Note: This view shows ‘verses’ which are not natural language units and hence sometimes only part of a sentence will be visible. Normally the OET discourages the reading of individual ‘verses’, but this view is only designed for doing comparisons of different translations. Click on any Bible version abbreviation down the left-hand side to see the verse in more of its context. The OET segments on this page are still very early looks into the unfinished texts of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check these texts in advance before using in public.
Text critical issues=none Clarity of original=clearImportance=normal (All still tentative.)
OET (OET-RV)so Sarai said to Abram, “Listen, Yahweh has prevented me from having children so please sleep with my slave. Perhaps I can have a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai had suggested.
Key: khaki:verbs, green:YHWH.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the OET-RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).
BrLXXΕἶπε δὲ Σάρα πρὸς Ἅβραμ, ἰδοὺ συνέκλεισέ με Κύριος τοῦ μὴ τίκτειν· εἴσελθε οὖν πρὸς τὴν παιδίσκην μου, ἵνα τεκνοποιήσωμαι ἐξ αὐτῆς· ὑπήκουσελ δὲ Ἅβραμ τῆς φωνῆς Σάρας. (Eipe de Sara pros Habram, idou sunekleise me Kurios tou maʸ tiktein; eiselthe oun pros taʸn paidiskaʸn mou, hina teknopoiaʸsōmai ex autaʸs; hupaʸkousel de Habram taʸs fōnaʸs Saras. )
BrTrAnd Sara said to Abram, Behold, the Lord has restrained me from bearing, go therefore in to my maid, that I may get children for myself through her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sara.
ULTSo Sarai said to Abram, “Behold please, Yahweh has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my maidservant. Perhaps I can be built up from her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
USTSo she told Abram, “Please listen to this: As you know, Yahweh has not allowed me to have any children, so please have marital relations with my servant woman Hagarso that maybe I can have a family through her children.” Abram agreed to do what Sarai requested.
BSBSo Sarai said to Abram, “Look now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family by her.” § And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
OEBSarai said to Abram, ‘the Lord has denied me children; Take my slave-girl; maybe I will obtain children by her.’ Then Abram listened to her
WEBBESarai said to Abram, “See now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my servant. It may be that I will obtain children by her.” Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
NETSo Sarai said to Abram, “Since the Lord has prevented me from having children, have sexual relations with my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.” Abram did what Sarai told him.
LSVand Sarai says to Abram, “Now behold, YHWH has restrained me from bearing, please go in to my handmaid; perhaps I am built up from her”; and Abram listens to the voice of Sarai.
FBVso Sarai said to Abram, “Please listen to me. The Lord hasn't let me have any children. So please go and sleep with my slave. Maybe I can have a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai had suggested.
T4TSo one day Sarai said to Abram, “Listen to me! Yahweh has not allowed me to become pregnant. So ◄sleep with/have sex with► [EUP] my slave Hagar. Perhaps she will bear children whom I can consider to be mine.” Abram agreed to do what Sarai said.
LEBAnd Sarai said to Abram, “Look, please, Yahweh has prevented me from bearing children. Please go in to my servant; perhaps I will have children by her.”[fn] And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.
BBEAnd Sarai said to Abram, See, the Lord has not let me have children; go in to my servant, for I may get a family through her. And Abram did as Sarai said.
JPSAnd Sarai said unto Abram: 'Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing; go in, I pray thee, unto my handmaid; it may be that I shall be builded up through her.' And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
ASVAnd Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, Jehovah hath restrained me from bearing; go in, I pray thee, unto my handmaid; it may be that I shall obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
DRAShe said to her husband: Behold, the Lord hath restrained me from bearing: go in unto my handmaid, it may be I may have children of her at least. And when he agreed to her request,
YLTand Sarai saith unto Abram, 'Lo, I pray thee, Jehovah hath restrained me from bearing, go in, I pray thee, unto my handmaid; perhaps I am built up from her;' and Abram hearkeneth to the voice of Sarai.
