Genesis 16:1-3
Now 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. (KJV)

1. The LORD had already told Abram that his heir would be his own seed, not Eliezer.

Genesis 15 4
And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. (KJV)

2. Sarai had a plan whereby Abram's seed would be from himself, but by a different way from what The LORD planned. She would give Abram her handmaid, Hagar, for this purpose. The results of this sin is still with us today!
        
3. Eliezer was a steward; Hagar was an Egyptian handmaid. The LORD'S plan was to bring about a seed to Abram through his wife, Sarai, both being Hebrews. Sarai's plan produced a "half-breed," which resulted in today's Arabs. The child that Abram & the Egyptian handmaid produced was named, "Ishmael" = Yishma'e'l {Yish-maw-ale'}.

Sarai believed her "family" could be built by this means.

Genesis 16:2
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. (KJV)

obtain = banah {baw-naw'}
= to be built; cause to continue. It is in the Niphal stem(passive)=to be built up (of childless wife becoming the mother of a family through the children of a concubine).

1. Abram was 85 years of age. This was ten (10) years after he had entered Canaan. At this age, Abram caused Hagar to conceive and within the year, she bare Ishmael. This brought Abram to age 86; Ishmael was circumcised when he was 13 years of age, and Abram was 99. Yet there was NO SEED according to The LORD'S promised word.
        
2. Immediately there began a dual line that continues to this day, symbolizing the two ways that began with Cain and Abel. The "flesh," and the "spirit."
        
3. This SIN brought about these results:

1. Hagar despised Sarai.

Genesis 16:4-5
And 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. (KJV)

despised = qalal {kaw-lal'}
= be of little account; to be placed in a lower position (in function & prestige). To be barren was looked upon as a "curse." Hagar's charge was that she was able to do for Abram what Sarai wasn't. This verb is in the Qal stem & the Imperfect mood=a simple statement of action in which color & movement have been added to show the "process" prelminary to its completion.

wrong = chamac {khaw-mawce'}
= violence, wrong, cruelty, injustice.

2. Hagar & her son were treated sorely & afflicted by Sarai. This caused her to flee with her son, Ishmael, into the wilderness where The Angel of The LORD spoke to her.

Genesis 16:6-9
But 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. (KJV)

4. The LORD promises to multiply her offsprings exceedingly. Hagar returns to Sarai.

Genesis 16:10-16
And 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. (KJV)

wild man = pere' {peh'-reh}
= wild ass; acting like a wild ass; (Jer.2:24; Hos.8:9)

Beerlahairoi = B@'er-la-Chay Ro'-iy {be-ayr'-lakh-ah'-ee-ro-ee'}
= the well Lahairoi; = "well of the Living One seeing me."
= A well west of Kadesh, south of Israel.

"dwell in the presence of his brethren,"
= evident today as the Arabs are dwelling in the very surrounds of the Israelites brought back into the land promised to them by The LORD as spoken & promised to Abram. Their wild nature is seen there.

Genesis 16:15-16
And 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. (KJV)

Genesis 17:1-5
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. ²And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. ³And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying,
⁴As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. ⁵Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. (KJV)

perfect = tamiym {taw-meem'}
= without blemish; complete, whole, sound, upright;
= an adj. representing the divine standard for man's attainment. (TWOT)

covenant = b@riyth {ber-eeth'}
= from a word in the sense of "cutting;" An alliance, pledge, or agreement between God and man.

Abram = 'Abram {ab-rawm'}
= exalted father.

Abraham = 'Abraham {ab-raw-hawm'}
= father of a multitude, or chief of a multitude.

nations = gowy or goy {go'-ee}
= nations, people; usually of non-Hebrew people.

establish = quwm {koom}
= in the Hiphil stem (causative action) & the Perfect tense (a completed action)
= to cause to arise; to raise, erect, build, set up, bring on the scene, establish, make binding, carry out.

Genesis 17:6-8
And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee.
⁷And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. ⁸And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. (KJV)

1. It would be an everlasting covenant.
        
2. It would include some out of all the peoples of the inhabited earth.
        
3. It promised a land for an everlasting possession. This had a two-fold fulfilment: one was to be realized on this earth, but the other was to be on a new earth.
        
4. The one of this earth is described: (temporary)

Genesis 15:18-21
In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: ¹⁹The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, ²⁰And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, ²¹And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites. (KJV)

5. The one to be in a new earth is described: (eternal)

Isaiah 65:17-18
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. ¹⁸But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. (KJV)

Isaiah 66:22
For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. (KJV)

Revelation 21:1-3
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. ²And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (KJV)

6. The absolute fullness of this covenant was not completed of this earth.

Hebrews 11:8-10
By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. ⁹By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: ¹⁰For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (KJV)

Hebrews 11:13-16
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. ¹⁴For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. ¹⁵And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. ¹⁶But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. (KJV)

7. The spiritual seed would ALL go into the new heavens, earth & Jerusalem together!

Hebrews 11:13 13
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. (KJV)

Hebrews 11:39-40
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: ⁴⁰God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. (KJV)

Genesis 17:9-14
And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. ¹⁰This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. ¹¹And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. ¹²And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed. ¹³He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. ¹⁴And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant. (KJV)

1. establish = quwm {koom}
   = to cause to arise; constitute, to erect, build, set up, make binding, carry out; bring on the scene; raise up.
   This is in the Hiphil stem = expresses the "causative" action & in the Imperfect mood
   = an incomplete action, more vivid & pictorial.
        
