Parallel Verses
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bore him no children. She had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 2 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. 3 Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife.
Phrases
Cross References
Genesis 3:1-6
Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, "Has God really said, 'You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?'"
Genesis 3:12
The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate."
Genesis 3:17
To Adam he said, "Because you have listened to your wife's voice, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it,' cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
Genesis 17:16
I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her."
Genesis 18:10
He said, "I will certainly return to you when the season comes round. Behold, Sarah your wife will have a son." Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.
Genesis 20:18
For Yahweh had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
Genesis 25:21
Isaac entreated Yahweh for his wife, because she was barren. Yahweh was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
Genesis 30:2-4
Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel, and he said, "Am I in God's place, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?"
Genesis 30:6
Rachel said, "God has judged me, and has also heard my voice, and has given me a son." Therefore called she his name Dan.
Genesis 30:9-10
When Leah saw that she had finished bearing, she took Zilpah, her handmaid, and gave her to Jacob as a wife.
Genesis 30:22
God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her, and opened her womb.
Exodus 21:4
If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself.
Ruth 4:11
All the people who were in the gate, and the elders, said, "We are witnesses. May Yahweh make the woman who has come into your house like Rachel and like Leah, which two built the house of Israel; and treat you worthily in Ephrathah, and be famous in Bethlehem.
Psalm 127:3
Behold, children are a heritage of Yahweh. The fruit of the womb is his reward.