DrbyAnd Sarai said to Abram, Behold now, Jehovah has shut me up, that I do not bear. Go in, I pray thee, to my maidservant: it may be that I shall be built up by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
RVAnd Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing; go in, I pray thee, unto my handmaid; it may be that I shall obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
WbstrAnd Sarai said to Abram, Behold, now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee go in to my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.
KJB-1769And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai.[fn] (And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath/has restrained me from bearing: I pray thee/you, go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her. And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. )
KJB-1611[fn]And Sarai said vnto Abram, Behold now, the LORD hath restrained me from bearing: I pray thee go in vnto my maid: it may bee that I may obtaine children by her: and Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. (Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from capitalisation and punctuation and footnotes)
BshpsAnd Sarai sayde vnto Abram: beholde, nowe the Lorde hath restrayned me, that I can not beare, I pray thee go in to my mayde, it may be that I may be builded by her: and Abram obeyed the voyce of Sarai. (And Sarai said unto Abram: behold, now the Lord hath/has restrayned me, that I cannot beare, I pray thee/you go in to my maid, it may be that I may be builded by her: and Abram obeyed the voice of Sarai.)
GnvaAnd Sarai said vnto Abram, Beholde now, the Lord hath restrained me from childe bearing. I pray thee goe in vnto my maide: it may be that I shall receiue a childe by her. And Abram obeyed the voyce of Sarai. (And Sarai said unto Abram, Behold now, the Lord hath/has restrained me from child bearing. I pray thee/you go in unto my maide: it may be that I shall receive a child by her. And Abram obeyed the voice of Sarai. )
Cvdland sayde vnto Abram: Beholde, the LORDE hath closed me, that I can not beare. Go in (I praye the) vnto my mayde: peraduenture I shalbe multiplied by her, more then by myself. And Abram herkened vnto the voyce of Sarai. Than Sarai (and said unto Abram: Behold, the LORD hath/has closed me, that I cannot bear. Go in (I pray the) unto my mayde: peraduenture I shall be multiplied by her, more then by myself. And Abram herkened unto the voice of Sarai. Than Sarai)
Wyclthe Lord hath closid me, that Y schulde not bere child; entre thou to my seruauntesse, if in hap Y schal take children, nameli of hir. And whanne he assentide to hir preiynge, sche took Agar Egipcian, (the Lord hath/has closid me, that I should not bear child; enter thou/you to my servantsse, if in hap I shall take children, nameli of her. And when he assentide to her preiynge, she took Agar Egipcian,)
LuthUnd sie sprach zu Abram: Siehe, der HErr hat mich verschlossen, daß ich nicht gebären kann. Lieber, lege dich zu meiner Magd, ob ich doch vielleicht aus ihr mich bauen möge. Abram, der gehorchte der Stimme Sarais. (And they/she/them spoke to Abram: See, the/of_the LORD has me verschlossen, that I not gebären kann. Lieber, lege you/yourself to my Magd, ob I though/but vielleicht out_of you/their/her me bauen möge. Abram, the/of_the gehorchte the/of_the voice Sarais.)
ClVgdixit marito suo: Ecce, conclusit me Dominus, ne parerem. Ingredere ad ancillam meam, si forte saltem ex illa suscipiam filios. Cumque ille acquiesceret deprecanti,[fn] (dixit marito suo: Ecce, conclusit me Master, not parerem. Ingredere to maidservant mine, when/but_if forte saltem from that suscipiam filios. Cumque ille acquiesceret deprecanti, )
16.2Ingredere ad ancillam, etc. HIERON. Nota diligenter quod procreatio filiorum in Hebræo ædificatio dicta est, etc., usque ad tanquam per angelum lata in gratiam redeat et se subjiciat. RAB. Hæ duæ mulieres sunt duo Testamenta: Agar, Vetus, quod in Synagoga Judaicum populum servituti nutriebat obnoxium; Sara, Novum, quod populum Christianum in libertatem fidei generavit. Multiplicati sunt ancillæ filii, ut non numerarentur præ multitudine, qui supra arenæ comparantur. Ipse ergo populus ferocitate sua æmulus, et omnibus bonis contrarius, et maxime cum Christianum populum toto orbe invidia stimulante persequitur, et longe lateque dispersus, vagando et negotiando omnibus est onerosus.
