Hagar
femalePatriarchalMeaning: “Flight; stranger”
The Egyptian servant of Sarah who bore Abraham’s son Ishmael. Cast out into the wilderness, she met the God who sees and was promised a great nation.
Biography
Hagar is the Egyptian handmaid of Sarah and the mother of Ishmael. Though an outsider and a servant, she received one of the most tender personal encounters with God in all of Genesis.
Surrogate mother
When Sarah remained barren, she gave Hagar to Abraham as a wife (Genesis 16:3). Hagar conceived, and friction arose: "when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes" (Genesis 16:4). Mistreated by Sarah, Hagar fled into the wilderness.
The God who sees
By a spring in the desert, the angel of the LORD found her, promised to multiply her descendants, and told her to name her son Ishmael ("God hears"). Hagar responded by naming the LORD: "Thou God seest me" (Genesis 16:13) — El Roi, the God who sees.
Cast out and provided for
Years later, after Isaac was born and Ishmael mocked him, Sarah demanded that Hagar and her son be sent away (Genesis 21:10). When their water ran out and Hagar wept, "God heard the voice of the lad," opened her eyes to a well, and renewed His promise to make Ishmael a great nation (Genesis 21:17–19). Paul uses Hagar allegorically to represent the covenant of law in contrast to the freedom of promise (Galatians 4:24–25).
Life Timeline
Meets "the God who sees" in the wilderness
Bears Ishmael to Abraham
Cast out with Ishmael; provided water by God
On the Bible timeline
Hagar belongs to the Creation & the Early World era (Beginning – c. 2100 BC).
- c. 2200 BCThe Tower of Babel
Family Tree
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Themes & lessons from Hagar
Biblical themes that run through the passages where Hagar appears.
People they appear with
Places in their story
Scripture Appearances
10 verses in 1 bookGenesis10 verses
Genesis 16:1
Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
Genesis 16:3
And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.
Genesis 16:4
And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
Genesis 16:8
And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.
Genesis 16:15
And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael.
Genesis 16:16
And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.
Genesis 21:9
And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking.
Genesis 21:14
And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.
Genesis 21:17
And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.
Genesis 25:12
Now these are the generations of Ishmael, Abraham's son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah's handmaid, bare unto Abraham:
Frequently asked about Hagar
Who was Hagar in the Bible?
The Egyptian servant of Sarah who bore Abraham’s son Ishmael. Cast out into the wilderness, she met the God who sees and was promised a great nation.
What does the name Hagar mean?
The name Hagar means “Flight; stranger”.
What did Hagar do in the Bible?
Hagar served as servant.
Who were Hagar's children?
Hagar's children include Ishmael.
Where does Hagar appear in the Bible?
Hagar is mentioned 10 times across 1 book: Genesis.
What can we learn from Hagar?
The story of Hagar touches on themes of abraham, afflictions and adversities, children, hagar — explore each to study the lessons drawn from Hagar's life.
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