Genesis 16:7

Genesis 16:7

And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.

a. NLT: The angel of the LORD found Hagar beside a spring of water in the wilderness, along the road to Shur.

b. NIV: The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur.

c. YLT: And a messenger of Jehovah findeth her by the fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur,

d. Amplified Bible: But the Angel of the Lord found her by a spring of water in the wilderness on the road to Shur.

e. Septuagint: And an angel of the Lord found her by the fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Sur.

f. Stone Edition Chumash: An angel of HASHEM found her by the spring of water in the desert, at the spring on the road to Shur.

1. “And the angel of the LORD found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness…”

a. the angel [4397 * mal’ak] [Strong: from an unused root meaning to despatch as a deputy; a messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher):--ambassador, angel, king, messenger.]

b. of the LORD [3068 * Yhovah] [Strong: from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

1). I see in all this that God is faithful. It wasn’t his will that this happen but there he is, coming to the aid of the real victim in all this, Hagar. One the identity of the angel, a number of authorities believe this was a theophany of Christ.

a). Note in the NRSV says, “Here the angel of the LORD is not a heavenly being subordinate to God but the LORD in earthly manifestation.

b). The Amplified Bible also in a note on this verse identifies this individual as Christ; comparing it with Genesis 48:16 (KJV “the Angel which redeemed me”).

c). Scofield’s Bible note this is a manifestation of God.

d). Gordon Lindsay says it was an ordinary angel.

e). I personally believe this was a pre-incarnate manifestation of Christ similar to Genesis 18.

c. found her [4672 * matsa’] [Strong: a primitive root; properly, to come forth to, i.e. appear or exist; transitively, to attain, i.e. find or acquire; figuratively, to occur, meet or be present:--+ be able, befall, being, catch, X certainly, (cause to) come (on, to, to hand), deliver, be enough (cause to) find(-ing, occasion, out), get (hold upon), X have (here), be here, hit, be left, light (up-)on, meet (with), X occasion serve, (be) present, ready, speed, suffice, take hold on.]

d. by a fountain [5869 ‘ayin] [Strong: probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape):--affliction, outward appearance, + before, + think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, + displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble, knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please, presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, + think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).]

e. of water [4325 * mayim] [Strong: dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense); water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen:--+ piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).]

f. in the wilderness [4057 * midbar] [Strong: from 1961 in the sense of driving; a pasture (i.e. open field, whither cattle are driven); by implication, a desert; also speech (including its organs):--desert, south, speech, wilderness.]

2. “…by the fountain in the way to Shur.”

a. by the fountain [5869 ‘ayin] [Strong: probably a primitive word; an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape):--affliction, outward appearance, + before, + think best, colour, conceit, + be content, countenance, + displease, eye((-brow), (-d), -sight), face, + favour, fountain, furrow (from the margin), X him, + humble, knowledge, look, (+ well), X me, open(-ly), + (not) please, presence, + regard, resemblance, sight, X thee, X them, + think, X us, well, X you(-rselves).]

b. in the way [1870 * derek] [Strong: from 1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb:--along, away, because of, + by, conversation, custom, (east-)ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-)way(-side), whither(-soever).]

c. to Shur [7793 * Shuwr] [Strong: the same as 7791; Shur, a region of the Desert:--Shur.]