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11 Then the angel of the Lord said to her,

“You are now[a] pregnant
and are about to give birth[b] to a son.
You are to name him Ishmael,[c]
for the Lord has heard your painful groans.[d]

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Footnotes

  1. Genesis 16:11 tn The particle הִנֵּה (hinneh) focuses on her immediate situation: “Here you are pregnant.”
  2. Genesis 16:11 tn The active participle refers here to something that is about to happen.
  3. Genesis 16:11 sn The name Ishmael consists of the imperfect or jussive form of the Hebrew verb with the theophoric element added as the subject. It means “God hears” or “may God hear.”
  4. Genesis 16:11 tn Heb “affliction,” which must refer here to Hagar’s painful groans of anguish.sn This clause gives the explanation of the name Ishmael, using a wordplay. Ishmael’s name will be a reminder that “God hears” Hagar’s painful cries.