Bible Strands
Genesis 16:6
“Here,” said Abram, “your servant is in your hands. Do whatever you want with her.” Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she fled from her.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Abram responds to Sarai’s complaint about Hagar’s contempt by placing his servant in Sarai’s authority. He speaks these words immediately after Sarai demands judgment and declares the wrong upon him.
The words — The phrase בְּ/יָדֵ֔/ךְ (be./ya.De/kh) literally means “in your hand,” indicating complete transfer of control. Abram pairs this with עֲשִׂי־ ('a.si-) meaning “do,” granting Sarai unrestricted discretion over Hagar’s fate.
The thread — This transfer of authority echoes Jeremiah 38:5, where King Zedekiah similarly places a prophet “in your hands” to do as he wishes. The motif of handing over responsibility also appears in Genesis 24:10, where a servant takes his master’s goods “in hand” for a mission.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition of human abdication of responsibility when conflict arises. It asks the reader to observe how yielding judgment to others often accelerates harm rather than resolving it.
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 Hebrew words
King James Version
But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee. And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.
Cross-references
- Jeremiah 38:5 “Here he is,” replied King Zedekiah. “He is in your hands, since the king can do nothing to stop you.”
- Genesis 13:8 So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no contention between you and me, or between your herdsmen and my herdsmen. After all, we are kinsmen.
- Genesis 24:10 Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all manner of good things from his master in hand. And he set out for Nahor’s hometown in Aram-naharaim.
- Exodus 2:15 When Pharaoh heard about this matter, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, where he sat down beside a well.
- Job 2:6 “Very well,” said the LORD to Satan. “He is in your hands, but you must spare his life.”
- Psalms 106:41 He delivered them into the hand of the nations, and those who hated them ruled over them.
- Proverbs 14:29 A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.
- Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
- Proverbs 15:17 Better a dish of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox with hatred.
- Proverbs 27:8 Like a bird that strays from its nest is a man who wanders from his home.