2. covenant = b@riyth {ber-eeth'}
   = from a word (in the sense of cutting to eat); pledge, an alliance, agreement; divine ordinance with signs or pledges. Friendship.
        
3. shall be circumcised = muwl {mool}
   = to be cut; become clipped.
   This is in the Niphal stem = passive & the Infinitive mood
   = surely; or as an imperative command.
   This applies to those presently in the household of Abraham (of all ages).
        
4. shall circumcise = namal {naw-mal'}
   = the cutting off of the prepuce of the penis; This shedding of blood was a sign of the covenant with Abraham.
   It's use here is in the Qal stem = a simple or casual action; & in the Perfect mood which represents a completed action.
   This applies to ALL future males when they were eight (8) days old. Mary followed this law with Jesus.

Luke 2:21-24
And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb. ²²And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; ²³ (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) ²⁴And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. (KJV)

5. Circumcision also has a SPIRITUAL meaning. It has to do with the heart. It is a mark of submission to the sovereign will of Jehovah God.

Deuteronomy 30:5-6
And the LORD thy God will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it; and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers. ⁶And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. (KJV)

Jeremiah 4:4
Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings. (KJV)

Colossians 2:11
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;

Romans 2:28-29
For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: ²⁹But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. (KJV)

Romans 4:6-13
Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, ⁷Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. ⁸Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
⁹Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. ¹⁰How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. ¹¹And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: ¹²And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. ¹³For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. (KJV)

Genesis 17:23-27
And Abraham took Ishmael his son, and all that were born in his house, and all that were bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham's house; and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the selfsame day, as God had said unto him. ²⁴And Abraham was ninety years old and nine, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. ²⁵And Ishmael his son was thirteen years old, when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. ²⁶In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son. ²⁷And all the men of his house, born in the house, and bought with money of the stranger, were circumcised with him. (KJV)

Genesis 17:15-22
And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. ¹⁶And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. ¹⁷Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? ¹⁸And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! ¹⁹And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. ²⁰And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. ²¹But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. ²²And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham. (KJV)

1. Sarah = {saw-raw'}
   = noblewoman or noble lady; princess.
        
2. Isaac = Yitschag {yits-khawk'}
   = he laughs. (Which Abraham did at hearing this news)
        
3. "But My covenant will I establish with Isaac." (This is a spiritual seed).

Romans 9:1-9
I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, ²That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. ³For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: ⁴Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; ⁵Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
⁶Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are NOT all Israel, which are of Israel: ⁷Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. ⁸That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. ⁹For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. (KJV)

Galatians 4:22-31
For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. ²³But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. ²⁴Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. ²⁵For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. ²⁶But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. ²⁷For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. ²⁸Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. ²⁹But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. ³⁰Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. ³¹So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free. (KJV)

1. Hagar (Agar)
   = the law, the flesh
   = the earthly City of Jerusalem; fleshly seed of Abram.

John 8:33-48
They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? ³⁴Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. ³⁵And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. ³⁶If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. ³⁷I know that ye are Abraham's seed; (= fleshly seed) but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you. 
     ³⁸I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. ³⁹They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. ⁴⁰But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. ⁴¹Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. ⁴²Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. ⁴³Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. ⁴⁴Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. ⁴⁵And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
⁴⁶Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? ⁴⁷He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. ⁴⁸Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil?

2. Sarah
   = the spiritual, the promise of righteousness by faith in Jehovah's word
        
3. Isaac was a figure of Jesus being offered up as THE SACRIFICE.

Hebrews 11:17-19
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, ¹⁸Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: ¹⁹Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure. (KJV)

4. figure = parabole {par-ab-ol-ay'}
   = a parable, figure, comparison. A placing of one thing by the side of another, juxtaposition. A comparison of one thing with another; likeness, similitude. An example by which a precept is illustrated.

Genesis 18:1-15
And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; ²And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground, ³And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant: ⁴Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: ⁵And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said. ⁶And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. ⁷And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it. ⁸And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
⁹And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. ¹⁰And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. ¹¹Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. ¹²Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? ¹³And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? ¹⁴Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. ¹⁵Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh. (KJV)

1. laugh = tsachaq {tsaw-khak'}
   = laugh, play or mock; laughed incredulously at God's promise of a son; the Imperfect mood=an incomplete action & adds more vivid & pictorial action; adds color & movement.
        
2. saying ='amar {aw-mar'}
   = to say in one's heart; to think inwardly;
   In the Qal stem = simple or casual action
   & Infinitive mood = "ing" emphasizing surely; utterly.
        
3. within = qereb {keh'-reb}
   = as the seat of thought & emotion; most inward part.
        
4. waxed old = balah {baw-law'}
   = to wear out; become old.
        
5. pleasure = 'eden {ay'den}
   = (as the garden of Eden was fertile & rich); pleasure, delight. Richness.
        
6. being old also = zaqen {zaw-kane'}
   = having grown old in age; a completed action.
        
7. bear = yalad {yaw-lad'}
   = beget, bear, bring forth, travail.
        
8. is = pala' {paw-law'}
   = to be marvellous; wonderful, be extraordinary, surpassing; to separate by distinguishing action.
        
9. hard = same as "is." = pala'.
        
10. denied = kachash {kaw-khash'}
    = to deceive, deny falsely, to act deceptively; cringe.
    In the Piel stem = expresses an intensive or intentional action.
    The imperfect mood adds color & movement to the action.
         
11. afraid = yare' {yaw-ray'}
    = to fear, be afraid; stand in awe.
    The Perfect mood expresses a completed action.