King James Version

What Does Genesis 16:6 Mean?

Genesis 16:6 in the King James Version says “But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee . And when Sarai dealt hardly ...” — study this verse from Genesis chapter 16 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee . And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face. as: Heb. that which is good in thine eyes dealt: Heb. afflicted her”

Genesis 16:6 · KJV

Context

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.

5

And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.

6

But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee . And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face. as: Heb. that which is good in thine eyes dealt: Heb. afflicted her

7

And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.

8

And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai.

Read Genesis 16 full chapter

Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when ... 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 understanding this verse shape our doctrine of humanity, sin, or salvation?
  2. How does this passage challenge modern cultural assumptions about identity, purpose, or morality?
  3. In what ways does this narrative foreshadow or typify aspects of Christ's redemptive work?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 15 words
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר1 of 15

“said”

H559

to say (used with great latitude)

אַבְרָ֜ם2 of 15

“But Abram”

H87

abram, the original name of abraham

אֶל3 of 15
H413

near, with or among; often in general, to

שָׂרַ֔י4 of 15

“And when Sarai”

H8297

sarai, the wife of abraham

הִנֵּ֤ה5 of 15
H2009

lo!

שִׁפְחָתֵךְ֙6 of 15

“Behold thy maid”

H8198

a female slave (as a member of the household)

בְּיָדֵ֔ךְ7 of 15

“is in thy hand”

H3027

a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from h3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great v

עֲשִׂי8 of 15

“do”

H6213

to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application

לָ֖הּ9 of 15
H0
הַטּ֣וֹב10 of 15

“to her as it pleaseth thee”

H2896

good (as an adjective) in the widest sense; used likewise as a noun, both in the masculine and the feminine, the singular and the plural (good, a good

בְּעֵינָ֑יִךְ11 of 15
H5869

an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape)

וַתְּעַנֶּ֣הָ12 of 15

“dealt hardly with her”

H6031

to depress literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive (in various applications, as follows)

שָׂרַ֔י13 of 15

“And when Sarai”

H8297

sarai, the wife of abraham

וַתִּבְרַ֖ח14 of 15

“she fled”

H1272

to bolt, i.e., figuratively, to flee suddenly

מִפָּנֶֽיהָ׃15 of 15

“from her face”

H6440

the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposi

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 16:6 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 16:6 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Jeremiah 38:5Proverbs 15:17-18Proverbs 15:1Job 2:6Psalms 106:41-42Proverbs 14:29

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