Bible Strands
Galatians 4:25
Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Paul addresses the Galatian churches while explaining an allegory contrasting two women and their respective covenants. He uses this moment to distinguish between a covenant of law and a covenant of promise.
The words — Σινᾶ (Sina) = Sinai, ὄρος (oros) = Mount. The text identifies Hagar with Mount Sinai in Arabia, establishing a direct geographical and covenantal link.
The thread — Sinai appears in Psalms 68:17 as God’s dwelling place, while Jerusalem is condemned in Matthew 23:37 for rejecting prophets. Paul later contrasts the present Jerusalem with the free Jerusalem above in Galatians 4:26, and references his own time in Arabia in Galatians 1:17.
Why it lands — The verse demands a clear distinction between the covenant that produces bondage and the covenant that produces freedom. It requires the reader to reject any return to slavery under the law and to accept the promise as the sole basis for standing.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Greek words
King James Version
For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.
Cross-references
- Psalms 68:17 The chariots of God are tens of thousands—thousands of thousands are they; the Lord is in His sanctuary as He was at Sinai.
- Matthew 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!
- Galatians 1:17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to the apostles who came before me, but I went into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.
- Deuteronomy 33:2 He said: “The LORD came from Sinai and dawned upon us from Seir; He shone forth from Mount Paran and came with myriads of holy ones, with flaming fire at His right hand.
- Judges 5:5 The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai, before the LORD, the God of Israel.
- Psalms 68:8 the earth shook and the heavens poured down rain before God, the One on Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.
- Luke 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her, how often I have longed to gather your children together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!
- Luke 19:44 They will level you to the ground—you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.”
- Acts 1:11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven.”
- Hebrews 12:18 For you have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom, and storm;