Gênesis 16
Steven Cole · Citado em PreceptAustin
Gênesis 16
Cole - Who is this Angel of the Lord? There is debate among scholars, but I believe that it is the Lord Jesus Christ in a preincarnate appearance. (The God Who Sees - Genesis 16:7-16) Warren Wiersbe on the Angel of the LORD - This is the first appearance in Scripture of the Angel of the Lord, Who is generally identified as our Lord Jesus Christ. In Genesis 16:10, the angel promised to do what only God can do, and in Ge 16:13, Hagar called the angel “God.’’ These pre-incarnation visits of Jesus Christ to the earth were to meet special needs and to accomplish special tasks. The fact that the Son of God took on a temporary body, left heaven, and came down to help a rejected servant-girl surely reveals His grace and love. His servants Abraham and Sarah had sinned against the Lord and against Hagar, but the Lord did not desert them. Matthew Henry (concise) - Verses 7-16. Hagar was out of her place, and out of the way of her duty, and going further astray, when the Angel found her. It is a great mercy to be stopped in a sinful way, either by conscience or by providence. Whence comest thou? Consider that thou art running from duty, and the privileges thou wast blest with in Abram's tent. It is good to live in a religious family, which those ought to consider who have this advantage. Whither wilt thou go? Thou art running into sin; if Hagar return to Egypt, she will return to idol gods, and into danger in the wilderness through which she must travel. Recollecting who we are, would often teach us our duty. Inquiring whence we came, would show us our sin and folly. Considering whither we shall go, discovers our danger and misery. And those who leave their space and duty, must hasten their return, how mortifying soever it be. The declaration of the Angel, "I will," shows this Angel was the eternal Word and Son of God. Hagar could not but admire the Lord's mercy, and feel, Have I, who am so unworthy, been favoured with a gracious visit from the Lord? She was brought to a better temper, returned, and by her behaviour softened Sarai, and received more gentle treatment. Would that we were always suitably impressed with this thought, Thou God seest me! W H Griffith-Thomas - The Special Interposition (Ge 16:7-12).—What a picture of real life is found in this chapter! Man is seen blundering, sinning, and suffering, and then God intervenes with His overruling providence, wisdom, and grace. We see the blessed truth of Divine interest in human troubles (Ge 16:7). 'The angel found her.' God had not overlooked what had taken place, and now He interposes in order to bring about the best possible results after the error and sin of His children. How often God has had to do this for His children since that day! We observe, too, the Divine call for perfect submission (Ge 16:8, 9). The questions 'whence' and 'whither' recall Hagar to her position, and the slave woman tells the simple truth about her flight. The Divine command is that she should return and submit herself. It will be noticed that the quasi-marriage is not for an instant acknowledged. Sarah is still Hagar's mistress. This call for submission was the first step towards blessing in Hagar's life. The same is true to-day. If we have made mistakes which have led us into sin, the primary condition of restoration is complete submission to the will of God, whatever that may involve. We have also the Divine assurance of definite blessing (Ge 16:10). God accompanies His call for submission by the promise of blessing to her child. He never makes a demand without giving us a promise. Thus He encouraged and incited her to the very submission from which she doubtless shrank. And above all there is the Divine revelation of overruling providence (Ge 16:11, 12). God told her that she should have a son and also of his name and its meaning (Ishmael; 'God shall hear'). Thus every time she mentioned his name she might be reminded of God's promises. Her son's character and relation to others were also revealed (Ge 16:12), an additional encouragement to the poor creature in her misery and trouble. This interposition had its immediate and blessed effect on Hagar. It led to a realization of the Divine presence (Ge 16:13.) 