שָׂרַ֛י	śā·ray	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H8297 Sarai
he said	וַיֹּאמַ֗ר	way·yō·mar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
where	אֵֽי־	’ê-	Interrogative	H335 where?
have you come from	בָ֖את	ḇāṯ	Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
and where	וְאָ֣נָה	wə·’ā·nāh	Conjunctive waw; Interrogative	H575 where?
are you going	תֵלֵ֑כִי	ṯê·lê·ḵî	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular	H1980 go, come, walk
I am	אָנֹכִ֖י	’ā·nō·ḵî	Pronoun - first person common singular	H595 I
running away	בֹּרַֽחַת׃	bō·ra·ḥaṯ	Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular	H1272 go through, flee
from	מִפְּנֵי֙	mip·pə·nê	Preposition-m; Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
my mistress	גְּבִרְתִּ֔י	gə·ḇir·tî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H1404 mistress
Sarai	שָׂרַ֣י	śā·ray	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H8297 Sarai
she replied	וַתֹּ֕אמֶר	wat·tō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular	H559 utter, say

Genesis 16:9

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So the angel	מַלְאַ֣ךְ	mal·’aḵ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4397 messenger
of the LORD	יְהוָ֔ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
told	וַיֹּ֤אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
her	לָהּ֙	lāh	Preposition; third person feminine singular
Return	שׁ֖וּבִי	šū·ḇî	Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular	H7725 turn back, return
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
your mistress	גְּבִרְתֵּ֑ךְ	gə·ḇir·têḵ	Noun - feminine singular construct; second person feminine singular	H1404 mistress
and submit	וְהִתְעַנִּ֖י	wə·hiṯ·‘an·nî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hitpael - Imperative - feminine singular	H6031 be occupied, busied with
to her authority	תַּ֥חַת	ta·ḥaṯ	Preposition	H8478 the under part

Genesis 16:10

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Then the angel	מַלְאַ֣ךְ	mal·’aḵ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4397 messenger
added	וַיֹּ֤אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
I will greatly multiply	הַרְבָּ֥ה	har·bāh	Verb - Hifil - Infinitive absolute	H7235 be, or become, much, many, great
your offspring	זַרְעֵ֑ךְ	zar·‘êḵ	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person feminine singular	H2233 sowing, seed, offspring
so that	וְלֹ֥א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
they will be too numerous	מֵרֹֽב׃	mê·rōḇ	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular	H7230 multitude, abundance, greatness
to count	יִסָּפֵ֖ר	yis·sā·p̄êr	Verb - Nifal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5608 count

Genesis 16:11

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The angel	מַלְאַ֣ךְ	mal·’aḵ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4397 messenger
of the LORD	יְהוָ֔ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
proceeded	וַיֹּ֤אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Behold	הִנָּ֥ךְ	hin·nāḵ	Interjection; second person feminine singular	H2009 lo! behold!
you have conceived	הָרָ֖ה	hā·rāh	Adjective - feminine singular	H2030 pregnant
and will bear	וְיֹלַ֣דְתְּ	wə·yō·laḏt	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person feminine singular	H3205 bear, bring forth, beget
a son	בֵּ֑ן	bên	Noun - masculine singular	H1121 son
And you shall name him	וְקָרָ֤את	wə·qā·rāṯ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person feminine singular	H7121 call, proclaim, read
Ishmael	יִשְׁמָעֵ֔אל	yiš·mā·‘êl	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3458 Jishmael
for	כִּֽי־	kî-	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the LORD	יְהוָ֖ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
has heard	שָׁמַ֥ע	šā·ma‘	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H8085 hear
your cry of affliction	עָנְיֵֽךְ׃	‘ā·nə·yêḵ	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person feminine singular	H6040 affliction, poverty

Genesis 16:12

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He	וְה֤וּא	wə·hū	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - third person masculine singular	H1931 he, she
will be	יִהְיֶה֙	yih·yeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H1961 fall out, come to pass, become, be
a wild donkey	פֶּ֣רֶא	pe·re	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6501 wild ass
man	אָדָ֔ם	’ā·ḏām	Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
and his hand	יָד֣וֹ	yā·ḏōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3027 hand
will be against everyone	בַכֹּ֔ל	ḇak·kōl	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H3605 the whole, all
and everyone’s	כֹּ֖ל	kōl	Noun - masculine singular	H3605 the whole, all
hand	וְיַ֥ד	wə·yaḏ	Conjunctive waw; Noun - feminine singular construct	H3027 hand
against him	בּ֑וֹ	bōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular
he will live	יִשְׁכֹּֽן׃	yiš·kōn	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7931 settle down, abide, dwell
in hostility	וְעַל־	wə·‘al-	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H5921 height
toward	פְּנֵ֥י	pə·nê	Noun - common plural construct	H6440 face, before
all	כָל־	ḵāl	Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
his brothers	אֶחָ֖יו	’e·ḥāw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singular	H251 brother