The Meaning of Genesis 16:7 Explained

Genesis 16:7

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

YLT: And a messenger of Jehovah findeth her by the fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur,

Darby: And the Angel of Jehovah found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, by the spring on the way to Shur.

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

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Genesis 16:7 Mean?

Context Summary

Genesis 16:1-16 - Abram's Son Ishmael
Poor Hagar! What contrasts met in her life! Bought in an Egyptian slave-mart, but destined to be the mother of a great people! She is not the last to suffer from the mistakes and sins of God's children, but she was abundantly recompensed. Abram did her a great wrong. Human policy will often suggest a course which seems right in our own eyes, but the end is death. How remarkable is the advice given to Hagar by the angel: return and submit! Does not the child of God often seek to evade the cross! "Let me but get away from this intolerable trouble," we cry. But God meets us. "No stranger He to all our wanderings wild!" We have to take up the cross, and sit down again on the hard stool. Some day we shall be permitted to go out, but not till we have learned our lesson perfectly. In the meanwhile, we are assured that our life shall be prolific in great results. In an outburst of awe and joy, the slave-girl learned that God sees and hears. Note 2 Chronicles 16:9; 1 Peter 3:12.
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Chapter Summary: Genesis 16

1  Sarai, being barren, gives Hagar to Abram
4  Hagar, being afflicted for despising her mistress, runs away
7  An angel commands her to return and submit herself,
10  promises her a numerous posterity,
12  and shows their character and condition
13  Hagar names the place, and returns to Sarai
15  Ishmael is born
16  The age of Abram

What do the individual words in Genesis 16:7 mean?

And found her the Angel of Yahweh by a spring of water in the wilderness the spring on the way to Shur
וַֽיִּמְצָאָ֞הּ מַלְאַ֧ךְ יְהוָ֛ה עַל־ עֵ֥ין הַמַּ֖יִם בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר הָעַ֖יִן בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ שֽׁוּר

וַֽיִּמְצָאָ֞הּ  And  found  her 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: מָצָא  
Sense: to find, attain to.
מַלְאַ֧ךְ  the  Angel 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַלְאָךְ  
Sense: messenger, representative.
יְהוָ֛ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עֵ֥ין  a  spring 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
הַמַּ֖יִם  of  water 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר  in  the  wilderness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִדְבָּר 
Sense: wilderness.
הָעַ֖יִן  the  spring 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
בְּדֶ֥רֶךְ  on  the  way  to 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, common singular construct
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
שֽׁוּר  Shur 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שׁוּר  
Sense: a place southwest of Palestine on the eastern border or within the border of Egypt; the Israelites passed through the wilderness of Shur after crossing the Red Sea.