'She called the name.... Thou God seest me,' or ' The God of my vision.' The Divine Presence thus came into her life with its blessing and cheer. QUESTION - Who is the angel of the Lord? WATCH VIDEO ANSWER - The precise identity of the “Angel of the LORD” is not given in the Bible. However, there are many important “clues” to his identity. There are Old and New Testament references to “angels of the Lord,” “an angel of the Lord,” and “the angel of the Lord.” It seems when the definite article “the” is used, it is specifying a unique being, separate from the other angels. The angel of the Lord speaks as God, identifies Himself with God, and exercises the responsibilities of God (Genesis 16:7-12; 21:17-18; 22:11-18; Exodus 3:2; Judges 2:1-4; 5:23; 6:11-24; 13:3-22; 2 Samuel 24:16; Zechariah 1:12; 3:1; 12:8). In several of these appearances, those who saw the angel of the Lord feared for their lives because they had “seen the Lord.” Therefore, it is clear that in at least some instances, the angel of the Lord is a theophany, an appearance of God in physical form. The appearances of the angel of the Lord cease after the incarnation of Christ. Angels are mentioned numerous times in the New Testament, but “the angel of the Lord” is never mentioned in the New Testament after the birth of Christ. One possible difficulty is that the angel who appears to Joseph in a dream in Matthew 1:24 is called "the" angel of the Lord. However, this angel is clearly the same one appearing in verse 20, which calls him "an angel." Matthew is simply referencing the same angel he had just mentioned. There is also some confusion regarding Matthew 28:2, where the KJV says “the angel of the Lord” descended from heaven and rolled the stone away from Jesus’ tomb. It is important to note that the original Greek has no article in front of angel; it could be “the angel” or “an angel,” but the article must be supplied by the translators. Other translations besides the KJV say it was “an angel,” which is the better wording. It is possible that appearances of the angel of the Lord were manifestations of Jesus before His incarnation. Jesus declared Himself to be existent “before Abraham” (John 8:58), so it is logical that He would be active and manifest in the world. Whatever the case, whether the angel of the Lord was a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ (Christophany) or an appearance of God the Father (theophany), it is highly likely that the phrase “the angel of the Lord” usually identifies a physical appearance of God. GotQuestions.org Matthew Henry Notes: Ge 16:7-9 Here is the first mention we have in scripture of an angel's appearance. Hagar was a type of the law, which was given by the disposition of angels; but the world to come is not put in subjection to them, Heb. 2:5. Observe, I. How the angel arrested her in her flight, Ge 16:7. It should seem, she was making towards her own country; for she was in the way to Shur, which lay towards Egypt. It were well if our afflictions would make us think of our home, the better country. But Hagar was now out of her place, and out of the way of her duty, and going further astray, when the angel found her. Note, 1. It is a great mercy to be stopped in a sinful way either by conscience or by Providence. 2. God suffers those that are out of the way to wander awhile, that when they see their folly, and what a loss they have brought themselves to, they may be the better disposed to return. Hagar was not stopped till she was in the wilderness, and had set down, weary enough, and glad of clear water to refresh herself with. God brings us into a wilderness, and there meets us, Hos. 2:14. II. How he examined her, Ge 16:8. Observe, 1. He called her Hagar, Sarai's maid, (1.) As a check to her pride. Though she was Abram's wife, and, as such, was obliged to return, yet he calls her Sarai's maid, to humble her. Note, Though civility teaches us to call others by their highest titles, yet humility and wisdom teach us to call ourselves by the lowest. (2.) As a rebuke to her flight. Sarai's maid ought to be in Sarai's tent, and not wandering in the wilderness and sauntering by a fountain of water. Note, It is good for us often to call to mind what our place and relation are. See Eccl. 10:4. 2. The questions the angel put to her were proper and very pertinent. (1.) "Whence comest thou? Consider that thou art running away both from the duty thou wast bound to and the privileges thou wast blessed with in Abram's tent.'' Note, It is a great advantage to live in a religious family, which those ought to consider who have that advantage, yet upon every slight inducement are forward to quit it. (2.) "Whither wilt thou go? Thou art running thyself into sin, in Egypt'' (if she return to that people, she will return to their gods), "and into danger, in the wilderness,'' through which she must travel, Deu. 8:15. Note, Those who are forsaking God and their duty would do well to remember not only whence they have fallen, but whither they are falling. See Jer. 2:18, What hast thou to do (with Hagar) in the way of Egypt? Jn. 6:68. 