Genesis 16:9

Genesis 16:9

And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.

a. NLT: The angel of the LORD said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit to her authority.”

b. NIV: Then the angel of the LORD told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.”

c. YLT: And the messenger of Jehovah saith to her, 'Turn back unto thy mistress, and humble thyself under her hands;'

d. Amplified Bible: The Angel of the Lord said to her, Go back to your mistress and [humbly] submit to her control.

e. Septuagint: And the angel of the Lord said to her, Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.

f. Stone Edition Chumash: And an angel of HASHEM said to her, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself to her domination.”

1. “And the angel of the LORD said unto her…”

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. 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. said to her [559 * ‘amar] [Strong: a primitive root; to say (used with great latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech), utter, X verily, X yet.]

2. “…Return to thy mistress, and submit thyself under her hands.”

a. return [7725 * shuwb] [Strong: a primitive root; to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not necessarily with the idea of return to the starting point); generally to retreat; often adverbial, again:--((break, build, circumcise, dig, do anything, do evil, feed, lay down, lie down, lodge, make, rejoice, send, take, weep)) X again, (cause to) answer (+ again), X in any case (wise), X at all, averse, bring (again, back, home again), call (to mind), carry again (back), cease, X certainly, come again (back), X consider, + continually, convert, deliver (again), + deny, draw back, fetch home again, X fro, get (oneself) (back) again, X give (again), go again (back, home), (go) out, hinder, let, (see) more, X needs, be past, X pay, pervert, pull in again, put (again, up again), recall, recompense, recover, refresh, relieve, render (again), requite, rescue, restore, retrieve, (cause to, make to) return, reverse, reward, + say nay, send back, set again, slide back, still, X surely, take back (off), (cause to, make to) turn (again, self again, away, back, back again, backward, from, off), withdraw.]

b. to thy mistress [1404 * gbereth] [Strong: feminine of 1376; mistress:--lady, mistress.]

c. and submit thyself [6031 * anah] [Strong: a primitive root (possibly rather ident. with 6030 through the idea of looking down or browbeating); to depress literally or figuratively, transitive or intransitive (in various applications, as follows):--abase self, afflict(-ion, self), answer (by mistake for 6030), chasten self, deal hardly with, defile, exercise, force, gentleness, humble (self), hurt, ravish, sing (by mistake for 6030), speak (by mistake for 6030), submit self, weaken, X in any wise.]

1). The word used for “submit” in Genesis 16:9 is the same Hebrew word used in Genesis 16:6 for “hardly”.

           

2). This is a work ethic that spans Abram’s generation to ours.

a). 1 Peter 2:18-20 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

2:19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

3). I am fully persuaded no matter how hard the circumstances of our employment are, if we submit to God in humble obedience to His word, in faith, our circumstances will change because of the power of God’s word and because of His faithfulness to the Covenant.

a). Colossians 3:22-25 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in single of heart, fearing God:

2:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men;

2:24 Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

2:25 But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the worng which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons.

b). Ephesians 6:5-8 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, insingleness of your heart, as unto Christ;

6:6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;   

6:7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:

6:8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

c). Psalms 123:2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyes wait upon the LORD our God, until that he have mercy upon us.