1Now Sarai, Ibram’s wife, bore him no children. She had a maidservant, an Egyptian, whose name was Hajira. 2Sarai said to Ibram,“ See now, Allah has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my maidservant. It may be that I will obtain children by her.“ Ibram listened to the voice of Sarai. 3Sarai, Ibram’s wife, took Hajira the Egyptian, her maidservant, after Ibram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Ibram her husband to be his wife. 4He went in to Hajira, and she conceived. When she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. 5Sarai said to Ibram, “This wrong is your fault. I gave my maidservant into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes. Allah judge between me and you.“
6But Ibram said to Sarai, “Behold, your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes.“ Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face.
7The angel of Allah found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. 8He said, “Hajira, Sarai’s maidservant, where did you come from? Where are you going?“
She said, “I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.“
9The angel of Allah said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hands.“ 10The angel of Allah said to her, “I will greatly multiply your seed, that they will not be numbered for multitude.“ 11The angel of Allah said to her, “Behold, you are with child, and will bear a son. You shall call his name Ismail, because Allah has heard your affliction. 12He will be like a wild donkey among men. His hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him. He will live opposite all of his brothers.“
13She called the name of Allah who spoke to her, “You are a God who sees,“ for she said, “Have I even stayed alive after seeing him?“ 14Therefore the well was called Beer Lahai Roi. [1] Behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered.
15Hajira bore a son for Ibram. Ibram called the name of his son, whom Hajira bore, Ismail. 16Ibram was eighty-six years old, when Hajira bore Ismail to Ibram.
[1] 16:14 Beer Lahai Roi means “well of the one who lives and sees me.“