Genesis 16:2

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

So Sarai said to Abram, "Look, the LORD has prevented me from having children. Please go to my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family through her." And Abram listened to Sarai's voice.

Additional Resources

Other Translations

  • King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

    And 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.

  • KJV1611 – Modern English

    And Sarai said to Abram, Behold now, the LORD has restrained me from bearing children. I pray you, go in to my maid; it may be that I will obtain children by her. And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

  • King James Version 1611 (Original)

    And 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.

  • American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

    And 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.

  • King James Version with Strong's Numbers

    And 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.

  • Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

    Wherfore the sayde vnto Abram. Beholde the LORde hath closed me that I can not bere. I praye the goo in vnto my mayde peradueture I shall be multiplyed by meanes of her And Abram herde the voyce of Sarai. Than Sarai

  • Coverdale Bible (1535)

    and 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

  • Geneva Bible (1560)

    And Sarai said vnto Abram, Beholde now, the Lorde 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; Abram obeyed the voyce of Sarai.

  • Bishops' Bible (1568)

    And 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.

  • Authorized King James Version (1611)

    And 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.

  • Webster's Bible (1833)

    Sarai said to Abram," See now, Yahweh has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my handmaid. It may be that I will obtain children by her." Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

  • Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

    and 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.

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    And 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.

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    And 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.

  • Bible in Basic English (1941)

    And 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.

  • World English Bible (2000)

    Sarai said to Abram, "See now, Yahweh has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my handmaid. It may be that I will obtain children by her." Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

  • NET Bible® (New English Translation)

    So Sarai said to Abram,“Since the LORD has prevented me from having children, please sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have a family by her.” Abram did what Sarai told him.

Referenced Verses

  • Gen 3:1-6 : 1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, 'Did God really say, you shall not eat from any tree in the garden?' 2 The woman said to the serpent, 'We may eat the fruit of the trees in the garden.' 3 'But of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.'' 4 But the serpent said to the woman, 'You will surely not die.' 5 'For God knows that on the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.' 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.
  • Gen 3:12 : 12 The man said, 'The woman you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.'
  • Gen 3:17 : 17 To Adam He said, 'Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, "You must not eat from it," cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.'
  • Gen 17:16 : 16 I will bless her and surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will become the mother of nations; kings of peoples will descend from her.
  • Gen 18:10 : 10 Then one of them said, 'I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.' Now Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind him.
  • Gen 20:18 : 18 For the LORD had completely closed every womb in Abimelech's household because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.
  • Gen 25:21 : 21 Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife because she was barren. The LORD answered his prayer, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
  • Gen 30:2-4 : 2 Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, 'Am I in the place of God, who has withheld children from you?' 3 Then she said, 'Here is my maidservant Bilhah. Sleep with her so that she can bear children for me, and through her, I too can build a family.' 4 So she gave him her maidservant Bilhah as a wife, and Jacob slept with her.
  • Gen 30:6 : 6 Then Rachel said, 'God has judged in my favor; He has listened to my plea and given me a son.' So she named him Dan.
  • Gen 30:9-9 : 9 When Leah saw that she had stopped bearing children, she took her maidservant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. 10 And Leah’s maidservant Zilpah bore Jacob a son.
  • Gen 30:22 : 22 Then God remembered Rachel. He listened to her and opened her womb.
  • Exod 21:4 : 4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and he shall go out by himself.
  • Ruth 4:11 : 11 All the people who were at the gate and the elders said, 'We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is entering your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you prosper in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem.'
  • Ps 127:3 : 3 Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • Gen 16:1
    88%

    1Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had not borne him any children. But she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar.

  • Gen 16:3-6
    4 verses
    85%

    3After Abram had lived in the land of Canaan for ten years, Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her maidservant, and gave her to Abram as a wife.

    4He went in to Hagar, and she conceived. When Hagar saw that she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress.

    5Then Sarai said to Abram, "The wrong done to me is your fault. I gave my maidservant into your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, I am despised in her eyes. May the LORD judge between you and me."

    6Abram said to Sarai, "Your maidservant is in your hands; do with her whatever you think is best." Then Sarai mistreated Hagar, and she fled from her presence.

  • Gen 16:15-16
    2 verses
    78%

    15Hagar bore a son to Abram, and Abram named the son whom Hagar bore, Ishmael.

    16Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore Ishmael to him.

  • Gen 11:29-30
    2 verses
    77%

    29Abram and Nahor both married. The name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife was Milcah. She was the daughter of Haran, the father of both Milcah and Iscah.

    30Now Sarai was childless because she was not able to conceive.

  • Gen 17:15-16
    2 verses
    77%

    15Then God said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah.

    16I will bless her and surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will become the mother of nations; kings of peoples will descend from her.

  • Gen 16:8-9
    2 verses
    77%

    8He said, "Hagar, Sarai's maidservant, where have you come from, and where are you going?" She answered, "I am fleeing from the presence of my mistress Sarai."

    9Then the angel of the LORD said to her, "Return to your mistress and submit to her authority."

  • Gen 15:2-3
    2 verses
    77%

    2Abram said, "Lord GOD, what will You give me, since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?"

    3And Abram said, "You have given me no children, so a servant in my household will be my heir."

  • Gen 24:36
    76%

    36Sarah, my master’s wife, bore him a son in her old age, and he has given him everything he owns.

  • Gen 18:10-13
    4 verses
    75%

    10Then one of them said, 'I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.' Now Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent, which was behind him.

    11Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well along in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.

    12So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, 'After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?'

    13Then the LORD said to Abraham, 'Why did Sarah laugh, saying, “Can I really bear a child when I am old?”'

  • Gen 12:16-19
    4 verses
    75%

    16He treated Abram well because of her, and Abram acquired sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male and female servants, female donkeys, and camels.

    17But the Lord afflicted Pharaoh and his household with severe plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife.

    18So Pharaoh summoned Abram and said, "What have you done to me? Why didn't you tell me she was your wife?"

    19"Why did you say, 'She is my sister,' so that I took her to be my wife? Now then, here is your wife. Take her and go."

  • Gen 21:12
    74%

    12But God said to Abraham, 'Do not be distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.'

  • Gen 25:12
    74%

    12This is the account of Ishmael, the son of Abraham, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s maidservant, bore to Abraham.

  • Gen 21:2
    74%

    2Sarah became pregnant and gave birth to a son for Abraham in his old age, at the appointed time God had promised him.

  • Gen 20:2
    73%

    2Abraham said about Sarah his wife, 'She is my sister,' and Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent for her and took her.

  • Gen 16:11
    73%

    11The angel of the LORD said to her, "You are now pregnant and will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, because the LORD has heard of your misery."

  • Gen 12:11
    73%

    11As he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, "Look, I know that you are a beautiful woman.