John Calvin Commentary Genesis 16

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife. Moses here relates a new account, specifically, that Sarai, through impatience from long delay, resorted to a method of obtaining offspring by her husband that was contrary to the word of God. She saw that she was barren and had passed childbearing age.

And she inferred the necessity of a new remedy, so that Abram might obtain the promised blessing. Moses explicitly states that the design of marrying a second wife did not originate with Abram himself, but with Sarai, to teach us that the holy man was not impelled by lust to this marriage; but that when he was thinking of no such thing, he was induced to engage in it by his wife's exhortation.

It is, however, asked whether Sarai substituted her maidservant in her place through the mere desire of having offspring. So it seems to some; yet to me it is incredible that the pious matron should not have been aware of those promises, which had been so often repeated to her husband.

Indeed, it ought to be fully taken for granted among all pious persons that the mother of the people of God was a partaker of the same grace as her husband. Sarai, therefore, does not desire offspring (as is usual) from a merely natural impulse; but she yields her conjugal rights to another, through a wish to obtain that blessing, which she knew was divinely promised. It is not that she makes a divorce from her husband, but she assigns him another wife from whom he might receive children.

And certainly, if she had desired offspring in the ordinary manner, she would more likely have thought of adopting a son than of making room for a second wife. For we know the vehemence of female jealousy. Therefore, while contemplating the promise, she becomes forgetful of her own right and thinks of nothing but bearing children for Abram.

This is a memorable example, from which we gain no small profit. For however praiseworthy Sarai’s wish was, regarding its end or the aim to which it tended, nevertheless, in its pursuit, she was guilty of a significant sin by impatiently departing from the word of God in order to enjoy the effect of that word.

While she dwells on her own barrenness and old age, she begins to despair of offspring unless Abram should have children from some other source; in this, there is already some fault. Yet, however desperate the affair might be, she still ought not to have attempted anything contrary to the will of God and the legitimate order of nature.

God designed that the human race should be propagated through sacred marriage. Sarai perverts the law of marriage by defiling the marriage bed, which was appointed only for two persons. Nor is it a valid excuse that she wished Abram to have a concubine and not a wife, since it ought to have been regarded as a settled point that the woman is joined to the man, that they two should be one flesh. And though polygamy had already become common among many, yet it was never left to human will to abolish that divine law by which two persons were mutually bound together.

Nor was even Abram free from fault in following the foolish and preposterous advice of his wife. Therefore, as Sarai’s rashness was blameworthy, so the ease with which Abram yielded to her wish was deserving of rebuke. The faith of both of them was defective; not indeed with regard to the substance of the promise, but with regard to the method they used, since they hastened to acquire the offspring that was to be expected from God, without observing God’s legitimate ordinance.

From this we are also taught that God does not command His people in vain to be quiet and to wait with patience whenever He delays or suspends the fulfillment of their wishes. For those who hasten ahead of time not only run ahead of God’s providence but, being discontented with His word, rush themselves beyond their proper bounds.

But it seems that Sarai had something more in mind; for she not only wished that Abram should become a father, but she also gladly wished to acquire for herself the rights and honors of a mother. I answer, since she knew that all nations were to be blessed in the seed of Abram, it is no wonder that she should be unwilling to be deprived of participation in his honor, lest she should be cut off, as a decaying member, from the body that had received the blessing, and should also become a stranger to the promised salvation.

Bare him no children. This seems added as an excuse. And truly, Moses intimates that she did not seek help from the womb of her maidservant before necessity compelled her to do so. Her own words also show that she had patiently and modestly waited to see what God would do, until hope was entirely cut off, when she says that she was restrained from bearing by the Lord (Genesis 16:2). What fault then shall we find in her? Surely, that she did not, as she ought, cast this care upon God, without limiting His power to the order of nature or confining it to her own understanding. And then, by neglecting to infer from the past what would take place in the future, she did not regard herself as in the hand of God, who could again open the womb which He had closed.

That I may obtain children by her. This is a Hebrew phrase, which signifies to become a mother. Some, however, expound the word as simply meaning to have a son. And certainly בן (ben), which, among the Hebrews, signifies son, corresponds with the verb here used. But since sons are so called metaphorically as being the maintainers of the race, and thus building up the family, therefore, the primary signification of the word is to be retained.

But Sarai claims for herself by right of dominion the child whom Hagar will bring forth, because maidservants do not bring forth for themselves, since they do not have power over their own body. By first speaking to her husband, she does not merely allow a concubine, who would be like a harlot, but introduces and obtrudes one.

And so it appears that when people are wiser in their own eyes than they ought to be, they easily fall into the snare of trying illicit means. Sarai's desire proceeds from the zeal of faith; but because it is not sufficiently subjected to God to wait for His time, she immediately resorts to polygamy, which is nothing other than the corruption of lawful marriage.

