Search

1Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, bore him no children. She had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 2Sarai said to Abram, “See now, Yahweh has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my servant. It may be that I will obtain children by her.” Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. 3Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife. 4He went in to Hagar, and she conceived. When she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. 5Sarai said to Abram, “This wrong is your fault. I gave my servant into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, she despised me. May Yahweh judge between me and you.”

6But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes.” Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face.

7Yahweh’s angel found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain on the way to Shur. 8He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s servant, where did you come from? Where are you going?”

She said, “I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.”

9Yahweh’s angel said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hands.” 10Yahweh’s angel said to her, “I will greatly multiply your offspring, that they will not be counted for multitude.” 11Yahweh’s angel said to her, “Behold, you are with child, and will bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because Yahweh has heard your affliction. 12He will be like a wild donkey among men. His hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. He will live opposed to all of his brothers.”

13She called the name of Yahweh who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees,” for she said, “Have I even stayed alive after seeing him?” 14Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi. Behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.

15Hagar bore a son for Abram. Abram called the name of his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. 16Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to Abram.

Person

Mary (Mother of Jesus)

Also called mother
Father Heli
Biography | Jeffrey Kershner

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was a young teenager when the Angel Gabriel announced that she would be the mother of the Messiah (Luke 1:26-38) because she had found favor with God. He said that through the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit, she would conceive as a virgin, and that her son would rule on the throne of David. Mary gave birth to Jesus in a stable in Bethlehem (Mic 5:2, Matt 2:1) soon after Mary and Joseph had arrived to be enrolled in the census commanded by Augustus. 

When she and Joseph took Jesus to the temple for dedication, Mary was given the prophecy that her soul would be pierced because of the things that would happen to her son. Mary left with Joseph and Jesus to Egypt to escape the wrath of Herod the Great (Matt 2:23; Luke 2:39, 40). As far as we know, she lived with Joseph and her family in Nazareth until the time of the death of Jesus. 

On one occasion, Mary was reminded of the importance of her son Jesus, when after searching for three days for Him, she was told they should have come to the Temple first since He would be in His father’s house. Later, Mary was at the wedding in Cana where she encouraged Jesus to perform His first Miracle (John 2). After this, she is sporadically mentioned in the Gospels (Mark 3:20, 21, 31-35). Finally, while Jesus is being crucified He gave Mary into the protection of John (John 19:26, 27). Mary is last mentioned with the apostles gathered in the upper room (Acts 1:14). Church tradition says she died in either Jerusalem or Ephesus, the latter being more likely in church tradition, and her continued association with John, who moved to Ephesus.

Person & place data: Theographic Bible Metadata by Robert Rouse (Viz.Bible), CC BY-SA 4.0.