Cabo Wabo

Genesis 16

Chapter 16 starts like a bad soap opera set in biblical times. Sarai tries to work out God's promise for Him by setting Abram up with her maidservant. Rationally, this can't end up good. So...things work according to plan, Abram gets Hagar pregnant, and the result? Strife. Once Hagar is pregnant she begins to resent Sarai- which angers Sarai- who takes it out on Abram. Abram! What are you thinking? How could he possibly think this would all turn out okay?

I think all the reactions here are totally reasonable- except maybe Abram's cluelessness. Hagar realizes she has been used and resents it- she has the valuable commodity- the offspring- and is angered at being treated as a servant. Sarai feels herself being pushed out of the picture. And Abram tries to save his own backside by leaving Hagar to Sarai's vengeance.

Hagar has enough and flees. God reaches her in a vision and tells her that she too will have descendants too numerous to count. He then goes on to talk about how bad Ishmael will turn out- how angry he will be and how poorly he will be thought of. Once again, this seems less than comforting. How does this curse/blessing convince Hagar to head back to Abram's residence?

Regardless, she does- and when Ishmael is born Abram is 86 years old. Which of course makes Abram 102 when Ishmael gets his driver's license.