Genesis 16:8
New International Version
And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered.

New Living Translation
The angel said to her, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress, Sarai,” she replied.

English Standard Version
And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.”

Berean Standard Bible
“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.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from, and where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”

New American Standard Bible
He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s slave woman, from where have you come, and where are you going?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”

NASB 1995
He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from and where are you going?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”

NASB 1977
And he said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from and where are you going?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”

Legacy Standard Bible
And he said, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant-woman, where have you come from and where are you going?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.”

Amplified Bible
And He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where did you come from and where are you going?” And she said, “I am running away from my mistress Sarai.”

Christian Standard Bible
He said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going? ” She replied, “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She replied, “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai.”

American Standard Version
And he said, Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, whence camest thou? and whither goest thou? And she said, I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.

Contemporary English Version
and asked, "Hagar, where have you come from, and where are you going?" She answered, "I'm running away from Sarai, my owner."

English Revised Version
And he said, Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, whence camest thou? and whither goest thou? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He said, "Hagar, Sarai's slave, where have you come from, and where are you going?" She answered, "I'm running away from my owner Sarai."

Good News Translation
and said, "Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?" She answered, "I am running away from my mistress."

International Standard Version
"Hagar, servant of Sarai," he asked, "Where are you coming from and where are you going?" She answered, "I am running away from my mistress Sarai."

Majority Standard Bible
?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.

NET Bible
He said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?" She replied, "I'm running away from my mistress, Sarai."

New Heart English Bible
And he said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where did you come from, and where are you going?" And she said, "I am running away from the presence of my mistress Sarai."

Webster's Bible Translation
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.

World English Bible
He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where did you come from? Where are you going?” She said, “I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and He says, “Hagar, Sarai’s handmaid, from where have you come, and to where do you go?” And she says, “From the presence of Sarai, my mistress, I am fleeing.”

Young's Literal Translation
and he saith, 'Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, whence hast thou come, and whither dost thou go?' and she saith, 'From the presence of Sarai, my mistress, I am fleeing.'

Smith's Literal Translation
And he will say, Hagar, Sarai's maid servant, how camest thou here? and whither wilt thou go? And she will say, I flee from the face of Sarai, my mistress.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
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.

Catholic Public Domain Version
he said to her: “Hagar, handmaid of Sarai, where have you come from? And where will you go?” And she answered, “I flee from the face of Sarai, my mistress.”

New American Bible
and he asked, “Hagar, maid of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She answered, “I am running away from my mistress, Sarai.”

New Revised Standard Version
And he said, “Hagar, slave-girl of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?” She said, “I am running away from my mistress Sarai.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he said to her, Hagar, maid of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going? And she said, I flee from the presence of my mistress Sarai.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And he said to her, “Hagar, Handmaid of Sarai, from where are you coming and where are you going?” and she said, “I am running away from before Sarai, my Mistress.”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And he said: 'Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, whence camest thou? and whither goest thou?' And she said: 'I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the angel of the Lord said to her, Agar, Sara's maid, whence comest thou, and wither goest thou? and she said, I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sara.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Birth of Ishmael
7Now the angel of the LORD found Hagar by a spring of water in the desert—the spring along the road to Shur. 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.”…

Cross References
Genesis 21:17
Then God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, “What is wrong, Hagar? Do not be afraid, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he lies.

Genesis 3:9
But the LORD God called out to the man, “Where are you?”

Genesis 30:9
When Leah saw that she had stopped having children, she gave her servant Zilpah to Jacob as a wife.

Genesis 25:18
Ishmael’s descendants settled from Havilah to Shur, which is near the border of Egypt as you go toward Asshur. And they lived in hostility toward all their brothers.

Genesis 24:7
The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me from my father’s house and my native land, who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land’—He will send His angel before you so that you can take a wife for my son from there.

Genesis 12:1
Then the LORD said to Abram, “Leave your country, your kindred, and your father’s household, and go to the land I will show you.

Genesis 13:14
After Lot had departed, the LORD said to Abram, “Now lift up your eyes from the place where you are, and look to the north and south and east and west,

Genesis 15:1
After these events, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.”

Genesis 17:1
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless.

Genesis 18:9
“Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked. “There, in the tent,” he replied.

Exodus 3:4
When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called out to him from within the bush, “Moses, Moses!” “Here I am,” he answered.

Exodus 2:15
When Pharaoh heard about this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, where he sat down beside a well.

1 Samuel 1:11
And she made a vow, saying, “O LORD of Hosts, if only You will look upon the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, not forgetting Your maidservant but giving her a son, then I will dedicate him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall ever touch his head.”

