Bible for Soul
Book 1 of 66 · The Pentateuch

GenesisChapter 16 · Abram and Sarai

16 verses2 sections3 min readNarrative worldComplete KJV text

Genesis 16 contains 16 verses in the King James Version. This page presents the complete chapter, a section-by-section outline, and direct links to every verse. Its recurring subjects include Abram, Sarai, and Hagar.

Chapter at a glance

What is in Genesis 16?

The chapter opens, “Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.” It closes in verse 16, “And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.” The outline below follows the text in order.

Primary themes
AbramSaraiHagar
Passage
Genesis 16:1–16
Reading time
About 3 minutes · 417 words
Section-by-section outline

Genesis 16 outline

Read the full chapter
  1. Verses 1–6

    Abram · Sarai

    Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.

  2. Verses 7–16

    Abram · Hagar

    And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.

King James Version · complete chapter

Genesis 16 KJV

1Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar. 2And 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. 3And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. 4And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes. 5And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee. 6But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face. 7And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur. 8And he said, Hagar, Sarai’s maid, whence camest thou? and whither wilt thou go? And she said, I flee from the face of my mistress Sarai. 9And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands. 10And the angel of the LORD said unto her, I will multiply thy seed exceedingly, that it shall not be numbered for multitude. 11And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction. 12And he will be a wild man; his hand will be against every man, and every man’s hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren. 13And she called the name of the LORD that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me? 14Wherefore the well was called Beerlahairoi; behold, it is between Kadesh and Bered. 15And Hagar bare Abram a son: and Abram called his son’s name, which Hagar bare, Ishmael. 16And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.