3. Her answer was honest, and a fair confession: I flee from the face of my mistress. In this, (1.) She acknowledges her fault in fleeing from her mistress, and yet, (2.) Excuses it, that it was from the face, of displeasure, of her mistress. Note, Children and servants must be treated with mildness and gentleness, lest we provoke them to take any irregular courses and so become accessory to their sins, which will condemn us, though it will not justify them. 4. How he sent her back, with suitable and compassionate counsel: "Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hand, Ge 16:9. Go home, and humble thyself for what thou hast done amiss, and beg pardon, and resolve for the future to behave thyself better.'' He makes no question but she would be welcome, though it does not appear that Abram sent after her. Note, Those that have gone away from their place and duty, when they are convinced of their error, must hasten their return and reformation, how mortifying soever it may be. God Sees Her Part 1 Today’s Reading: Genesis 16:7–14 She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” —Genesis 16:13 My first eyeglasses opened my eyes to a bold world. Without glasses, items in the distance were a blur. At age twelve, with my first pair of eyeglasses, I was shocked to see clearer words on blackboards, tiny leaves on trees, and perhaps most important, big smiles on faces. As friends smiled back when I greeted them, I learned that to be seen was as great a gift as the blessing of seeing. The slave Hagar realized this as she fled from her mistress Sarai’s unkindness. Hagar was a “nobody” in her culture, pregnant and alone, fleeing to a desert without help or hope. Seen by God, however, she was empowered to see Him. God became real to her—so real that she gave God a name, El Roi, which means, “You are the God who sees me.” She said, “I have now seen the One who sees me” (Genesis 16:13). Genesis 16:8 He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from and where are you going?” And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” Sarai's maid: Ge 16:1,4 Eph 6:5-8 1Ti 6:1,2 whence: Ge 3:9 4:10 Ec 10:4 Jer 2:17,18 I flee: 1Sa 26:19 Genesis 16 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries THE ANGEL OF GOD REACHES OUT TO HAGAR He said, “Hagar, Sarai’s maid, where have you come from and where are you going?” - The Angel (Christophany ~ omniscience) knew but asks a rhetorical question, not an "open theism" question! And she said, “I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai.” Hagar answered the first part of the question but not the last. However, given her Egyptian background and her location in Shur (south toward Egypt), she was likely headed back home to Egypt. THOUGHT- Hagar's theme song might have been Keith Green's old song "So You Wanna Go Back to Egypt!" (Play). Sadly this song is the theme song for many believers who have been rescued by Christ from the world but want to go back into the world! Is this your theme song dear follower of Christ? If so, may the Spirit grant you to "Turn Your Eyes on Jesus" and the things of the earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace! Steven Cole adds "Those are good questions to ask yourself when you’re in a difficult situation: Where have you come from? Did God allow that trial for some reason? Where are you going? Did you seek His permission to run? Our real need in a bad situation is not to escape, but to seek and to submit to the Lord (TO GO BACK AND SUBMIT TO SARAI WAS TO SUBMIT TO THE LORD'S COMMAND)." Deffinbaugh: Running away does not change relationships, nor does it remove responsibility. Jonah, even in the belly of that fish, was still God’s prophet with a message for the Ninevites. Hagar continued to be Sarai’s maid, and it remained her duty to serve her mistress. Bob
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Cole - There’s an application here for us: God allows U-turns in the desert! Even though we’ve run from God, if we will turn around and submit to Him in our trials, His blessing will be on us and our descendants. We can be assured that He will work out His sovereign plan for us and for our children if we will make a U-turn and submit to Him.(The God Who Sees - Genesis 16:7-16) Matthew Henry Notes: Verses: Ge 16:10-14 We may suppose that the angel having given Hagar that good counsel (Ge 16:9) to return to her mistress she immediately promised to do so, and was setting her face homeward; and then the angel went on to encourage her with an assurance of the mercy God had in store for her and her seed: for God will meet those with mercy that are returning to their duty. I said, I will confess, and thou forgavest, Ps. 32:5. Here is, I. A prediction concerning her posterity given her for her comfort in her present distress. Notice is taken of her condition: Behold, thou art with child; and therefore this is not a fit place for thee to be in. Note, It is a great comfort to women with child to think that they are under the particular cognizance and care of the divine Providence. God graciously considers their case and suits supports to it. Now, 1. The angel assures her of a safe delivery, and that of a son, which Abram desired. This fright and ramble of hers might have destroyed her hope of an offspring; but God dealt not with her according to her folly: Thou shalt bear a son. She was saved in child-bearing, not only by providence, but by promise. 