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The Middle East is of peculiar interest to all Bible students. Other than Palestine, Saudi Arabia holds more sacred and impressive associations than any other land in the world. It is here that Hagar lived and died; and it is here that her descendants still live today.
Hagar was born and raised in Egypt. While the Bible gives us no record of her genealogy, legend has tells us that she was the daughter of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. Tradition holds that Hagar became so attached to Sarah, Abraham’s wife, that she told her royal father that she would accompany her when she returned to Abraham. Though her father was upset, Hagar insisted, since she became a convert of Jehovah, Sarah and Abraham’s God. While this is a pleasant thought, it is likely false. It is more likely that Hagar was a slave girl whom Sarah secured for her household while she and Abraham were in Egypt, some years before her name actually appears in the Bible.
When Sarah found that she could not conceive a child with Abraham, she followed the custom of homeland, Chaldea, and gave Hagar as wife to Abraham, so that she might bear his child. Since Hagar was a slave, she had no say over the matter and had to obey her mistress’ command. In old Egypt, as in other ancient societies, if one of the concubines bore the master an heir in advance of the wife, she then became the principal wife and had authority over all others. So, coming from this culture, it is not surprising that after Hagar conceived that she began to despise Sarah. But in Sarah’s country it was different. At that period and later, In Chaldea, the husband had absolute power over his wives, even the matter of life and death. Sarah, now being unwilling to face the consequences of her own decision in regard to Hagar, appealed to Abraham, who meekly handed Hagar over to the jealous Sarah. Sarah immediately began to treat Hagar harshly, seeking revenge over Hagar’s haughty behavior.
Sarah’s treatment of Hagar was so hard that Hagar fled, taking the road to Egypt, which was 150 miles away. She apparently was fleeing for her homeland. While she was resting at a fountain on her journey, and “Angel of the Lord” called her and advised her to return, telling her in a few words the great future of her unborn child. In Genesis chapter 16 we find the words of the angel. The angel said, "I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count." The angel of the LORD also said to her: "You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers."
Obedient to God’s command, Hagar returned to Abraham and Sarah. When her child was born, she named the boy Ishmael, meaning, “God hears”, just as the angel had directed her to do. Once grown, Ishmael, according to the Bible, married an Egyptian woman. But the Arabs say he also married a daughter of Sheik Mudad, who bore Adnan, the ancestor of Mohammed, the founder of Islam, the religion of the Arab state. The Middle East is of peculiar interest to all Bible students. Other than Palestine, Saudi Arabia holds more sacred and impressive associations than any other land in the world. It is here that Hagar lived and died; and it is here that her descendants still live today.
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