Genesis 16 · Verse 5

Genesis 16:5

And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.
Genesis 16:5, King James Version

Genesis 16:5 in other translations

BSBThen Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be upon you! I delivered my servant into your arms, and ever since she saw that she was pregnant, she has treated me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me.”
WEBSarai said to Abram, “This wrong is your fault. I gave my servant into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, she despised me. May the LORD judge between me and you.”
ASVAnd Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I gave my handmaid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: Jehovah judge between me and thee.
YLTAnd Sarai saith unto Abram, ‘My violence is for thee; I--I have given mine handmaid into thy bosom, and she seeth that she hath conceived, and I am lightly esteemed in her eyes; Jehovah doth judge between me and thee.'
DARBYAnd Sarai said to Abram, My wrong be on thee! I have given my maidservant into thy bosom; and now she sees that she has conceived, I am lightly esteemed in her eyes. Jehovah judge between me and thee!
BBEAnd Sarai said to Abram, May my wrong be on you: I gave you my servant for your wife and when she saw that she was with child, she no longer had any respect for me: may the Lord be judge between you and me.
WebsterAnd Sarai said to Abram, my wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the LORD judge between me and thee.

What does Genesis 16:5 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
5. And Sarai said ... My wrong be upon thee--Bursts of temper, or blows, as the original may bear, took place till at length Hagar, perceiving the hopelessness of maintaining the unequal strife, resolved to escape from what had become to her in reality, as well as in name, a house of bondage.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 5 My wrong be upon thee - This appears to be intended as a reproof to Abram, containing an insinuation that it was his fault that she herself had not been a mother, and that now he carried himself more affectionately towards Hagar than he did to her, in consequence of which conduct the slave became petulant. To remove all suspicion of this kind, Abram delivers up Hagar into her hand, who was certainly under his protection while his concubine or secondary wife; but this right given to him by Sarai he restores, to prevent her jealousy and uneasiness.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Genesis 16:4-6

Abram's unhappy marriage to Hagar very soon made a great deal of mischief. We may thank ourselves for the guilt and grief that follow us, when we go out of the way of our duty. See it in this case, Passionate people often quarrel with others, for things of which they themselves must bear the blame. Sarai had given her maid to Abram, yet she cries out, My wrong be upon thee. That is never said wisely, which pride and…

Read the full comment on Genesis 16:4-6 →

Genesis 16:5 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַתֹּ֨אמֶרva.To.merand she saidH559
שָׂרַ֣יsa.RaiSaraiH8297
אֶל\־'el-toH413
אַבְרָם֮'av.RamAbramH87
חֲמָסִ֣יcha.ma.Siinjustice myH2555
עָלֶיךָ֒'a.lei.Kha[is] on youH5921
אָנֹכִ֗י'a.no.KhiIH595
נָתַ֤תִּיna.Ta.tiI putH5414
שִׁפְחָתִי֙shif.cha.Timaidservant myH8198
בְּחֵיקֶ֔ךָbe.chei.Ke.chain bosom yourH2436
וַתֵּ֙רֶא֙va.Te.re'and she has seenH7200
כִּ֣יkithatH3588
הָרָ֔תָהha.Ra.tahshe had conceivedH2029
וָאֵקַ֖לva.'e.Kaland I have become insignificantH7043
בְּעֵינֶ֑יהָbe.'ei.Nei.hain view herH5869
יִשְׁפֹּ֥טyish.Potmay he judgeH8199
יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahwehH3068
בֵּינִ֥יbei.Nibetween meH996
וּבֵינֶֽיׄךָ\׃u.vei.Nei.khaand between youH996

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Genesis 16:5

  • Genesis 31:53

    The God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, the God of their father, judge betwixt us. And Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac.

  • Exodus 5:21

    And they said unto them, The Lord look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.

  • Luke 10:40-41

    But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

  • Psalms 7:8

    The Lord shall judge the people: judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me.

  • 1 Samuel 24:12-15

    The Lord judge between me and thee, and the Lord avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee. After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea. The Lord therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.

  • 2 Chronicles 24:22

    Thus Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he said, The Lord look upon it, and require it.

  • Psalms 35:23

    Stir up thyself, and awake to my judgment, even unto my cause, my God and my Lord.

  • Psalms 43:1

    Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
My wrong.
Lu 10:40,41
the Lord.
31:53; Ex 5:21; 1Sa 24:12-15; 2Ch 24:22; Ps 7:8; 35:23; 43:1

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Genesis 16:4

    And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.

  • Genesis 16:5

    And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.

  • Genesis 16:6

    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.

Read all of Genesis 16

Genesis 16:5 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Entonces Sarai dijo á Abram: Mi afrenta sea sobre ti: yo puse mi sierva en tu seno, y viéndose embarazada, me mira con desprecio; juzgue Jehová entre mí y ti.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et Saraï dit à Abram: Le tort qui m’est fait est sur toi: moi, je t’ai donné ma servante dans ton sein; et elle voit qu’elle a conçu, et je suis méprisée à ses yeux. L’ Éternel jugera entre moi et toi!
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und Sarai sprach zu Abram: Das Unrecht, das mir widerfährt, fällt auf dich! Ich habe meine Magd in deinen Schoß gegeben; und da sie sieht, daß sie schwanger geworden ist, bin ich gering in ihren Augen. Jehova richte zwischen mir und dir!
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Dixitque Sarai ad Abram: Inique agis contra me: ego dedi ancillam meam in sinum tuum, quæ videns quod conceperit, despectui me habet: judicet Dominus inter me et te.