7
The angelמַלְאַךְof YHWHיְהוָהfound herוַיִּמְצָאָהּby a springעַל עֵיןof waterהַמַּיִםin the wilderness,בַּמִּדְבָּרby the springעַל הָעַיִןon the wayבְּדֶרֶךְto Shur.שׁוּר
Genesis 16:7
Study it in the app“The angel of YHWH found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur.”
With the Hebrew beneath
Genesis 16:7, word by word
- The angelמַלְאַךְmalach
angel
A messenger from God, a heavenly being.
Where else “malach” appears- of YHWHיְהוָהyehva
YHWH
The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.
Where else “yehva” appears- found herיִּמְצָאָyimtsaa
find
To come upon what one seeks, or something not expected.
Where else “yimtsaa” appears- by a springעֵיןen
spring
Literally "eye": a place where water wells up from the ground.
Where else “en” appears- of waterמַּיִםmayim
water
Water: for drinking, of rivers or seas.
Where else “mayim” appears- in the wildernessמִּדְבָּרmidbar
wilderness
Dry, unfarmed land where flocks graze.
Where else “midbar” appears- on the wayדֶרֶךְderech
road
The track or route by which one goes from one place to another.
Where else “derech” appears- to Shurשׁוּרshur
Shur
Shur, a wilderness region between Canaan and Egypt.
Where else “shur” appears
The context
6But Abram said to Sarai, “Look, your slave woman is in your hand; do to her what is good in your eyes.” So Sarai afflicted her, and she fled from her presence.
7 · This verse (above)
8He said, “Hagar, slave woman of Sarai, where from have you come, and where are you going?” She said, “From the presence of Sarai my mistress I am fleeing.”
To study Genesis 16 in a group
1. What it says
What did the angel of YHWH say to Hagar by the spring in the wilderness (vv. 7-12)?
2. What it means
What does it teach that Hagar called YHWH “El Roi,” the one who sees me (v. 13)?
3. How I live it
How can you walk with someone today who feels unseen or mistreated?