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.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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
Genesis 16:9
So the angel of the LORD told her, "Return to your mistress and submit to her authority."

Joshua 9:25
Now we are in your hands. Do to us whatever seems good and right to you."


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.

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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.














(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


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