Hagar

Hagar was an Egyptian servant in Abraham and Sarah's household. When Sarah could not conceive, she followed the custom of the time and gave Hagar to Abraham as a secondary wife. When Hagar conceived, she "despised" her barren mistress, and conflict erupted between the two women.

Sarah dealt harshly with Hagar, who fled into the wilderness. At a spring on the way to Shur, the angel of the Lord found her and asked, "Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go?" He instructed her to return and submit to Sarah, promising that her son's descendants would be too numerous to count. Hagar gave God a remarkable name: "Thou God seest me" (El Roi), saying, "Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?"

Hagar returned and bore Ishmael, who grew up in Abraham's household for thirteen years. But when Isaac was born and weaned, Sarah saw Ishmael mocking and demanded Abraham cast out "this bondwoman and her son." Abraham was grieved, but God told him to listen to Sarah, promising to make Ishmael a nation as well.

Hagar and Ishmael wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. When their water was spent, Hagar placed the boy under a bush and sat down a bowshot away, weeping, unable to watch him die. God heard the boy's cry, opened Hagar's eyes to see a well of water, and promised again to make Ishmael a great nation. Hagar found a wife for Ishmael from Egypt, and he became the father of twelve princes.