The Meaning of Genesis 16:8 Explained

Genesis 16:8

KJV: And 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.

YLT: and he saith, 'Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, whence hast thou come, and whither dost thou go?' and she saith, 'From the presence of Sarai, my mistress, I am fleeing.'

Darby: And he said, Hagar, Sarai's maidservant, whence comest thou? and whither art thou going? And she said, I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.

ASV: And he said, Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, whence camest thou? and whither goest thou? And she said, I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And 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. 

What does Genesis 16:8 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 16:8 mean?

And He said Hagar servant of Sarai there from have you come and where are you going and she said from the presence of Sarai my mistress I am fleeing
וַיֹּאמַ֗ר הָגָ֞ר שִׁפְחַ֥ת שָׂרַ֛י אֵֽי־ מִזֶּ֥ה בָ֖את וְאָ֣נָה ؟ תֵלֵ֑כִי וַתֹּ֕אמֶר מִפְּנֵי֙ שָׂרַ֣י גְּבִרְתִּ֔י אָנֹכִ֖י בֹּרַֽחַת

וַיֹּאמַ֗ר  And  He  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הָגָ֞ר  Hagar 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: הָגָר  
Sense: Sarah’s Egyptian slave girl, Abraham’s concubine, Ishmael’s mother.
שִׁפְחַ֥ת  servant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: שִׁפְחָה  
Sense: maid, maid-servant, slavegirl.
שָׂרַ֛י  of  Sarai 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׂרַי  
Sense: original name of Sarah the wife of Abram or Abraham.
בָ֖את  have  you  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
וְאָ֣נָה  and  where 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interrogative
Root: אָן  
Sense: where?, whither? (of place).
؟ תֵלֵ֑כִי  are  you  going 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person feminine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
וַתֹּ֕אמֶר  and  she  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מִפְּנֵי֙  from  the  presence 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, common plural construct
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
שָׂרַ֣י  of  Sarai 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׂרַי  
Sense: original name of Sarah the wife of Abram or Abraham.
גְּבִרְתִּ֔י  my  mistress 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: גְּבֶרֶת  
Sense: lady, queen.
בֹּרַֽחַת  am  fleeing 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular
Root: בָּרַח 
Sense: to go through, flee, run away, chase, drive away, put to flight, reach, shoot (extend), hurry away.