Moreover, since Sarai, that holy woman, nevertheless fanned in her husband the same flame of impatience with which she burned, from this we may learn how diligently we ought to be on our guard, lest Satan surprise us by any secret fraud. For not only does he induce wicked and ungodly men to openly oppose our faith, but sometimes, privately and by stealth, he assails us by means of good and simple men, so that he may overcome us unawares. On every side, therefore, we must be on our guard against his wiles, lest by any means he undermine us.

And Abram hearkened to the voice of Sarai. Truly, Abram's faith wavers when he deviates from the word of God and allows himself to be carried away by his wife's persuasion to seek a remedy that was divinely prohibited. He, however, retains the foundation, because he does not doubt that he will, at last, perceive that God is true.

From this example we are taught that there is no reason to despond if, at any time, Satan shakes our faith, provided that the truth of God is not overthrown in our hearts. Meanwhile, when we see Abram, who for so many years had bravely contended like an invincible combatant and had surmounted so many obstacles, now yielding in a single moment to temptation, who among us will not fear for himself in similar danger? Therefore, although we may have stood long and firmly in the faith, we must daily pray that God will not lead us into temptation.

And gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife. Moses states what Sarai intended, for she intended neither to make her house a brothel, nor to betray her maidservant's chastity, nor to act as a panderer for her husband. Yet Hagar is improperly called a wife, because she was brought into another person’s bed, against the law of God.

Therefore, let us understand that this union was so illicit that it was something between fornication and marriage. The same thing occurs with all those inventions that are added to the word of God. For no matter what plausible pretext may cover them, there is an inherent corruption that deviates from the purity of the word and corrupts the whole.

Her mistress was despised in her eyes. Here Moses relates that the punishment for excessive rashness quickly followed. The chief blame, indeed, rested with Sarai; yet because Abram had shown himself too trusting, God chastises both as they deserve.

Sarai is grievously and bitterly tried by the proud contempt of her servant; Abram is harassed by unjust complaints. Thus we see that both pay the penalty for their lack of seriousness, and that the plan devised by Sarai, and too eagerly embraced by Abram, fails to succeed.

Meanwhile, in Hagar, an instance of ingratitude is set before us, because she, having been treated with exceptional kindness and honor, begins to hold her mistress in contempt.

Since, however, this is an exceedingly common affliction of the mind, let the faithful accustom themselves to enduring it if, at any time, such an unjust return is made to them for their acts of kindness. But especially, let the weakness of Sarai move us to do so, since she was unable to bear the contempt of her servant.

My wrong be upon you. This also was a part of her punishment, that Sarai was brought so low as to forget herself for a while; and being intensely agitated, she behaved with such weakness. Certainly, as much as she could, she had pushed her husband to act rashly; and now she peevishly insults him, although he is innocent.

For she presents nothing for which Abram was to be blamed. She reproaches him with the fact that she had given her maid into his bosom, and complains that she is condemned by this maid, without having first determined whether he intended to assist the bad cause by his support or not.

Thus blind is the assault of anger; it rushes impetuously here and there, and condemns, without inquiry, those who are entirely free from blame. If ever any woman was of a meek and gentle spirit, Sarai excelled in that virtue. Since, therefore, we see that her patience was violently shaken by a single offense, let every one of us be so much the more resolved to govern his own passions.

The Lord judge between me and you. She makes improper use of the name of God and almost forgets that proper reverence, which is so strongly urged upon those who are godly. She makes her appeal to the judgment of God. What else is this but to call down destruction on her own head?

For if God had intervened as judge, He would necessarily have executed punishment upon one or the other of them. But Abram had done no injury. Therefore, it follows that she would have felt the vengeance of God, whose anger she had so rashly called down upon herself or her husband.

Had Moses spoken this of any heathen woman, it might have been dismissed as a common occurrence. But now, the Lord shows us, through the example of the mother of the faithful: first, how vehement is the flame of anger, and to what lengths it will hurry people; then, how greatly those are blinded who, in their own affairs, are too indulgent to themselves. From this we should learn to suspect ourselves whenever our own concerns are being discussed.

Another thing is also especially noteworthy here: namely, that the best-ordered families are sometimes not free from disputes; indeed, this evil reaches even to the Church of God. For we know that the family of Abram, which was disturbed with conflicts, was the living representation of the Church.

As for domestic quarrels, we know that the principal part of social life, which God consecrated among people, is spent in marriage. Yet various difficulties arise which stain that good state, as if with spots. It is fitting for the faithful to prepare themselves to remove these causes of trouble. To this end, it is very important to reflect on the origin of the evil, for all the troubles people find in marriage, they should attribute to sin.