Why did Hagar despise Sarai after she conceived?
Hagar despised Sarai because Hagar had conceived and was able to bear a child, while Sarai remained childless. Hagar used her pregnancy to make a fool of her mistress, and this infuriated Sarai, who felt wronged and asked the Lord to judge between them.
Les teaches that Sarai gave Hagar, the Egyptian, to Abram as a wife so she could have a child by him, and Hagar did conceive. He explains the customs of the day and the laws of Hammurabi: if a wife could not have a child physically, it was considered moral and upright in their culture to have a child by a servant or slave girl. They were not going contrary to the morality of their day, but God had not told them to do it this way; they did it in the energy of the flesh. Once the slave girl was with child, Sarai said, “My wrong be upon thee,” explaining that when Hagar saw she had conceived, Sarai was despised. Les says Hagar was literally making a fool out of Sarai, her mistress, simply because she was able to bear a child and Sarai was not. This infuriated Sarai. Abram told Sarai the maid was in her hand, to do as pleased her, and Sarai kicked Hagar out.
And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.
More Questions
Why was Sarai so angry and upset with Hagar after Hagar conceived?
Hagar literally made a fool out of Sarai, her mistress, simply because Hagar was able to bear a child and Sarai was not, and it infuriated Sarai.