Genesis — Chapter 16

Passage

Now Sarai, the wife of Abram, had brought forth no children: but having a handmaid, an Egyptian, named Agar, She said to her husband: See, the Lord has restrained me from bearing: go in to my handmaid, it may be I may have children of her at least. And when he agreed to her request, She took Agar the Egyptian her handmaid, ten years after they first dwelt in the land of Chanaan, and gave her to her husband to wife. And he went in to her. But she perceiving that she was with child, despised her mistress. And Sarai said to Abram: You do unjustly with me: I gave my handmaid into your bosom, and she perceiving herself to be with child, despiseth me. The Lord judge between me and you. And Abram made answer, and said to her: See your handmaid is in your own hand, use her as it pleaseth you. And when Sarai afflicted her, she ran away. And the angel of the Lord having found her, by a fountain of water in the wilderness, which is in the way to Sur in the desert, He said to her: Agar, handmaid of Sarai, where comest you? and where goest you? And she answered: I flee from the face of Sarai, my mistress. And the angel of the Lord said to her: Return to your mistress, and humble yourself under her hand. And again he said: I will multiply your seed exceedingly, and it shall not be numbered for crowd. And again: See, said he, you are with child, and you will bring forth a son: and you will call his name Ismael, because the Lord has heard your affliction. He shall be a wild man: his hand will be against all men, and all men's hands against him: and he shall pitch his tents over against all his brethren. And she called the name of the Lord that spoke to her: You the God who hast seen me. For she said: Truly, here have I seen the hinder parts of him that sees me. Therefore she called that well, the well of him that lives and sees me. The same is between Cades and Barad. And Agar brought forth a son to Abram: who called his name Ismael. Abram was four score and six years old when Agar brought him forth Ismael.