16:1 [hgb] 亚伯兰的妻子撒莱不给他生儿女．撒莱有一个使女名叫夏甲、是埃及人。
[lzz] 亚伯兰的妻子撒莱不给他生儿女；可是撒莱有一个婢女，是埃及人，她名叫夏甲。
[kjv] Now Sarai Abram's wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.
[bbe] Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had given him no children; and she had a servant, a woman of Egypt whose name was Hagar.
16:2 [hgb] 撒莱对亚伯兰说、耶和华使我不能生育、求你和我的使女同房、或者我可以因他得孩子。〔得孩子原文作被建立〕亚伯兰听从了撒莱的话．
[lzz] 撒莱对亚伯兰说∶「你看，永恒主抑制我、使我不能生育；求你进去找我婢女，同房，或者我的后裔得以树立起来。」亚伯兰听从了撒莱的话。
[kjv] 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.
[bbe] 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.
16:3 [hgb] 于是亚伯兰的妻子撒莱、将使女埃及人夏甲给了丈夫为妾．那时亚伯兰在迦南已经住了十年。
[lzz] 这样，亚伯兰在迦南地住了十年之后，亚伯兰的妻子撒莱才取了她的婢女埃及人夏甲给自己的丈夫亚伯兰为妾。
[kjv] And 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.
[bbe] So after Abram had been living for ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai took Hagar, her Egyptian servant, and gave her to Abram for his wife.
16:4 [hgb] 亚伯兰与夏甲同房、夏甲就怀了孕．他见自己有孕、就小看他的主母。
[lzz] 亚伯兰和夏甲同床，夏甲就怀了孕。夏甲见自己有了孕，就轻看她的主母。
[kjv] And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
[bbe] And he went in to Hagar and she became with child, and when she saw that she was with child, she no longer had any respect for her master's wife.
16:5 [hgb] 撒莱对亚伯兰说、我因你受屈、我将我的使女放在你怀中、他见自己有了孕就小看我、愿耶和华在你我中间判断。
[lzz] 撒莱对亚伯兰说∶「我之受屈都归在你身上；我将我的婢女放在你怀中，她见自己有了孕，就轻看我。愿永恒主在你我之间行判断。」
[kjv] And 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.
[bbe] And Sarai said to Abram, May my wrong be on you: I gave you my servant for your wife and when she saw that she was with child, she no longer had any respect for me: may the Lord be judge between you and me.
16:6 [hgb] 亚伯兰对撒莱说、使女在你手下、你可以随意待他．撒莱苦待他、他就从撒莱面前逃走了。
[lzz] 亚伯兰对撒莱说∶「看哪，你的婢女全在你手中，你看怎么好，就怎么样待她吧。」于是撒莱苦待夏甲，夏甲就从撒莱面前逃走了。
[kjv] 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.
[bbe] And Abram said, The woman is in your power; do with her whatever seems good to you. And Sarai was cruel to her, so that she went running away from her.

圣经灵修版 :
对神应许的实现失去了信心，便往往会跟随了……
16:1-3　撒莱按照当时的习俗，把夏甲给亚伯兰为妾。没有孩子的已婚妇人会被人羞辱，她们通常将使女给丈夫为妾，好传宗接代。妾侍所生的儿女，会被当作妻子所生的。亚伯兰虽然只是照当时的习俗而行，但这样做显出他对神应许的兑现缺乏信心。

以自己的方式成就神的应许，是人常经历的试探，我是否也陷入这种试探中？
16:3　撒莱要自己来处理问题，将夏甲给亚伯兰为妾。她和亚伯兰一样对相信神明确的应许感到困难，信心不足就为他们带来一连串的麻烦。当我们想用人为的努力，不按照神特定的方向，来实现神的应许时，也会带来许多困扰。在这件事上，时间对亚伯兰和撒莱是最大的考验，看他们是否愿意让神在他们的身上动工。有时候，我们需要的也仅是等候。当我们为一些事向神祈求，又必须等候时，若用自己的方法来处理而干预神的计划，就是一种试探。

求主让我坦承错误……
16:5　虽然是撒莱安排夏甲给亚伯兰生孩子，她却因结果不如理想而责怪亚伯兰。人很容易把失败归咎于别人，而不愿意承认自己的错误、请求饶恕。（有关亚当夏娃与之行为相同的例子，请参3:12-13）。

委过他人以逃避责任，后果……
16:6　撒莱生亚伯兰的气，并把愤怒发泄在夏甲身上，苦待她，使她受不住而逃走。因为自己的错误而发出的怒气，尤其危险。

丹尼斯·莫克『系统查经』

介绍
第16章本不该被写下来，它是人类试图以人的方法完成神的
旨意的典型例子。拒绝等候神、拒绝以神的方法和时间完成他的
旨意，总会带来不利后果。今天阿拉伯人（以实玛利的后裔）和
以色列人的冲突就源于亚伯兰和撒莱的不耐心等待的小信！

观察与评论：

以实玛利的身世（16：1－6）
1. 撒莱责备神不使她生育，就唆使亚伯兰与她的埃及使女夏甲
（10：1－2）同房，从她得孩子。从自然人的角度来看，这
象是一个聪明的好主意，而且在当时也是合法又合理的，作
父亲的只要承认这孩子是自己的儿子，（象一个国家对待新
移民一样）实际接纳他和承认他的权利，就行了。
然而，世界所能接受的并非总是讨神的喜悦。正如亚当
一样，亚伯兰也是听从了妻子，得罪了神！
他们所选择的是：要用人的方法完成神的旨意──倚靠
肉体的力量。神决不会认可这个。
那么神为何要等这么久才实现他对亚伯兰和撒莱生子的
应许呢？神自有道理，但至少两点是显而易见的：
a) 更加说明应许之子以撒出生的奇妙之处。
b) 通过让亚伯兰和撒莱等候神，以神的时间和方法实现神
的应许，来加强和坚定他们的信心。

2. 亚伯兰到迦南地时，年75岁；85岁时（16：3），撒莱把夏
甲给亚伯兰作妾；86岁时（16：16），夏甲生以实玛利。这
离以撒出生（那时撒莱90岁、亚伯兰100岁）的时候还差13
年左右的时间！请注意，在这件事上撒莱和亚伯兰都没有求
问神，看看他们的计划是否是出于神的！

3. 夏甲从亚伯兰怀孕后，就小看她的主母撒莱（16：4），于是
撒莱为夏甲的不敬而责怪亚伯兰（16：5）。

4. 亚伯兰给撒莱权力随意处置夏甲；于是撒莱就“苦待她”，
夏甲因此逃到旷野（16：6）。

5. 亚伯兰和撒莱的小信（即罪）导致了各种各样的争端和冲突。
以人的方法完成神的旨意决不会有好结果。