16.2Ingredere to maidservant, etc. HIERON. Nota diligenter that procreatio of_children in Hebræo ædificatio dicta it_is, etc., until to tanquam through a_messenger/angel lata in gratiam redeat and se subyiciat. RAB. Hæ duæ mulieres are two Testamenta: Agar, Vetus, that in Synagoga Yudaicum the_people servituti nutriebat obnoxium; Sara, Novum, that the_people of_Christanum in libertatem of_faith generavit. Multiplicati are ancillæ children, as not/no numerarentur præ multitudine, who supra arenæ comparantur. Exactly_that therefore populus ferocitate his_own æmulus, and to_all bonis contrarius, and maxime when/with of_Christanum the_people toto orbe invidia stimulante persequitur, and longe lateque dispersus, vagando and negotiando to_all it_is onerosus.
See how you translated this phrase in Gen 12:11. Alternate translation: “Listen now:” or “Please listen to me”
עֲצָרַ֤נִי יְהוָה֙ מִלֶּ֔דֶת
prevented,me YHWH from,bearing_children
Alternate translation: “Since Yahweh has not permitted me to bear any children,” or “As you know, Yahweh has not permitted me to bear any children, so”
Consider whether it is better in your language to begin a new sentence here or to continue the previous sentence. Also, see how you translated the idiom “went to” in Gen 6:4. Alternate translation: “please sleep with” or “please have sexual relations with”
שִׁפְחָתִ֔י
servant,my
See how you translated maidservant in verse 1. Alternate translation: “my slave woman Hagar.”
אוּלַ֥י
perhaps
Consider whether or not it is better in your language to begin a new sentence here. Alternate translation: “Maybe” or “so that perhaps”
אִבָּנֶ֖ה מִמֶּ֑נָּה
obtain_children from=her/it
Alternate translation: “I can build a family through her children.” or “she can have children for me so that I can build a family.”
The Lord had promised repeatedly to raise up a great nation from Abram’s descendants (Genesis 12:2; 13:16; 15:5), but several years passed from the time this promise was given until Abram’s wife Sarai bore a child. During this time, Sarai sought to acquire a child for Abram through Hagar, her Egyptian servant-girl–a common practice at this time. When Hagar conceived, she began to regard Sarai with contempt, and Sarai responded by treating her harshly. Eventually Hagar ran away, heading south from Hebron (see Genesis 13:18) and following the way to Shur toward the wilderness and Kadesh-barnea. Along the way the angel of the Lord found her by a spring (also called a well in verse 14). He told her to return to her mistress Sarai, but he also promised that Hagar would bear a son, Ishmael, and that his descendants would become a great nation. In response, Hagar named the well Beer-lahai-roi, meaning “the well of the Living One who sees me.” She then returned to Sarai at Hebron and gave birth to Ishmael. The well at Beer-lahai-roi may also be the place where Hagar later found water to give to Ishmael after they were sent away from Abraham and Sarah (Genesis 21). Isaac also moved to Beer-lai-roi for a time after his father Abraham died (Genesis 25:11). Some scholars locate Beer-lahai-roi at a well called Ain Muweileh, about 6 miles (9.5 km) northwest of Kadesh-barnea, based on speculation that the modern name is a corruption of an Arabic phrase meaning “water of the living one seeing.” But the Bible makes it clear that Beer-lai-roi “lies between Kadesh and Bered,” and Bered was likely located at what was later called Elusa (based on the Jerusalem Targum and possibly Jerome), as shown on this map. Given this location for Bered, this author has identified the most likely location for Beer-lahai-roi to be Bi’ren–the only well located along the way to Shur between Bered and Kadesh-barnea.
