The Meaning of Genesis 16:6 Explained

Genesis 16:6

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.

YLT: And Abram saith unto Sarai, 'Lo, thine handmaid is in thine hand, do to her that which is good in thine eyes;' and Sarai afflicted her, and she fleeth from her presence.

Darby: And Abram said to Sarai, Behold, thy maidservant is in thy hand: do to her what is good in thine eyes. And Sarai oppressed her; and she fled from her face.

ASV: But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her that which is good in thine eyes. And Sarai dealt hardly with her, and she fled from her face.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Genesis 16:6 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 16:6 mean?

So said Abram to Sarai indeed your maidservant [is] in your hand do to her what is good in your eyes And when dealt harshly with her then she fled from her presence
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אַבְרָ֜ם אֶל־ שָׂרַ֗י הִנֵּ֤ה שִׁפְחָתֵךְ֙ בְּיָדֵ֔ךְ עֲשִׂי־ לָ֖הּ הַטּ֣וֹב בְּעֵינָ֑יִךְ וַתְּעַנֶּ֣הָ וַתִּבְרַ֖ח מִפָּנֶֽיהָ

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  So  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אַבְרָ֜ם  Abram 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָם  
Sense: original name of Abraham.
שָׂרַ֗י  Sarai 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שָׂרַי  
Sense: original name of Sarah the wife of Abram or Abraham.
הִנֵּ֤ה  indeed 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
שִׁפְחָתֵךְ֙  your  maidservant  [is] 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: שִׁפְחָה  
Sense: maid, maid-servant, slavegirl.
בְּיָדֵ֔ךְ  in  your  hand 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
לָ֖הּ  to  her 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
הַטּ֣וֹב  what  is  good 
Parse: Article, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: טָבַב 
Sense: good, pleasant, agreeable.
בְּעֵינָ֑יִךְ  in  your  eyes 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc, second person feminine singular
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
וַתְּעַנֶּ֣הָ  And  when  dealt  harshly  with  her 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular, third person feminine singular
Root: עָנָה 
Sense: (Qal) to be occupied, be busied with.
וַתִּבְרַ֖ח  then  she  fled 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: בָּרַח 
Sense: to go through, flee, run away, chase, drive away, put to flight, reach, shoot (extend), hurry away.
מִפָּנֶֽיהָ  from  her  presence 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person feminine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.