The Meaning of Genesis 16:11 Explained

Genesis 16:11

KJV: And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.

YLT: and the messenger of Jehovah saith to her, 'Behold thou art conceiving, and bearing a son, and hast called his name Ishmael, for Jehovah hath hearkened unto thine affliction;

Darby: And the Angel of Jehovah said to her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael, because Jehovah hath hearkened to thy affliction.

ASV: And the angel of Jehovah said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son; and thou shalt call his name Ishmael, because Jehovah hath heard thy affliction.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the angel  of the LORD  said  unto her, Behold,  thou [art] with child,  and shalt bear  a son,  and shalt call  his name  Ishmael;  because the LORD  hath heard  thy affliction. 

What does Genesis 16:11 Mean?

Study Notes

angel (See Scofield " Hebrews 1:4 ")
Ishmael i.e. God shall hear.

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 16:11 mean?

And said to her the Angel of Yahweh behold you have conceived and you shall bear a son and you shall call his name Ishmael for has listened Yahweh to your affliction
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה הִנָּ֥ךְ הָרָ֖ה וְיֹלַ֣דְתְּ בֵּ֑ן וְקָרָ֤את שְׁמוֹ֙ יִשְׁמָעֵ֔אל כִּֽי־ שָׁמַ֥ע יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־ עָנְיֵֽךְ

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לָהּ֙  to  her 
Parse: Preposition, third person feminine singular
מַלְאַ֣ךְ  the  Angel 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מַלְאָךְ  
Sense: messenger, representative.
יְהוָ֔ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הִנָּ֥ךְ  behold 
Parse: Interjection, second person feminine singular
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
הָרָ֖ה  you  have  conceived 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: הָרֶה 
Sense: pregnant.
וְיֹלַ֣דְתְּ  and  you  shall  bear 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.
בֵּ֑ן  a  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
וְקָרָ֤את  and  you  shall  call 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person feminine singular
Root: קָרָא  
Sense: to call, call out, recite, read, cry out, proclaim.
שְׁמוֹ֙  his  name 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
יִשְׁמָעֵ֔אל  Ishmael 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׁמָעֵאל  
Sense: son of Abraham and Sarah’s handmaid Hagar and the progenitor of the Arabian peoples.
שָׁמַ֥ע  has  listened 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
עָנְיֵֽךְ  your  affliction 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person feminine singular
Root: עֳנִי  
Sense: affliction, poverty, misery.