Today's old testament reading

[VAC]

Is God condoning the behaviors in this reading??

Gn 16,1-12.15-16.
Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children. She had, however, an Egyptian
maidservant named Hagar.
Sarai said to Abram: “The LORD has kept me from bearing children. Have
intercourse, then, with my maid; perhaps I shall have sons through her.”
Abram heeded Sarai’s request.
Thus, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, his wife Sarai
took her maid, Hagar the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be
his concubine.
He had intercourse with her, and she became pregnant. When she became aware
of her pregnancy, she looked on her mistress with disdain.
So Sarai said to Abram: “You are responsible for this outrage against me. I
myself gave my maid to your embrace; but ever since she became aware of her
pregnancy, she has been looking on me with disdain. May the LORD decide
between you and me!”
Abram told Sarai: “Your maid is in your power. Do to her whatever you
please.” Sarai then abused her so much that Hagar ran away from her.
The LORD’S messenger found her by a spring in the wilderness, the spring on
the road to Shur,
and he asked, “Hagar, maid of Sarai, where have you come from and where are
you going?” She answered, “I am running away from my mistress, Sarai.”
But the LORD’S messenger told her: “Go back to your mistress and submit to
her abusive treatment.
I will make your descendants so numerous,” added the LORD’S messenger,
“that they will be too many to count.
Besides,” the LORD’S messenger said to her: “You are now pregnant and shall
bear a son; you shall name him Ishmael, For the LORD has heard you, God has
answered you.
He shall be a wild *** of a man, his hand against everyone, and everyone’s
hand against him; In opposition to all his kin shall he encamp.”
Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram named the son whom Hagar bore him
Ishmael.
Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.

 

[lak611]

From the Haydock Commentary:

Ver. 3. Ten years after she was 65; which shews that she might reasonably conclude she would now have no children herself; and as she knew God had promised Abram a son, she thought he might follow the custom of those times, and have him by a second wife. Abram shewed no eagerness on this matter, but only yielded to his wife’s petition, deprecanti, being well aware of the inconveniences of polygamy, which Sarai had soon reason to observe. This is the first time we read of polygamy since the deluge; but it is not mentioned as any thing singular or unlawful. This was a matter in which God could dispense; but it was never left to the disposal of any man. Plurality of wives, though contrary to the primitive institution of marriage, Genesis ii. 24, was by Divine dispensation allowed to the patriarchs; which allowance seems to have continued during the time of the law of Moses. But Christ our Lord reduced marriage to its primitive institution, St. Matthew xix.

 

[VAC]

I understand polygamy was part of the culture of those times.
I have a bigger problem understanding the Lord’s angel telling this to Hagar after she’d been raped, impregnated, then abused by Sarai:

*But the LORD’S messenger told her: "Go back to your mistress and submit to
her abusive treatment. *

 

[Della]

VAC:

Is God condoning the behaviors in this reading??

Could you clarify which behaviors you are asking about? There is more than one issue in the passage which moderns might find difficult to understand if one does not understand the culture of the times or the intent of the author.

 

[cpayne]

Is God condoning the behaviors in this reading??

.

Really, the Bible doesn’t say anywhere here that God condoned this behavior or did not condone it. Sometimes the Bible just describes what happened without being prescriptive at that point. I would assume, since Abraham is going outside of God’s explicit command here, that God would not approve of the behavior.

 

[VAC]

Really, the Bible doesn’t say anywhere here that God condoned this behavior or did not condone it. Sometimes the Bible just describes what happened without being prescriptive at that point. I would assume, since Abraham is going outside of God’s explicit command here, that God would not approve of the behavior.

It’s more than a narrative account of histrory.
It was the Lord’s messenger that told Hagar to go back and submit to Sarai’s abuse

 

[Nita]

It’s more than a narrative account of histrory.
It was the Lord’s messenger that told Hagar to go back and submit to Sarai’s abuse

Obviously, the Lord did not wish Hagar and her son to die at that time - which is what would have happened if they had remained on their own in the wilderness.

 

[LilyM]

I agree, there are a number of behaviours that could be disturbing in this episode.

Certainly God didn’t condone the relationship between Abraham and Hagar, which is why Ishmael didn’t become Abraham’s heir, but Isaac.

As for the angel advising Hagar to be submissive - remember that Hagar herself became prideful and started rubbing Sarai’s nose in it when she became pregnant by Abraham. This is what caused the problems between her and Sarai in the first place. So perhaps it was a little lesson in humility for Hagar.