1 Kings 19:9
There Elijah entered a cave and spent the night. And the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Psalm 139:7-10
Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? / If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. / If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle by the farthest sea, ...


Treasury of Scripture

And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, from where came you? and where will you go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.

Sarai's maid.

Genesis 16:1,4
Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar…

Ephesians 6:5-8
Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; …

1 Timothy 6:1,2
Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed…

whence.

Genesis 3:9
And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

Genesis 4:10
And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.

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

I flee.

1 Samuel 26:19
Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.

Jump to Previous
Camest Face Flee Fleeing Goest Hagar Handmaid I'm Maid Maidservant Master's Mistress Presence Running Sarai Sar'ai Servant Whence Whither Wife Wilt
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Camest Face Flee Fleeing Goest Hagar Handmaid I'm Maid Maidservant Master's Mistress Presence Running Sarai Sar'ai Servant Whence Whither Wife Wilt
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.














Hagar, servant of Sarai
This phrase identifies Hagar by her relationship to Sarai, Abram's wife. The Hebrew word for "servant" is "שִׁפְחָה" (shiphchah), which denotes a female servant or maid. In the ancient Near Eastern context, servants often held a lower social status and were subject to the authority of their masters. Hagar's identity as Sarai's servant sets the stage for the power dynamics and tensions that unfold in the narrative. It is important to note that Hagar's Egyptian origin may have added to her outsider status within Abram's household, highlighting themes of alienation and belonging.

where have you come from
This question posed by the angel of the LORD is not merely about physical location but invites Hagar to reflect on her past circumstances. The Hebrew verb "בּוֹא" (bo) means "to come" or "to go," and it often implies a journey or transition. This question encourages Hagar to consider her journey, both physically and spiritually, and acknowledges her struggles and the reasons for her flight from Sarai's harsh treatment.

and where are you going?
The continuation of the question shifts the focus to Hagar's future. The Hebrew verb "הָלַךְ" (halak) means "to go" or "to walk," suggesting movement and direction. This question challenges Hagar to contemplate her future path and purpose. It underscores the uncertainty and vulnerability of her situation, as she is a pregnant woman alone in the wilderness. Theologically, it invites readers to consider God's providence and guidance in times of uncertainty.

I am running away from my mistress Sarai
Hagar's response reveals her immediate motivation: escape from Sarai's mistreatment. The Hebrew verb "בָּרַח" (barach) means "to flee" or "to run away," indicating urgency and desperation. This confession highlights the conflict and suffering Hagar experienced, emphasizing the human tendency to seek escape from oppressive situations. It also sets the stage for God's intervention and the unfolding of His plan for Hagar and her descendants.

(8) Whence camest thou?--It is noteworthy that in these Divine communications God's knowledge of all the circumstances is not presumed, but the person visited is led on to tell them. This adds very much to the freshness and poetry of the narrative. Here, however, in the address, Hagar, Sarai's maid, the angel, at least, shows that he is aware who she is, and also reminds her of what she had forgotten, that in bestowing her upon Abram Sarai did not cease to be her mistress.

Verse 8. - And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid. Declining to recognize her marriage with the patriarch, the angel reminds her of her original position as a bondwoman, from which liberty was not to be obtained by flight, but by manumission. Whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go! And she maid, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. "Her answer testifies to the oppression she had experienced, but also to the voice of her own conscience" (Lange).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Hagar,
הָגָ֞ר (hā·ḡār)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1904: Hagar

servant
שִׁפְחַ֥ת (šip̄·ḥaṯ)
Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 8198: Maid, maidservant

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

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

“where
אֵֽי־ (’ê-)
Interrogative
Strong's 335: Where?, how?

have you come from,
בָ֖את (ḇāṯ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's 935: To come in, come, go in, go

and where
וְאָ֣נָה (wə·’ā·nāh)
Conjunctive waw | Interrogative
Strong's 575: Where?, whither?, when?, hither and thither

are you going?”
תֵלֵ֑כִי (ṯê·lê·ḵî)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person feminine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

“I am
אָנֹכִ֖י (’ā·nō·ḵî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 595: I

running away
בֹּרַֽחַת׃ (bō·ra·ḥaṯ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular
Strong's 1272: To bolt, to flee suddenly

from
מִפְּנֵי֙ (mip·pə·nê)
Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

my mistress
גְּבִרְתִּ֔י (gə·ḇir·tî)
Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 1404: Lady, queen, mistress

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

she replied.
וַתֹּ֕אמֶר (wat·tō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say


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OT Law: Genesis 16:8 He said Hagar Sarai's handmaid where did (Gen. Ge Gn)
Genesis 16:7
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