Sarah's Egyptian slave-girl. As Sarah was childless she gave Abraham Hagar, who bore his first son Ishmael (Gen 16:1-4).

Hagar's story is actually the story of Ishmael's birth, his mother's conflict with her mistress about the son's inheritance, and the exclusion of both mother and son from the paternal household and the divine promise of land and national uniqueness given to it. According to some scholars it is transmitted in two slightly different versions in Genesis chapters 16 and 21. In the NT, Paul refers to the Hagar story symbolically (Gal 4:21-31) to argue the freedom of Christians from the obligations of the law.

Concordance
Gen 16:1, 3-4,8, 15-16; 21:9,14, 17; 25:12. Gal 4:24-25

Illustrated Dictionary & Concordance of the Bible. Copyright © 1986 by G.G. The Jerusalem Publishing House, Ltd. All rights reserved.