King James Version

What Does Genesis 16:2 Mean?

Genesis 16:2 in the King James Version says “And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may...” — study this verse from Genesis chapter 16 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. obtain: Heb. be built by her”

Genesis 16:2 · KJV

Prayer

Context

1

Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

2

And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. obtain: Heb. be built by her

3

And Sarai Abram's wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.

4

And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

Read Genesis 16 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in ... This passage is part of the Abrahamic narratives which shift from universal human history to God's particular covenant people. The Abraham cycle (Genesis 12-25) demonstrates God's sovereign election, covenant faithfulness, and the development of faith through testing and promise fulfillment.

Central themes include God's unconditional covenant promises (land, descendants, blessing to nations), the call to faith and obedience, the testing of faith through delays and impossibilities, the contrast between divine promises and human schemes, and God's gracious persistence despite human failures. Abraham emerges as the father of faith whose trust in God's promises becomes the model for all believers (Romans 4, Galatians 3, Hebrews 11).

Theologically, these narratives establish: (1) salvation by grace through faith rather than works; (2) covenant as God's gracious initiative binding Himself to His people; (3) the necessity of patient trust when promises seem impossible; (4) the consequences of attempting to fulfill God's promises through human effort; (5) the pattern of divine testing producing mature faith. The Abraham cycle foreshadows Christ as the ultimate seed through whom blessing extends to all nations (Galatians 3:16).

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Historical & Cultural Context

The patriarchal narratives (Genesis 12-50) reflect the cultural, social, and legal customs of the ancient Near East during the Middle Bronze Age (2000-1500 BCE). Archaeological discoveries including the Mari tablets, Nuzi tablets, and Egyptian records confirm many details: nomadic pastoralism, covenant-making ceremonies, marriage customs, property laws, and international travel patterns described in Genesis.

The cultural practices reflected include: treaty/covenant forms (Genesis 15), bride-price customs (Genesis 24, 29), inheritance laws favoring firstborn sons (Genesis 25, 27), adoption practices (Genesis 15, 30), levirate-type arrangements (Genesis 38), and Egyptian administrative systems (Genesis 41, 47). These parallels confirm Genesis's historical reliability while showing how God worked within ancient cultural frameworks to accomplish His purposes.

For later Israelites, these narratives established their identity as Abraham's descendants, explained their claim to Canaan, justified their possession of Joseph's bones (Exodus 13:19), and provided models of faith despite imperfection. The patriarchs' failures and God's faithfulness encouraged Israel that covenant relationship depended on God's grace rather than human merit. The movement from Mesopotamia to Canaan to Egypt set the stage for the Exodus and conquest narratives.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does this verse contribute to the biblical doctrine of creation, fall, or redemption?
  2. How can we apply the principles from this passage to contemporary challenges in family, work, or church?
  3. In what ways does this narrative foreshadow or typify aspects of Christ's redemptive work?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 20 words
וַתֹּ֨אמֶר1 of 20

“said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

שָׂרָֽי׃2 of 20

“And Sarai”

H8297

sarai, the wife of abraham

אֶל3 of 20
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

אַבְרָ֖ם4 of 20

“by her And Abram”

H87

abram, the original name of abraham

הִנֵּה5 of 20
H2009

lo!

נָ֞א6 of 20
H4994

'i pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction

עֲצָרַ֤נִי7 of 20

“hath restrained me”

H6113

to inclose; by analogy, to hold back; also to maintain, rule, assemble

יְהוָה֙8 of 20

“Behold now the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

מִלֶּ֔דֶת9 of 20

“from bearing”

H3205

to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show lineage

בֹּא10 of 20

“I pray thee go in”

H935

to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)

נָא֙11 of 20
H4994

'i pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction

אֶל12 of 20
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

שִׁפְחָתִ֔י13 of 20

“unto my maid”

H8198

a female slave (as a member of the household)

אוּלַ֥י14 of 20

“it may”

H194

if not; hence perhaps

אִבָּנֶ֖ה15 of 20

“be that I may obtain children”

H1129

to build (literally and figuratively)

מִמֶּ֑נָּה16 of 20
H4480

properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses

וַיִּשְׁמַ֥ע17 of 20

“hearkened”

H8085

to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)

אַבְרָ֖ם18 of 20

“by her And Abram”

H87

abram, the original name of abraham

לְק֥וֹל19 of 20

“to the voice”

H6963

a voice or sound

שָׂרָֽי׃20 of 20

“And Sarai”

H8297

sarai, the wife of abraham

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Genesis. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Genesis 16:2 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Genesis 16:2 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Genesis 18:10Genesis 3:17Exodus 21:4Genesis 30:9-10Genesis 20:18Genesis 3:1-6

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