2. He names her child, which was an honour both to her and it: Call him Ishmael, God will hear; and the reason is, because the Lord has heard; he has, and therefore he will. Note, The experience we have had of God's seasonable kindness to us in distress would encourage us to hope for similar help in similar exigencies, Ps. 10:17. He has heard thy affliction, Ge 16:11. Note, Even where there is little cry of devotion, the God of pity sometimes graciously hears the cry of affliction. Tears speak as well as prayers. This speaks comfort to the afflicted, that God not only sees what their afflictions are, but hears what they say. Note, further, Seasonable succours, in a day of affliction, ought always to be remembered with thankfulness to God. Such a time, in such a strait, the Lord heard the voice of my affliction, and helped me. See Deu. 26:7; Ps. 31:22. 3. He promises her a numerous offspring, (Ge 16:10): I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, Heb. multiplying, I will multiply it, that is, multiply it in every age, so as to perpetuate it. It is supposed that the Turks at this day descend from Ishmael; and they are a great people. This was in pursuance of the promise made to Abram: I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth, Ge 13:16. Note, Many that are children of godly parents have, for their sakes, a very large share of outward common blessings, though, like Ishmael, they are not taken into covenant: many are multiplied that are not sanctified. 4. He gives a character of the child she should bear, which, however it may seem to us, perhaps was not very disagreeable to her (Ge 16:12): He will be a wild man; a wild ass of a man (so the word is), rude, and bold, and fearing no man-untamed, untractable living at large, and impatient of service and restraint. Note, The children of the bondwoman, who are out of covenant with God, are, as they were born, like the wild ass's colt; it is grace that reclaims men, civilizes them, and makes them wise, and good for something. It is foretold, (1.) That he should live in strife, and in a state of war: His hand against every man-this is his sin; and every man's hand against him-this is his punishment. Note, Those that have turbulent spirits have commonly troublesome lives; those that are provoking, vexatious, and injurious to others, must expect to be repaid in their own coin. He that has his hand and tongue against every man shall have every man's hand and tongue against him, and he has no reason to complain of it. And yet, (2.) That he should live in safety, and hold his own against all the world: He shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren; though threatened and insulted by all his neighbours, yet he shall keep his ground, and for Abram's sake, more than his own, shall be able to make his part good with them. Accordingly we read (Ge 25:18), that he died, as he lived, in the presence of all his brethren. Note, Many that are much exposed by their own imprudence are yet strangely preserved by the divine Providence, so much better is God to them than they deserve, when they not only forfeit their lives by sin, but hazard them. II. Hagar's pious reflection upon this gracious appearance of God to her, Ge 16:13, 14. Observe in what she said, 1. Her awful adoration of God's omniscience and providence, with application of it to herself: She called the name of the Lord that spoke unto her, that is, thus she made confession of his name, this she said to his praise, Thou God seest me: this should be, with her, his name for ever, and this his memorial, by which she will know him and remember him while she lives, Thou God seest me. Note, (1.) The God with whom we have to do is a seeing God, and all-seeing God. God is (as the ancients express it) all eye. (2.) We ought to acknowledge this with application to ourselves. He that sees all sees me, as David (Ps. 139:1), O Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me. (3.) A believing regard to God, as a God that sees us, will be of great use to us in our returns to him. It is a proper word for a penitent:- {1.} "Thou seest my sin and folly.'' I have sinned before thee, says the prodigal; in thy sight, says David. {2.} "Thou seest my sorrow and affliction;'' this Hagar especially refers to. When we have brought ourselves into distress by our own folly, yet God has not forsaken us. {3.} "Thou seest the sincerity and seriousness of my return and repentance. Thou seest my secret mournings for sin, and secret motions towards thee.'' {4.