Sarah and Hagar

Hagar accompanied Abraham and Sarah on the last part of their journey, from Egypt to Hebron, to settle in the Promised Land.

Hagar was a slave maidservant, bought in Egypt. That was her legal status.

In a time of drought, when people had so little, settling in a very harsh environment, you did not need to be rich to own a slave. You just had to be able to supply them with one slice of bread a day.

In biblical times, a man could marry multiple wives (if he could support them, of course). Each wife had her own status. Sarah was Abraham's "Senior wife".

Hagar was a female slave. A maidservant. She could be given in marriage to whomever the master (Sarah) chose. The master could also sell the maidservant's children.

A maidservant was considered property, and therefore they could not own any property themselves.

Sarah was desperate and believed that she could not and would not be able to give birth and provide her husband with children. In her eyes, she was useless and without any right of existence. She had lost her status, her position.

The Bibles repeats itself nine different times in stating that Hagar was Sarah's maidservant. The Bibles wants to point that out time after time, making clear Hagar's legal status. Why is that?

From a legal point of view, Abraham could marry whoever he wanted. It was even desired.

Except for Hagar. She was Sarah's property. Hagar was given to Abraham so that she could provide a child for Sarah.

Hagar was Sarah's property; therefore, the child that would be born would belong to the master and not to the slave. He would become Sarah's son.

"...See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her." Genesis 16:2

Now, having a son, even if he was not her biological son, would mean that Sarah would have a successor. This would lead her out of her situation, and the disgrace of her barrenness would disappear.

In the Bible, when a woman gives birth to a man's child, she becomes his wife. Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham to be his wife but at the same time kept her as her maidservant. Sarah could not get rid of Hagar. She had to keep her with her for at least three years to feed the child (Sarah did not have milk to nurse the newborn).

So every day, Sarah had to see how the baby who was created for her formed a bond with his biological mother.

What did Hagar get out of it?

1. She was married to a free man (Abraham).

2. Her son would be free.

3. She would be with her son and could not be separated from him for at least three years.

Sarah, the Senior Wife, who had to be helped by her maidservant in order to keep her status, was the one who built up Hagar and would change her status.

Hagar felt that the relationship in Abraham's house was changing in her favour. She felt that she could despise Sarah and did not have to listen to her anymore.

"...her mistress became despised in her eyes" (Genesis 16:4)

The maidservant had inherited the status of the master. Sarah was angry at Abraham for supporting and strengthening Hagar. That's the reason why Hagar dared to go against Sarah and degrade her.

We don't know what went on throughout the years between Sarah and Hagar, between the time that Ishmael was born and the time that Sarah herself became pregnant.

Sarah recovered, rehabilitated herself, and gave before to a boy; Isaac.

Ishmael was born as Abraham's eldest son. The birth of Ishmael granted Sarah her status, but she dropped her patronage over him after the birth of her biological son.

Ishmael would still be free, but he would not receive the rights awarded to a firstborn son. The "right of the first born", the Primacy, was given according to the status of the mother. Since Sarah was the Senior Wife, her status was higher, and therefore her child would receive the right of the firstborn.

"And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, who she had borne to Abraham, scoffing." (Genesis 21:9)

In the Hebrew text, the word (instead of "scoffing") is מצחק (MEZAHEK). We are not sure what its accurate translation is, but we know that it's a crime. A sin, perhaps a sexual one or an act of idolatry.

For Sarah, witnessing this sin was an opportunity to get rid of the problem, and she demanded that Abraham banish Hagar and Ishmael.

Ishmael was Hagar's son and no longer considered Sarah's.

Sarah was troubled by the idea that Ishmael, born as Abraham's eldest son, would want to keep his status and would therefore endanger Isaac's position.

Abraham did not like this idea, and he found himself faced with a dilemma. The Lord God intervened and told Abraham to listen to Sarah and banish Hagar and Ishmael.

With the departure of Hagar and her son, the threat to Isaac also disappeared, and there would be no doubt about his receiving the right of the first born.

Sarah was depicted as a strong woman who emerged victorious in her battle.