Genesis 16:6
New International Version
“Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
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.

Berean Standard Bible
“Here,” said Abram, “your servant is in your hands. Do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she fled from her.

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

New King James Version
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.

New American Standard Bible
But Abram said to Sarai, “Look, your slave woman is in your power; do to her what is good in your sight.” So Sarai treated her harshly, and she fled from her presence.

NASB 1995
But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your power; do to her what is good in your sight.” So Sarai treated her harshly, and she fled from her presence.

NASB 1977
But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your power; do to her what is good in your sight.” So Sarai treated her harshly, and she fled from her presence.

Legacy Standard Bible
But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your servant-woman is in your hand; do to her what is good in your sight.” So Sarai afflicted her, and she fled from her presence.

Amplified Bible
But Abram said to Sarai, “Look, your maid is entirely in your hands and subject to your authority; do as you please with her.” So Sarai treated her harshly and humiliated her, and Hagar fled from her.

Christian Standard Bible
Abram replied to Sarai, “Here, your slave is in your power; do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai mistreated her so much that she ran away from her.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Abram replied to Sarai, “Here, your slave is in your hands; do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai mistreated her so much that she ran away from her.

American Standard Version
But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her that which is good in thine eyes. And Sarai dealt hardly with her, and she fled from her face.

Contemporary English Version
Abram said, "All right! She's your slave--do whatever you want with her." Then Sarai began treating Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away.

English Revised Version
But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her that which is good in thine eyes. And Sarai dealt hardly with her, and she fled from her face.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Abram answered Sarai, "Here, she's your slave. Do what you like with her." Then Sarai mistreated Hagar so much that she ran away.

Good News Translation
Abram answered, "Very well, she is your slave and under your control; do whatever you want with her." Then Sarai treated Hagar so cruelly that she ran away.

International Standard Version
Abram answered Sarai, "Look, your servant is under your control, so do to her as you wish." So Sarai dealt so harshly with Hagar that she ran away from Sarai.

Majority Standard Bible
“Here,” said Abram, “your servant is in your hands. Do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she fled from her.

NET Bible
Abram said to Sarai, "Since your servant is under your authority, do to her whatever you think best." Then Sarai treated Hagar harshly, so she ran away from Sarai.

New Heart English Bible
But Abram said to Sarai, "Look, your servant is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your sight." Sarai dealt harshly with her, so she fled from her presence.

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

World English Bible
But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes.” Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Abram says to Sarai, “Behold, your handmaid [is] in your hand, do to her that which is good in your eyes”; and Sarai afflicted her, and she flees from her presence.

Young's Literal Translation
And Abram saith unto Sarai, 'Lo, thine handmaid is in thine hand, do to her that which is good in thine eyes;' and Sarai afflicted her, and she fleeth from her presence.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Abram will say to Sarai, Behold thy maid servant in thy hand; do to her the good in thine eyes. And Sarai shall afflict her, and she will flee from her face.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Abram made answer, and said to her: Behold thy handmaid is in thy own hand, use her its it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai afflicted her, she ran away.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Abram responded to her by saying, “Behold, your handmaid is in your hand to treat as it pleases you.” And so, when Sarai afflicted her, she took flight.

New American Bible
Abram told Sarai: “Your maid is in your power. Do to her what you regard as right.” Sarai then mistreated her so much that Hagar ran away from her.

New Revised Standard Version
But Abram said to Sarai, “Your slave-girl is in your power; do to her as you please.” Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she ran away from her.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But Abram said to Sarai his wife, Behold your maid is at your disposal; do to her as it pleases you. And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Abram said to Sarai his wife, “Behold, your maid is delivered into your hands; do to her whatever is good in your eyes.” and Sarai her mistress treated her shamefully and she fled from before her.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
But Abram said unto Sarai: 'Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her that which is good in thine eyes.' And Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Abram said to Sara, Behold thy handmaid is in thy hands, use her as it may seem good to thee. And Sara afflicted her, and she fled from her face.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Birth of Ishmael
5Then Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be upon you! I delivered my servant into your arms, and ever since she saw that she was pregnant, she has treated me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me.” 6“Here,” said Abram, “your servant is in your hands. Do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she fled from her. 7Now the angel of the LORD found Hagar by a spring of water in the desert—the spring along the road to Shur.…

Cross References
Galatians 4:22-31
For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. / His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise. / These things serve as illustrations, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery: This is Hagar. ...

Genesis 21:9-14
But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking her son, / and she said to Abraham, “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac!” / Now this matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son Ishmael. ...

Genesis 13:8-9
So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no contention between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen. After all, we are kinsmen. / Is not the whole land before you? Now separate yourself from me. If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.”

