Bible Strands
Genesis 16:7
Now the angel of the LORD found Hagar by a spring of water in the desert—the spring along the road to Shur.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The angel of the LORD encounters Hagar near a desert spring while she is fleeing from Sarai's harsh treatment. This occurs immediately after Abram yields control of Hagar to Sarai.
The words — The text uses מַלְאַךְ (mal'akh) for "angel" and וַיִּמְצָאָהּ (va-yimtza'ah) for "and he found her." These terms emphasize a deliberate divine encounter in a desolate location.
The thread — The location "Shur" reappears in Genesis 25:18 as a boundary for Ishmael's descendants and in Exodus 15:22 as the desert Moses enters after crossing the sea. The divine messenger motif also appears in Genesis 21:17 when the angel of God addresses Hagar.
Why it lands — The verse records a factual intervention where a divine messenger locates a fleeing servant in a specific geographic spot. It requires the reader to acknowledge that divine attention operates within historical and physical boundaries.
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
And the angel of the Lord found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.
Cross-references
- Genesis 21:17 Then God heard the voice of the boy, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, “What is wrong, Hagar? Do not be afraid, for God has heard the voice of the boy where he lies.
- Genesis 25:18 Ishmael’s descendants settled from Havilah to Shur, which is near the border of Egypt as you go toward Asshur. And they lived in hostility toward all their brothers.
- Exodus 15:22 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the Desert of Shur. For three days they walked in the desert without finding water.
- Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.
- Genesis 20:1 Now Abraham journeyed from there to the region of the Negev and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While he was staying in Gerar,
- Genesis 22:11 Just then the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied.
- Genesis 22:15 And the angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time,
- Genesis 31:11 In that dream the angel of God said to me, ‘Jacob!’ And I replied, ‘Here I am.’
- 1 Samuel 15:7 Then Saul struck down the Amalekites all the way from Havilah to Shur, which is east of Egypt.