How did Abraham and Sarah try to have a son through Hagar?

Abraham and Sarah, after waiting about 50 years for the promised son, resorted to a pagan custom of using a surrogate mother. Sarah suggested that Abraham have a son by their slave girl Hagar, and Abraham agreed. Hagar bore Ishmael, a natural son of Abraham, which created ongoing conflict.

Les explains that God had promised Abraham and Sarah a son for 50 years, but after that time Abraham became impatient. He delved back into the pagan custom of using a surrogate mother. Sarah thought of it first and suggested they have a son by their slave girl Hagar. Abraham quickly agreed. From that fleshly idea came Ishmael, the natural son. Les notes Ishmael is a child of Abraham, and this is the conflict in the Middle East today. The Arab world says they are the true children of Abraham because the Koran, if Les understands it correctly, puts the covenant promises with Ishmael instead of Isaac, so they feel they are the rightful owners of the Holy Land.

How did Abraham come to have Ishmael by Hagar?

After roughly fifty years of waiting for the promised son, Abraham became impatient. Sarah first suggested using their slave girl Hagar as a surrogate mother, a pagan custom, and Abraham quickly agreed. From that fleshly idea came Ishmael, Abraham's natural son.