} "Thou seest me, if in any instance I depart from thee,'' Ps. 44:20, 21. This thought should always restrain us from sin and excite us to duty: Thou God seest me. 2. Her humble admiration of God's favour to her: "Have I here also looked after him that seeth me? Have I here seen the back parts of him that seeth me?'' so it might be read, for the word is much the same with that, Ex. 33:23. She saw not face to face, but as through a glass darkly, 1 Co. 13:12. Probably she knew not who it was that talked with her, till he was departing (as Jdg. 6:21, 22; 13:21), and then she looked after him, with a reflection like that of the two disciples, Lu. 24:31, 32. Or, Have I here seen him that sees me? Note, (1.) The communion which holy souls have with God consists in their having an eye of faith towards him, as a God that has an eye of favour towards them. The intercourse is kept up by the eye. (2.) The privilege of our communion with God is to be looked upon with wonder and admiration, {1.} Considering what we are who are admitted to this favour. "Have I? I that am so mean, I that am so vile?'' 2 Sa. 7:18. {2.} Considering the place where we are thus favoured-"here also? Not only in Abram's tent and at his altar, but here also, in this wilderness? Here, where I never expected it, where I was out of the way of my duty? Lord, how is it?'' Jn. 14:22. Some make the answer to this question to be negative, and so look upon it as a penitent reflection; "Have I here also, in my distress and affliction, looked after God? No, I was a careless and unmindful of him as ever I used to be; and yet he has thus visited and regarded me:'' for God often anticipates us with his favours, and is found of those that seek him not, Isa. 65:1. III. The name which this gave to the place: Beer-lahai-roi, The well of him that liveth and seeth me,Ge 16:14. It is probable that Hagar put this name upon it; and it was retained long after, in perpetuam rei memoriam-a lasting memorial of this event. This was a place where the God of glory manifested the special cognizance and care he took of a poor woman in distress. Note, 1. He that is all-seeing is ever-living; he lives and sees us. 2. Those that are graciously admitted into communion with God, and receive seasonable comforts from him, should tell others what he has done for their souls, that they also may be encouraged to seek him and trust in him. 3. God's gracious manifestations of himself to us are to be had in everlasting remembrance by us, and should never be forgotten. Genesis 16:11 The angel of the LORD said to her further, “Behold, you are with child, And you will bear a son; And you shall call his name Ishmael, Because the LORD has given heed to your affliction. shall: Ge 17:19 29:32-35 Isa 7:14 Mt 1:21-23 Lu 1:13,31,63 Ishmael: i.e. God shall hear because: Ge 41:51,52 1Sa 1:20 has: Ge 29:32,33 Ex 2:23,24 3:7 Job 38:41 Ps 22:24 Genesis 16 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries PROPHECY OF A SON TO BE NAMED ISHMAEL The angel of the LORD said to her further, “Behold, you are with child, And you will bear a son; And you shall call his name Ishmael - Hagar knew she was pregnant but did not know it was a male. The name Ishmael means “God hears” or “may God hear.” Imagine how every time Hagar spoke the name "Ishmael," she would be reminded of God's mercy in her time of distress! Because - He is explaining the significance of the name Ishmael. The LORD has given heed (shama; Lxx = epakouo) to your affliction - He has heard her painful cries, and her son's name would remind her continually that God heard her cries! Has given heed (shama) is translated in the Lxx with the rare verb epakouo which means to pay close attention to what one is told with the implication of being responsive (used in 2Co 6:2, used again in Ge 17:20 "I have heard you.") The point is that the LORD has clearly heard and responded to her painful cries. Ligon Duncan: Galatians 4:21+: "Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not listen to the law for it is written that Abraham had two sons. One by the bondwoman and one by the free woman." And the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh and the son by the free woman through the promise. Now Paul goes on to expand that and continue that thought through the very end of that chapter, down to verse 31. But I want you to concentrate on that last phrase in verse 23. The son by the bondwoman was born how? According to the flesh. And the son by the free woman through the promise. Now Paul is pointing there to the fact that Hagar's giving birth to Ishmael was the result of the design of the flesh. The will of man, indeed, the sinful will of man produced Ishmael, whereas Isaac was the product of Abraham and Sarai's trust in the covenant promises of God. So Ishmael is the product of Abram and Sarai's failure of trust in the Lord. Genesis 16:12 “He will be a wild donkey of a man, His hand will be against everyone, And everyone’s hand will be against him; And he will live to the east of all his brothers.” AMP “He (Ishmael) will be a wild donkey of a man; His hand will be against every man [continually fighting] And every man’s hand against him; And he will dwell in defiance of all his brothers.” AMPC And he [Ishmael] will be as a wild ass among men; his hand will be against every man and every man’s hand against him, and he will live to the