Who Was Hagar in the Bible — In Biblical Context
Hagar was Sarah's Egyptian servant who bore Abraham's son Ishmael, and she is the first person in Scripture to whom an angel of the Lord appeared.
Hagar was Sarah's Egyptian servant who bore Abraham's son Ishmael, and she is the first person in Scripture to whom an angel of the Lord appeared.
"And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?" — Genesis 16:13 (KJV)
The Biblical Context
Hagar's story (Genesis 16 and 21) reveals God's compassion for the marginalized. Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham as a surrogate, and when Hagar became pregnant, tension arose. Fleeing into the wilderness, Hagar encountered the Angel of the Lord—the first such recorded appearance in Scripture. God promised to multiply her descendants and told her to return. She gave God the name 'El Roi' ('The God who sees me'). Later, after Isaac's birth, Hagar and Ishmael were sent away, but God again met them in the wilderness and provided water. Hagar's story demonstrates that God sees and cares for the overlooked and oppressed.
Where It Sits in Scripture
The core passage for this question, Genesis 16:13, sits inside Genesis 16. To grasp the full meaning, read the surrounding paragraph — the verses before set up the thought, the verses after carry it forward.
"And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?"
Supporting Passages
"And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation."
"Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar."
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