Who
The Egyptian slave of Sarah, given to Abraham to bear him a child; she bore Ishmael. Fleeing Sarah’s harshness, she met the angel of the LORD by a spring and named him “You are a God who sees” (Genesis 16:13). Sent away with her son into the wilderness of Beersheba, she heard again from heaven, “Don’t be afraid. For God has heard the voice of the boy” (Genesis 21:17). Paul reads her and Sarah as two covenants: “One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar” (Galatians 4:24).
Key verses
- Genesis 16:13
She called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees,” for she said, “Have I even stayed alive after seeing him?”
- Genesis 16:15
Hagar bore a son for Abram. Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.
- Genesis 21:17
God heard the voice of the boy. The angel of God called to Hagar out of the sky, and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Don’t be afraid. For God has heard the voice of the boy where he is.
- Galatians 4:24
These things contain an allegory, for these are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar.
Where the Bible names her
Family
- Children
Discussed by
Comments on the verses that name her (8 of 26).
- Origen, De Principiis IV.1
, Sections 1-23 translated from the Latin of Rufinus: That the Scriptures are Divinely Inspired. 1. But as it is not sufficient, in the discussion of matters of such importance, to entrust the decision to the human…
- Augustine of Hippo, Confessions V.2
On the Vanity of Those Who Wished to Escape the Omnipotent God. 2. Let the restless and the unjust depart and flee from Thee. Thou both seest them and distinguishest the shadows. And lo! all things with them are…
- Augustine of Hippo, The City of God XV.2
Of the Children of the Flesh and the Children of the Promise. There was indeed on earth, so long as it was needed, a symbol and foreshadowing image of this city, which served the purpose of reminding men that such a…
- Augustine of Hippo, The City of God XVII.3
Chapter 3.—Of the Three-Fold Meaning of the Prophecies, Which are to Be Referred Now to the Earthly, Now to the Heavenly Jerusalem, and Now Again to Both. Wherefore just as that divine oracle to Abraham, Isaac, and…
- Origen, Against Celsus II.3
Our present object, however, is to expose the ignorance of Celsus, who makes this Jew of his address his fellow-citizen and the Israelitish converts in the following manner: “What induced you to abandon the law of…
- Tertullian, The Five Books Against Marcion V.3
Chapter IV.—Another Instance of Marcion’s Tampering with St. Paul’s Text. The Fulness of Time, Announced by the Apostle, Foretold by the Prophets. Mosaic Rites Abrogated by the Creator Himself. Marcion’s Tricks About…
- Hilary of Poitiers, On the Trinity Book 4
1. The earlier books of this treatise, written some time ago, contain, I think, an invincible proof that we hold and profess the faith in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which is taught by the Evangelists and Apostles,…
- Augustine of Hippo, Confessions VI.4
He Recognises the Falsity of His Own Opinions, and Commits to Memory the Saying of Ambrose. Chapter IV.—He Recognises the Falsity of His Own Opinions, and Commits to Memory the Saying of Ambrose. 5. As, then, I knew…