16:3 So after Abram had lived 1 in Canaan for ten years, Sarai, Abram’s wife, gave Hagar, her Egyptian servant, 2 to her husband to be his wife. 3 16:4 He had sexual relations with 4 Hagar, and she became pregnant. 5 Once Hagar realized she was pregnant, she despised Sarai. 6
1 tn Heb “at the end of ten years, to live, Abram.” The prepositional phrase introduces the temporal clause, the infinitive construct serves as the verb, and the name “Abram” is the subject.
2 tn Heb “the Egyptian, her female servant.”
3 sn To be his wife. Hagar became a slave wife, not on equal standing with Sarai. However, if Hagar produced the heir, she would be the primary wife in the eyes of society. When this eventually happened, Hagar become insolent, prompting Sarai’s anger.
4 tn Heb “entered to.” See the note on the same expression in v. 2.
5 tn Or “she conceived” (also in v. 5)
6 tn Heb “and she saw that she was pregnant and her mistress was despised in her eyes.” The Hebrew verb קָלַל (qalal) means “to despise, to treat lightly, to treat with contempt.” In Hagar’s opinion Sarai had been demoted.