Genesis 25:6
But while he was still alive, Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them away from his son Isaac to the land of the east.

Exodus 1:11-14
So the Egyptians appointed taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. / But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and flourished; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. / They worked the Israelites ruthlessly ...

Exodus 2:23-25
After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned and cried out under their burden of slavery, and their cry for deliverance from bondage ascended to God. / So God heard their groaning, and He remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. / God saw the Israelites and took notice.

Exodus 5:15-21
So the Israelite foremen went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why are you treating your servants this way? / No straw has been given to your servants, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Look, your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.” / “You are slackers!” Pharaoh replied. “Slackers! That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ ...

1 Samuel 1:6-7
Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her viciously to taunt her. / And this went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD, her rival taunted her until she wept and would not eat.

1 Samuel 25:10-11
But Nabal asked them, “Who is David? Who is this son of Jesse? Many servants these days are breaking away from their masters. / Why should I take my bread and water and the meat I have slaughtered for my shearers, and give them to these men whose origin I do not know?”

2 Samuel 16:5-8
As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the family of the house of Saul was just coming out. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and as he approached, he kept yelling out curses. / He threw stones at David and at all the servants of the king, though the troops and all the mighty men were on David’s right and left. / And as he yelled curses, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you worthless man of bloodshed! ...

Job 19:13-19
He has removed my brothers from me; my acquaintances have abandoned me. / My kinsmen have failed me, and my friends have forgotten me. / My guests and maidservants count me as a stranger; I am a foreigner in their sight. ...

Psalm 123:3-4
Have mercy on us, O LORD, have mercy, for we have endured much contempt. / We have endured much scorn from the arrogant, much contempt from the proud.

Proverbs 30:21-23
Under three things the earth trembles, under four it cannot bear up: / a servant who becomes king, a fool who is filled with food, / an unloved woman who marries, and a maidservant who supplants her mistress.

Isaiah 54:1
“Shout for joy, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth in song and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD.

Jeremiah 22:3
This is what the LORD says: Administer justice and righteousness. Rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow. Do not shed innocent blood in this place.


Treasury of Scripture

But Abram said to Sarai, Behold, your maid is in your hand; do to her as it pleases you. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.

Abram.

Genesis 13:8,9
And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren…

Proverbs 14:29
He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.

Proverbs 15:1,17,18
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger…

in.

Genesis 24:10
And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.

Job 2:6
And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life.

Psalm 106:41,42
And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them…

as it pleaseth thee.

Proverbs 29:19
A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he understand he will not answer.

fled.

Exodus 2:15
Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.

Proverbs 27:8
As a bird that wandereth from her nest, so is a man that wandereth from his place.

Ecclesiastes 10:4
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.

Jump to Previous
Abram Afflicted Cruel Dealt Eyes Face Fled Good Hagar Hand Handmaid Hands Hardly Harshly Maid Maidservant Mistreated Oppressed Please Pleaseth Power Presence Running Sarai Sar'ai Seems Servant Sight Think Treated Whatever
Jump to Next
Abram Afflicted Cruel Dealt Eyes Face Fled Good Hagar Hand Handmaid Hands Hardly Harshly Maid Maidservant Mistreated Oppressed Please Pleaseth Power Presence Running Sarai Sar'ai Seems Servant Sight Think Treated Whatever
Genesis 16
1. Sarai, being barren, gives Hagar to Abram.
4. Hagar, being afflicted for despising her mistress, runs away.
7. An angel commands her to return and submit herself,
10. promises her a numerous posterity,
12. and shows their character and condition.
13. Hagar names the place, and returns to Sarai.
15. Ishmael is born.
16. The age of Abram.














Your servant is in your hands
This phrase reflects the cultural and legal norms of the ancient Near East, where a servant or slave was considered the property of their master. The Hebrew word for "servant" here is "שִׁפְחָה" (shiphchah), which specifically refers to a female servant or maidservant. In the context of Genesis 16, Hagar is the Egyptian maidservant of Sarai, Abram's wife. This phrase indicates Abram's deference to Sarai's authority over Hagar, acknowledging the social and familial hierarchy of the time. It also highlights the patriarchal structure where the husband, Abram, allows his wife, Sarai, to exercise her authority over her maidservant.

Abram replied
Abram's response is significant in understanding his character and the dynamics within his household. The Hebrew root for "replied" is "אָמַר" (amar), which is a common verb used for speaking or saying. Abram's reply is not just a passive acknowledgment but a deliberate decision to allow Sarai to handle the situation as she sees fit. This reflects Abram's trust in Sarai's judgment and his desire to maintain peace within the household, even if it means allowing Sarai to act harshly towards Hagar.

