What is the meaning of Genesis 16:15? And Hagar bore Abram a son Hagar’s pregnancy had been foretold by the Angel of the LORD (Genesis 16:11). Now the promise is fulfilled in literal history—Hagar, the Egyptian servant, physically delivers Abram’s child. • This birth confirms that God sees and responds to human circumstances just as He said (Genesis 16:13). • It also highlights the immediate consequence of Abram and Sarai taking matters into their own hands (Genesis 16:2–4); the son is real flesh and blood, not a symbolic figure (Galatians 4:22–23). and Abram gave the name Ishmael Abram obeys the divine instruction spoken to Hagar (Genesis 16:11: “you shall name him Ishmael”). • Naming is an act of authority and acknowledgment; Abram publicly owns the boy as his son, despite the complicated family dynamics (Genesis 17:18). • Ishmael means “God hears,” underscoring that the LORD heard Hagar’s distress (Genesis 16:11; Psalm 34:17). • By accepting the name, Abram affirms that God is attentive not only to him but also to the marginalized servant woman and her child (Luke 1:13). to the son she had borne This closing phrase repeats the fact of birth, underlining that Ishmael is Hagar’s natural offspring and Abram’s legal heir at that moment. • The repetition stresses legitimacy in the narrative flow (Genesis 17:20). • It sets the stage for future tension when Isaac is born according to God’s covenant promise (Genesis 21:10–12; Romans 9:7–9). • The verse therefore bridges human initiative (Hagar’s son) and divine initiative (the soon-to-come son of promise). summary Genesis 16:15 records the literal fulfillment of God’s word to Hagar and the tangible outcome of Abram and Sarai’s decision. Hagar delivers a real son; Abram names him Ishmael, acknowledging that the LORD hears. The verse stands as a historical marker that God’s promises come to pass, while also foreshadowing the unfolding covenant plan that will later center on Isaac. |
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