Genesis 16:11

Then the Lord’s angel said to her, “You are now ¹  pregnant and are about to give birth ²  to a son. You are to name him Ishmael, ³  for the Lord has heard your painful groans. ⁴ 

Ge 17:19; Ge 29:32-35; Ge 29:32,33; Ge 41:51,52; Ex 2:23,24; Ex 3:7; 1Sa 1:20; Job 38:41; Ps 22:24; Isa 7:14; Mt 1:21-23; Lu 1:13,31,63

¹ tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) focuses on her immediate situation: “Here you are pregnant.”

² tn The active participle refers here to something that is about to happen.

³ sn The name Ishmael consists of the imperfect or jussive form of the Hebrew verb with the theophoric element added as the subject. It means “God hears” or “may God hear.”

⁴ tn Heb “affliction,” which must refer here to Hagar’s painful groans of anguish.

sn This clause gives the explanation of the name Ishmael, using a wordplay. Ishmael’s name will be a reminder that “God hears” Hagar’s painful cries.