Genesis 16 - “now Sarai, Abrams Wife

Chaz Ray

February 28 ,2016

Learning Cell 2

In Genesis we find several different layers of generations of a family.  In each generation there is new and unique conflicts amongst family members.  In the first chapters of Genesis the focus is on Abram and Sarai and the conflict within their marriage and the consequences of their actions in breaking Gods covenant.  The second generation of ancestory in Genesis focuses on the unique relationship between Jacob and Esau and the conflict that occurs between the two brothers.  I will focus on each of these relationships and the u;nique differences in each of the relationships.  The third generation focus’ on Jacob and his significance in the relationship with his children.

Lets begin with a quote from Genesis 16.  “Now Sarai, Abrams wife, bore him no children.  She had an Egyptian slave-girl whose name was Hagar, and Sarai said to Abram, you see that the Lord has prevent3ed me from bearing children; go in to my slave girl; it may be that I shall obrtain children by her.  And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. (Genesis 16; 1-3)  In Abram and Sarai’s day, the cultural pressures were powerful.  In their culture, there was a strong pressure to have children, especially sons. Sons guaranteed that your family name would be carried on. Sons showed that you were prosperous and blessed. To be childless was a mark of reproach. This stigma was so strong that if a wife could not produce children, the custom was for her to give one of her servant girls to her husband as a concubine. The children of that union became the children of the wife.

In Abram’s case, the pressure to have a son was great. First of all, his name meant “father of many.  Secondly, God repeatedly promised him a son yet he was now 85 and Sarai was 75.

Given the above information it was in this that Sarai came up with her plan to give Abram her servant. Perhaps the thought had crossed Abram’s mind before and he had dismissed it, not wanting to threaten Sarai. But now it was coming from her. Abram did not seem to mind as Hagar was an attractive, younger woman. So Abram’s past sin of going down to Egypt and trying to pawn off Sarai as his sister comes back to haunt him in a different form. He yielded to this culturally acceptable custom, went in to Hagar, and she became pregnant with his child. This was, it seems, an acceptable option in replacement of trusting in  the Lord that he would honor his promises.

So we’ve seen that our culture puts pressure on our families, and that pressure, coupled with passivity, leads to problems.

In Genesis 27, four people stand out:  Isaac, Rebekah, Esau and Jacob; not one of them is admirable.  It seems Isaac, in his old age, is preoccupied with his stomach, anxious for another venison meal before he dies.  He also wanted to bless Esau, even though he probably knew God’s promises about Jacob; Jacob was the one who should be blessed.

Rebekah knew the promise of God for Jacob, but she was not content to wait for the promise.  She devised a deceitful plan. Rebekah says to Jacob, “I heard your father say to your brother Eusa, ‘bring me game and prepare for me savory food to eat, that I may bless you before the Lord before I die.’ Now therefore, my son, obey my word as I command you. Go to the flock, and get me two choice kids, so that I may prepare them savory food for your father, such as he likes; and you shall take it to your father to eat so that he may bless you before he dies.” (Genesis 27; 1-4)  Her wrong was not in wanting Jacob to have the blessing, but in how she went about trying to get it for him.  Remember that God wants us to trust Him for His promises.