According to our study, Abram has been in the Land of Canaan for about a decade. Although God promised that he’d become a great nation, so far, Abram hadn’t sired a son, and no son, vis-à-vis no descendants, means no nation. This had been a problem for Abram earlier (Genesis 15:2-3, cp. verse-12), but at this point in his walk with the Lord, he had come to terms with what he doesn’t have, and he simply believed God would do what he promised, despite Abram’s present circumstances (Genesis 15:6). The Lord had made himself solely responsible for Abram’s having/not having descendants (Genesis 15:12, 17-18). Clearly, Abram didn’t know what that meant, but he trusted the Lord would somehow do what he promised.
No doubt, he discussed these things with his wife, Sarai, and they may have discussed one or two ways, in which the Lord might do the thing, he said he’d do. In any case, and in the context of the ANE culture, a decision was made by Abram and Sarai. However, in reality, the decision corresponds with Abram’s original understanding that God needs his help. After all, if Abram doesn’t produce the seed (Abram’s part), how can God fulfill his promises. Nevertheless, no matter what we may think about what Abram and Sarai thought or did, the Lord never even hints at rebuking them. In fact, the opposite is true, because he saved Hagar and sent her back to Abram.
Moreover, we are presently reminded in the Book of Genesis that Sarai had borne no children to Abram. We are also introduced to Sarai’s handmaid, Hagar, whom it appears Sarai acquired in Egypt from Pharaoh (Genesis 16:1). Given the context of Genesis 15:9-17, wherein the Lord made himself solely responsible for giving Abram descendants, Sarai spoke with Abram, saying that, if, indeed the Lord is responsible for their present predicament, then he had kept her from bearing children. Therefore, she offered Abram her handmaid, Hagar, to take as his wife/concubine, so that Sarai could give Abram a child through her (Genesis 16:2-3).
It is interesting how some scholars try to fault Abram and/or Sarai for a lack of faith, or succumbing to polygamy or other fleshy means to obtain the child they desired. Nevertheless, we need to keep in mind that, where scholars find fault, the Lord does not. In fact, he blessed the decision they made in their effort to obey him, but he simply did not use their act to bless Abram, according to the Lord’s original plan.
In the culture of the ancient East, husbands often resorted to polygamy in order to obtain children in a fruitless marriage. However, this wasn’t the only means of getting around barrenness. Often the wife would offer her slave to her husband, as her surrogate. The servant would be considered a concubine and the first wife would maintain her place in her relationship with both her husband and her servant. In other words, the husband would sire a child, but his wife would be able to exert some control over the child borne of her servant. Such a condition would not be true, if her husband had married a second wife, instead of taking a concubine. While a concubine had much greater rights than a servant woman, she did not have the power of the first wife, either in marriage or over the child she bore her master.
In any event, Abram took Hagar, as his concubine,[1] and she conceived. A problem arose, however, when Hagar began to boast herself over Sarai, her mistress (Genesis 16:4), as though Hagar was Abram’s second wife and not his concubine, who would still be subject to Sarai. Therefore, Sarai took offense and blamed Abram for how things had transpired. Sara’s anger and sense of betrayal suggests, both she and Abram had discussed his having a child by Hagar prior to Sarai’s giving Hagar to Abram. Sarai seems to have reason to believe that she had been betrayed by Abram, who, due to his delight in the prospect of having a child, may have shown Hagar more sympathy or consideration than Sarai thought necessary (Genesis 16:5).
Nevertheless, Abram, if he had been guilty of showing Hagar more consideration than was necessary, didn’t mean to betray his wife, if, indeed, this is the meaning of the text. Moreover, he told Sarai that Hagar was still her servant to do with as she pleased. Therefore, Sarai, understanding her husband’s will that Hagar did not, in fact, have equal rights with her, made sure Hagar understood that she was still Sarai’s servant; she was a concubine, not a wife with full privileges. Therefore, Hagar fled what appears to be an overreaction on Sarai’s part, which may have elevated to personal abuse (Genesis 6:6).
[1] The manner in which the text presents this eventuality, seems to make it Sarai’s idea. However, it was more probable that Abram originally suggested the idea, while Sarai simply succumbed to the proposal, perhaps to avoid Abram’s taking a free woman for his wife. Nevertheless, we simply don’t have enough information to say this for certain. The fact that Sarai offers her maid suggests discussions were made about obtaining a child, because both Abram and Sarai were approaching the age when birthing a child would be out of the question.
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