The Meaning of Genesis 16:13 Explained

Genesis 16:13

KJV: And 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?

YLT: And she calleth the name of Jehovah who is speaking unto her, 'Thou art, O God, my beholder;' for she said, 'Even here have I looked behind my beholder?'

Darby: And she called the name of Jehovah who spoke to her, Thou art the God who reveals himself, for she said, Also here have I seen after he has revealed himself.

ASV: And she called the name of Jehovah that spake unto her, Thou art a God that seeth: for she said, Have I even here looked after him that seeth me?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And 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? 

What does Genesis 16:13 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 16:13 mean?

And she called the name of Yahweh who spoke to her You [are] the God who sees me for she said also here have I seen the back of Him who sees me
וַתִּקְרָ֤א שֵׁם־ יְהוָה֙ הַדֹּבֵ֣ר אֵלֶ֔יהָ אַתָּ֖ה אֵ֣ל רֳאִ֑י כִּ֣י אָֽמְרָ֗ה הֲגַ֥ם הֲלֹ֛ם רָאִ֖יתִי אַחֲרֵ֥י רֹאִֽי

וַתִּקְרָ֤א  And  she  called 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
שֵׁם־  the  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
יְהוָה֙  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הַדֹּבֵ֣ר  who  spoke 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אֵלֶ֔יהָ  to  her 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
אַתָּ֖ה  You  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
אֵ֣ל  the  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֵל 
Sense: god, god-like one, mighty one.
רֳאִ֑י  who  sees  me 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֳאִי  
Sense: looking, appearance, seeing, sight.
אָֽמְרָ֗ה  she  said 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הֲגַ֥ם  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
הֲלֹ֛ם  here 
Parse: Adverb
Root: הֲלֹם  
Sense: here, hither.
רָאִ֖יתִי  have  I  seen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אַחֲרֵ֥י  the  back 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
רֹאִֽי  of  Him  who  sees  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.