east and on the borders of all his kinsmen. CEB He will be a wild mule of a man; he will fight everyone, and they will fight him. He will live at odds with all his relatives.” ERV Ishmael will be wild and free like a wild donkey. He will be against everyone, and everyone will be against him. He will move from place to place and camp near his brothers.” ESV He shall be a wild donkey of a man, his hand against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he shall dwell over against all his kinsmen.” HCSB This man will be like a wild donkey. His hand will be against everyone, and everyone’s hand will be against him; he will live at odds with all his brothers. NASB (NOTICE HOW THE OLDER 1977 NAS TRANSLATES IT DIFFERENT THAN THE NASB95) But he will be a wild donkey of a man; His hand will be against everyone, And everyone’s hand will be against him; And he will live in defiance of all his brothers.” NIV He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers.” NLT This son of yours will be a wild man, as untamed as a wild donkey! He will raise his fist against everyone, and everyone will be against him. Yes, he will live in open hostility against all his relatives.” be a: Ge 21:20 Job 11:12 39:5-8 wild: The word rendered "wild" also denotes the "wild ass;" the description of which animal in Job 39:5-8, affords the very best representation of the wandering, lawless, freebooting life of the Bedouin and other Arabs, the descendants of Ishmael. his hand: Ge 27:40 he shall: Ge 25:18 Genesis 16 Resources - Multiple sermons and commentaries ISHMAEL A WILD DONKEY He will be a wild donkey of a man, His hand will be against everyone, And everyone’s hand will be against him - Wild donkey sounds derogatory to modern ears but is not to ancient ears. Wild donkeys roamed the dry steppes of the Near East. A wild donkey is a figure of independence, fierce aggression and self-will throughout the OT (cf. Job 39:5-8; Jer 2:24; Hosea 8:9). Ishmael would pass along this trait to his Arabic descendants! WILD DONKEY - 11x - Gen. 16:12; Job 6:5; Job 11:12; Job 24:5; Job 39:5; Ps. 104:11; Isa. 32:14; Jer. 2:24; Jer. 14:6; Dan. 5:21; Hos. 8:9 NET NOTE - A wild donkey of a man. The prophecy is not an insult. The wild donkey lived a solitary existence in the desert away from society. Ishmael would be free-roaming, strong, and like a bedouin; he would enjoy the freedom his mother sought. “His hand will be against everyone.” The “hand” by metonymy represents strength. His free-roaming life style would put him in conflict with those who follow social conventions. There would not be open warfare, only friction because of his antagonism to their way of life. Bob Utley on wild donkey of a man - this was not a derogatory comment in the Ancient Near East. These animals were used for sacrifices in Mesopotamia. They were highly valued and admired. It denotes his isolationistic tendencies (i.e., nomadic herdsman). Ishmael is going to love his freedom and will live a nomadic life. The next two poetic lines describe this nomadic existence (self reliant, trust no one, make no alliances). And he will live to the east of all his brothers - To the east is literally opposite or across from. The exact sense is not clear. NET NOTE says "Ishmael would live on the edge of society (cf. NASB “to the east of”). Some take this as an idiom meaning “be at odds with” (cf. NRSV, NLT) or “live in hostility toward” (cf. NIV)." Bob Utley on to the east - This phrase, "to the east," seems to have two possible etymologies: (1) to the east of (lit. "before the face of," BDB 815) and (2) "in defiance of." Both etymologies seem to be related in this context and describe exactly the Bedouin tribes of the Middle East. Warren
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Cole points out that "Hagar wouldn’t have seen the Lord if it hadn’t been for her trial. God often uses trials to open us up to some fresh vision of Him which we would have missed if we hadn’t been in the difficult situation." “Hagar called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, ‘You are a God who sees’” (16:13). God sees! Not only does God see, but even better, God sees me, and in spite of my confusion and rebellion, He lets me get a glimpse of Him! (The God Who Sees - Genesis 16:7-16) Parunak: an abstract noun meaning “seeing.” It leaves open the question as to who is doing the seeing and who is seen -- Probably, as her following explanation shows, the ambiguity (God who sees; or Hagar who sees God) is intentional. God has seen her, and she now realizes that she has also seen him. Hagar’s insight is to recognize that this high God, who is also the creator of all things, is in addition in personal contact with his people. He is not distant and hidden, but accessible. (Notes on Gen 16) NIV Study Bible (BORROW) - Another possible translation that fits the context equally well is: "well of the one who sees me and who lives," i.e., Hagar. Warren