So, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her servant, and gave her to Abram her husband as a wife. And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. And Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my servant to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me!” But Abram said to Sarai, “Behold, your servant is in your power; do to her as you please.” Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her.
Comment: This is such a truly human passage.
- Look how much better I am than you are! – she looked with contempt on her mistress.
- Sarai blamed her husband for listening to her – May the wrong done to me be on you.
- Abram’s maybe practical but not kind answer – do to her as you please.
- There was a loveless response – dealt harshly with her.
Prayer: Please guide me so that I don’t get myself into these sorts of messes.
As I read it! 