Do whatever you want to her
This phrase underscores the autonomy given to Sarai in dealing with Hagar. The Hebrew word for "want" is "טוֹב" (tov), which generally means good or pleasing. Here, it implies that Sarai has the freedom to act according to what she deems best or appropriate. This reflects the societal norms where the mistress had significant control over her maidservants. It also highlights the tension and conflict that can arise from human attempts to fulfill divine promises through their own means, as Sarai and Abram had done by involving Hagar in their quest for an heir.

Then Sarai mistreated her
The Hebrew word for "mistreated" is "עָנָה" (anah), which can mean to afflict, oppress, or humble. This indicates that Sarai's treatment of Hagar was harsh and possibly abusive. This mistreatment is a direct consequence of the earlier decision to involve Hagar in bearing a child for Abram, showcasing the complications and moral dilemmas that arise from straying from God's plan. It serves as a reminder of the human propensity to sin and the resulting interpersonal conflicts.

so she fled from her
Hagar's decision to flee is a pivotal moment in the narrative. The Hebrew root for "fled" is "בָּרַח" (barach), which means to run away or escape. Hagar's flight represents her desperation and the untenable situation she faced under Sarai's harsh treatment. It also sets the stage for a divine encounter, as God later finds Hagar in the wilderness and makes promises to her and her offspring. This act of fleeing is both a physical and symbolic movement, illustrating the themes of suffering, divine intervention, and the unfolding of God's plan despite human failings.

(6) Sarai dealt hardly with her.--The verb is translated afflicted in Exodus 1:11 and Isaiah 60:14; its more exact meaning is, Sarai humbled her, that is, reduced her to her original condition. It was quite right that as Hagar had abused her elevation, Abram should make her yield to Sarai all due respect and submission; but in making her resume her old position as a slave, Sarai was possibly dealing unkindly with her (but see on Genesis 16:9). In running away Hagar not only showed the untamable love of freedom which Ishmael inherited from her, but apparently was repeating the act from which she had her name.

Verse 6. - But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand (regarding her still as one of Sarai's servants, though elevated to the rank of secondary wife to himself); do to her as it pleaseth thee. Literally, the good in thine eyes; in which conduct of the patriarch may be seen perhaps

(1) an evidence of his peaceful disposition in doing violence to his feelings as a husband in order to restore harmony to his disquieted household (Calvin), and

(2) a proof that he had already found out his mistake in expecting the promised seed through Hagar (Calvin); but also

(3) an indication of weakness in yielding to Sarai's passionate invective (Willet, Bush), and . . .

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Here,”
הִנֵּ֤ה (hin·nêh)
Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

said
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

Abram,
אַבְרָ֜ם (’aḇ·rām)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 87: Abram -- 'exalted father', the original name of Abraham

“your servant
שִׁפְחָתֵךְ֙ (šip̄·ḥā·ṯêḵ)
Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 8198: Maid, maidservant

is in your hands.
בְּיָדֵ֔ךְ (bə·yā·ḏêḵ)
Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person feminine singular
Strong's 3027: A hand

Do
עֲשִׂי־ (‘ă·śî-)
Verb - Qal - Imperative - feminine singular
Strong's 6213: To do, make

whatever you want
הַטּ֣וֹב (haṭ·ṭō·wḇ)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

with her.”
בְּעֵינָ֑יִךְ (bə·‘ê·nā·yiḵ)
Preposition-b | Noun - cdc | second person feminine singular
Strong's 5869: An eye, a fountain

Then Sarai
שָׂרַ֔י (śā·ray)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 8297: Sarai -- a wife of Abram

treated
וַתְּעַנֶּ֣הָ (wat·tə·‘an·ne·hā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular | third person feminine singular
Strong's 6031: To be bowed down or afflicted

[Hagar] so harshly that she fled
וַתִּבְרַ֖ח (wat·tiḇ·raḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 1272: To bolt, to flee suddenly

from her.
מִפָּנֶֽיהָ׃ (mip·pā·ne·hā)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person feminine singular
Strong's 6440: The face


Links
Genesis 16:6 NIV
Genesis 16:6 NLT
Genesis 16:6 ESV
Genesis 16:6 NASB
Genesis 16:6 KJV

Genesis 16:6 BibleApps.com
Genesis 16:6 Biblia Paralela
Genesis 16:6 Chinese Bible
Genesis 16:6 French Bible
Genesis 16:6 Catholic Bible

OT Law: Genesis 16:6 But Abram said to Sarai Behold your (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 16:5
Top of Page
Top of Page