Parallel Verses
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
Wherefore she said unto Abram, "Behold the LORD hath closed me, that I can not bear. I pray thee go in unto my maid, peradventure I shall be multiplied by means of her." And Abram heard the voice of Sarai.
New American Standard Bible
So Sarai said to Abram, “Now behold, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children.
King James Version
And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
Holman Bible
Sarai said to Abram, “Since the Lord has prevented me from bearing children, go to my slave; perhaps through her I can build a family.” And Abram agreed to what Sarai said.
International Standard Version
So Sarai told Abram, "You are well aware that the LORD has prevented me from giving birth to a child. Go have sex with my servant, so that I may possibly bear a son through her."
A Conservative Version
And Sarai said to Abram, Behold now, LORD has restrained me from bearing. Go in, I pray thee, to my handmaid. It may be that I will obtain sons by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
American Standard Version
And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, Jehovah hath restrained me from bearing; go in, I pray thee, unto my handmaid; it may be that I shall obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
Amplified
So Sarai said to Abram, “See here, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. I am asking you to go in to [the bed of] my maid [so that she may bear you a child]; perhaps I will
Bible in Basic English
And Sarai said to Abram, See, the Lord has not let me have children; go in to my servant, for I may get a family through her. And Abram did as Sarai said.
Darby Translation
And Sarai said to Abram, Behold now, Jehovah has shut me up, that I do not bear. Go in, I pray thee, to my maidservant: it may be that I shall be built up by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
Julia Smith Translation
And Sarai will say to Abram, Behold now, Jehovah restrained me from bringing forth; go now to my maid servant; perhaps I shall have children from her. And Abram will listen to the voice of Sarai.
King James 2000
And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing: I pray you, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
Lexham Expanded Bible
And Sarai said to Abram, "Look, please, Yahweh has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my servant; perhaps {I will have children by her}." And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
Modern King James verseion
And Sarai said to Abram, Behold now, Jehovah has kept me from bearing. I pray you, go in to my slave woman. It may be that I may be built by her. And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
NET Bible
So Sarai said to Abram, "Since the Lord has prevented me from having children, have sexual relations with my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her." Abram did what Sarai told him.
New Heart English Bible
Sarai said to Abram, "See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my handmaid. It may be that I will obtain children by her." Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
The Emphasized Bible
So then Sarai said unto Abram Behold, I pray thee, Yahweh hath restrained me, from bearing, go in I pray thee unto, my handmaid, peradventure I may be built up from, her, And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
Webster
And Sarai said to Abram, Behold, now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee go in to my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
World English Bible
Sarai said to Abram, "See now, Yahweh has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my handmaid. It may be that I will obtain children by her." Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
Youngs Literal Translation
and Sarai saith unto Abram, 'Lo, I pray thee, Jehovah hath restrained me from bearing, go in, I pray thee, unto my handmaid; perhaps I am built up from her;' and Abram hearkeneth to the voice of Sarai.
Themes
Ishmael » The outcast, life summarized » Born of a bigamous marriage, with a foreigner
Responsibility » Attempts to shift » Sarah
Sarah » Also called sarai » Is sterile; gives her handmaiden, hagar, to abraham as a concubine
Topics
Interlinear
Yalad
Shiphchah
Banah
References
Word Count of 20 Translations in Genesis 16:2
Verse Info
Context Readings
Sarai And Hagar
1 Sarai, Abram's wife, bare him no children. But she had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 2 Wherefore she said unto Abram, "Behold the LORD hath closed me, that I can not bear. I pray thee go in unto my maid, peradventure I shall be multiplied by means of her." And Abram heard the voice of Sarai. 3 Then Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar her maid the Egyptian - after Abram had dwelled ten years in the land of Canaan - and gave her to her husband Abram, to be his wife.
Phrases
Cross References
Genesis 3:1-6
But the serpent was subtler than all the beasts of the field which the LORD God had made; and said unto the woman, "Ah sir, that God hath said, ye shall not eat of all manner trees in the garden."
Genesis 3:12
And Adam answered, "The woman which thou gavest to bear me company, she took me of the tree, and I ate."
Genesis 3:17
And unto Adam he said, "Forasmuch as thou hast obeyed the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree of which I commanded thee, saying 'See thou eat not thereof' cursed be the earth for thy sake. In sorrow shalt thou eat thereof all days of thy life:
Genesis 17:16
For I will bless her and give thee a son of her; and will bless her so that people, yea and kings of people, shall spring of her."
Genesis 18:10
And he said, "I will come again unto thee as soon as the fruit can live. And lo, Sara thy wife shall have a son." That heard Sara, out of the tent door which was behind his back.
Genesis 20:18
For the LORD had closed to all the matrices of the house of Abimelech, because of Sara, Abraham's wife.
Genesis 25:21
And Isaac made intercession unto the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Genesis 30:2-4
Then was Jacob wroth with Rachel saying, "Am I in God's stead which keepeth from thee the fruit of thy womb?"
Genesis 30:6
Then said Rachel, "God hath given sentence on my side, and hath also heard my voice, and hath given me a son." Therefore called she him Dan.
Genesis 30:9-10
When Lea saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.
Genesis 30:22
And God remembered Rachel, heard her, and made her fruitful:
Exodus 21:4
And if his master have given him a wife and she have borne him sons or daughters: then the wife and her children shall be her master's and he shall go out alone.
Ruth 4:11
And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said "We are witnesses: the LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and Lea, which twain did build the house of Israel: that she may do virtuously in Ephrata, and be famous in Bethlehem,
Psalm 127:3
Lo, children, and the fruit of the womb are a heritage and gift, that cometh of the LORD.